St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1875-12-17
The Value of "Lightwood."
GLIMPSE At THE FLORIDA CORN
CRACkERS.

From the Semi. Tropical
One of the luNurieS of life in many
Southeru homes. notably 80 III the ne
Il" cabins. is that Kind of fuel known
throughout the pine land region as
"ligh:Wood." Not light in weight. for
II i a> dense and heavy us solid oak or
hickory. 1t derives its name from its
use and great convenience for making
a bright light. 1t is the fat wood of
the pine tree. 50 full of resin that hot
sun shining upon Il tat board causes the
pitch To flow. nr ut least to hecume al
most liquid. OF course it burns freely
81 much 81 that Il few sticks laid upon
the fire dogs aud touched with light
ed candle or match. bust at once into
vivid flame and warns the room in
two minutes from the time it started
For kinlling either hard wood or coal
fires there is nothing that is equal to
lightWo ood.
Passengers upon Mississippi steamers
have seen its vaiuc for Torches . \ few
pieces. of the bulk of Il huShcl basket
burnt i'll Il framework of iron. attached
to The bow of the boat. illuminates Il
wood yard or wharf while the boat
is taking i'll wood oI putting out
freight.
\ single stick. the size of my finger.
lighted ut one end. will burn several
minutes like Il candle. and half Il dozen
such sticks lighted in my open fire
place make a blazing ire which throws
out a glowing heat. Though such COM
buStible fuel soon burns ont. nothing
makes Il hotter fire, nor more charming
to look at than lightwood There is
nothing that has Il greater charm for
northern visitors than our open fire
places and blazing fires. for he it I'M
derStood and remembered. we have Il
good many days during the winter
months, when sitting around such IA
hearth is most delightful. particularly
morning and evening.
Ligh:~ood adds much to the comfort
of camp life. Indeed, it seems to be
the very thing that makes such ii life
so attractive to scores of our winter
visitors of both sexes.
Soldiers often carry small parcels of
1t with their baggage on the march,
lest their camping place should he in
some spot destitute of the luxury of
their life
the Seminoles made to leaving Florida
that they were going to a country des-
titute of lightwood.
1t must he understood that pitch
pine does not afford this kind of fuel
The best quality is only found here and
there, perhaps in one tree in ten. and
1t is always the best in dead trees An
""ld deadeung," that is, where the
trees have been killed for cultivation of
the land, affords the opportunity for
procuring Il supply of the article in its
best condition. And that reminds me
OF an incident of travel among the
'pIney woods people"
The road for some miles had been
particularly dreary and almost unin-
hahitcd. the land being almost barren
Ilnproductive of anything but pine
trees -pinus pdiustris kind that
furnishes our vast supply of lumber,
the staple product of Florida.
At length our road lay across one of
those hankless, bridgeless creeks, that
Is approached every twenty rods. per
haps by gradual decline. over black
soil covered with deuse underground,
though not fairly called Il swamp, and
then We came to the stream.
Kissing from 1.-THE creek" | heard the
certain sign of an approach to II house.
the barking of half a dozen starved
dogs. The house" soon opened to
view, dark, smoky log-cabin of one