Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1878-01-24
Farm anu bonsebola


After the close of the fall work, and
before the first snow, is our time for
our cutting and piliug in the woods,
our years stock OF fuel, unless some
thing unusual prevents. This work Is
never omitted, for nine-tenths OF the
farmers would as,soon neglect to fill
their hav mows for the winters feeding
of their stock, as they would have the
wood house empty. And they wouid
as soon think Of eating their potatoes
or beef uncooked. or wearing cotton or
wool unwoven, a. OF burning green
wood. The convenience and economy
of good wood are so apparent, that the
old stock is never exhausted before
more is prepared TO replace ii. some
times Jack Frost finds the farmers corn
field uncut, or shuts stout door over
the potato hills; sometimes the
fences ct so low that the sheep hop
over them, or the moving machine
goes bobbing over the unpicked cob
les. But spring always finds huge
stack of stove wood before the door and
summer sees it in even tiers in the wood
house.
For many wears our custom was TO
chop into sled lengths, TO the amount of
from eight to twelve cords, anv tree.
except sugar naples and such as
would make good hewing timber. As
soon es the first SHOWS came this would
be drawn to the door-vard, where il
would usually remain ill April, when
the hired man began his seasons work
His first labor was TO work up the
wood-pile into stove lengths, by chop
ping into cuts of feet, then splitting
and saving to fit the stove. After saw
ing, it was thrown into a loose pile, and
as soon as tree from ice and snow, was
packed in the wood house. by some !;
Others preferred that it should perfect
IL season out of doors, and il was not
housed till corn planting was finished.
In the improvements Of methods in
farm work, the cutting of wood has
kept pace Now il is considered most
expeditions, when help is plenty, TO
work all the largest wood TO stove
lengths in the woods; this is best done
by two men cutting, with a GRO s-cut
saw, the body and the largest limbs, the
smaller ones being drawn to the house
before working up. A few linen own
horse powers and drag-saws, and they
90 from place TO place quickly, cutting
up the logs previously hauled together.
The blocks cut by either process are
then drawn to the house, aud it is only
sport to work them into stove-wood.
Many make,theI mistake in splitting
their wood too fine. For summer use
and for cooking, small wood is best
but for this there are the small limbs.
which should be piled separately, with
a. much of the large wood as is needed
split fine. For eight months in each
. wear fires are needed for warmth, aud
wood that is as much as four inche.
square lasts longer, and by forming
more Goals, gives out more heat than
the same amount split finer. With
many kinds of stoves used only for
heating purposes ,!wood as large as can
be used is the best. Wood is consider
ed best when only half or two thirds
the length of the fire box. When 1t i:
longer, that part which is over the
crate or before the draft is first con
sumed, leaving announcement pieces al
the end.
In the older states, with their many
cities and thousand OF villages-witl
the mvriads of manufactures, and rail
roads crossing almost every town.
farmers are realizing that their forests
are growing small. and at the present
prices of wood and coal, few are selling
any wood. We ought to practice greater
economy in gathering our fuel, select
ing only such trees as have stopped
growing, and picking up the scattered
pieces as closely SIS we do the ears il
our corn fiel1s. Farmers who have
ten acres of wood land may usual,
gather their stock Of wood of materia
that is seemingly worthless. Man,
trees will be fonnd that are dead; herr
aud there the wind has overturned one
or broken off limbs. Taking only these
is more work and it takes more Woo
for the year, tDt the lot looks better
it is easier getting around with team
aud thrifty trees are still growing.
Again when tree is chopped, severa
bushels of chips are scattered that arr
easily saved, and are valuable for build
ing or mending fires. This is gather
ing the fragments in earnest, but h
who saves (and not he who learns) thu
NEST is accountedIthe most prosperous
Cor. Country Gentleman.