American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1880-12-18
Fuel on the Farm.

Well-seasoned wood and plenty of it
is now in demand for fuel and kindling,
and it is to be trusted that the wood
houses connected with the many farm
houses in the land are provided in
abundance with stove wood, cut and
split in proper length and size for use.
Wet sapping wood is not only in the
highest degree wasteful, but it is a
source of great vexation and discom-
fort. A cord of green wood produces,
it is true, just as much heat AS cord
of the same wood dry, but in the burn
ing of dry wood the heat is nearly all
of it available, while from one-half to
two-thirds of the heat produced during
the consumption of green wood escapes
latent and useless in the evaporating
sap or water. Then, too, very much less
time is occupied when a special season
is set apart with q number of hands to
raise at once respectable pile of wood
in shape for immediate use, with re-
serve supply closely packed away under
shelter, than when load is hauled now
and then from the woods and cut up in
small quantities from day to day as it is
required. Wood seasons much moro
rapidly when split; therefore the econ
omy of not only telling and hauling it
from the wood lot before stormy wealth
er and heavy roads are at hand, but
cutting it in shape for stove and fire.
place at the same time.
To many persons oak is oak and pine
is pine, under any and all conditions,
while in point of fact there exists in
woods of the same species almost as
great difference as there does in those
of varied kinds. For instance, a tree
that grows on wet, rich land is less
solid, and therefore will prove less du-
rable for fuel; it is in a word very in
ferior and of less value than a tree of
the same variety that grows on a dry
light soil. Other things being equal.
shell-bark hickory is regarded as repre-
senting the highest standard among
forest trees for fuel, and calling that
100, other trees will compare with it for
real value as fuel for house purposes as
follows: Shell-bark hickory, 100; pig
nut hickory, 50; white ash, 81; white
oak. 50; dogwood, IS; scrub oak, 70;
white hazel, Y; apple tree, 20; red oak,
81; white beach, 65; black birch, 81;
yellow oak, 60; hard maple, SO; white
elm, So; red cedar, Sc; wild cherry, So;
yellow pine, "a; chestnut, 50; yellow
poplar. A; butternut and white birch,
43, and white pine, 80. With these
figures in mind the prudent farmer will
select from his wood-lots for firewoOd
such sorts only as do best service in
range and stove, leaving behind for
rails, timber and fence-posts the varie-
ties which, while of little value as re-
CARDS their heating qualities, stand in
the foremost rank for durability under
exposure to the weather
On treeless plains, where the ques-
ton of fuel is one of the utmost import
ance, it is suggested that the plan al
ready in vogue among provident farm
ers be more universally adopted. This
plan consists in the Smelling of all the
surplus corn sold off the farm, 80 that
the cobs shall remain at home for fuel.
The cobs from four TO five acres of corn
have been found equivalent to q ton of
coal for heating purposes. If corn
shelter, which renders the Smelling of
the crop a comparatively easy matter,
can be dispensed with on any farm
where corn is grown in large quantities,
that farm, it is safe to say, is not stu
ated in prairie country.--M Y. World.