The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-03-08
Fuel.
The Philadelphia Telegraph has an arti-

The Philadelphia Telegraph has an arti'
'cle containing the following paragraph:
~.The waste Of heat Is still greater In
burning green or wet wood. The sap OF
water uses up--that Is, carries OIL in Q
latent state--a very large portion OF the
heat produced by It's carbon, or its dry ma,
teriaI. AS much man. and team-power Is
required to haul three or four cords Of
green wood rs for six or eight cords OF dry
wood. The lesson is: cut the fuel. and
split IL as finely as 1t is to be used. IN
| the grove; haul il home when well dried
and keep 1t in dry place for use. Ii will
be worth far more for heating purposes
than II burned green, or wet, or damp
even. The only exception to this advice
is when, byireason Of easier hauling on
snow, and on account OF the leisure OF
men and teams in winter, 1t may be expe-
dent TO haul home the green wood then ;
but in oil cases let II bc well dried before
il is used"
We heard this question discussed more
than thirty years ago by learned professor
Of Virginia college. There is absolutely
nothing new to be said upon the subject.
Why, then, is 1t that almost all farmers use
green or unseasoned wood for fuel? Are
they all fools. or Is the theory good one
only until 1t is attempted to be carried into
practicei Is 1t not true that as In eating,
bulk is as necessary as the requisite amount
OF nutriment, so in the case OF fuel 1t Is
cheaper, better, and more conducive to
health to use wood not too combustible
AS the lieutenant in Patience" says.
candy or taffy is good enough, "but how
would you like to have candy for break
fast. dinner, and support" Plain bread
and butter is better diet. II there were
none but dry wood in the world, and some
body should invent good article OF green
wood, he would without doubt be reckoned
public benefactor, just as the man who
mixes coal-dtst and earth together and
makes fuel which does not burn too fast
Is recognized as having performeda service
to the public.
IL doors were never open, and the
problem were to find out how most cheaply
and eGectually to warm and keep warm a
closed room. then undoubtedly dry fuel
would be the thingt to use. But in the case
OF the average Virginian, whose doors are
open half the time, steady fire not too
hot, and which will not burn out too
rapidly nor need replenishing too frequent
ly, is the desideratum. This is Afforded
not by dry wood, or fuel fit only for
kindling, but by wood which is not too
well seasoned. The theory Of the para
graph quoted above is like unto the theory
that starch or sugar is better
article OF diet than cracked wheat,
or fat meat than q mixture Of fat and lean.
That green pine, green gum, and some
other woods, are unit for fuel, we admit;
but dry pine is, on the other hand, not
good fuel except for cooking purposes.
The best fuel in the world is oak or hickory
not too dry. Either will keep fire all
night long il good supply be pat upon
'he fire-irons at bedtime; but dozen logs
Of dry pine would soon burn out, in the
mean time heating the room TO the tempe
raturc Of a furnace, and afterwards leaving
IT as uncomfortable as an iceberg.
We decide that the farmers know what
Il is best for them to burn.