The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1885-02-06
The YEARS FUEL.

Some Seasonable Suggestions Likely 20
Strike the Average Heusekeeper ~
About Right.
Coal is a luxury where a continuous
fire Is wanted day and night, all the
winter through. In the cities, where
wood IS brought in from long distances,
it is often more expensive fuel than
coal. Then wood is a luxury, too. But
in the country, where forests are abund-
ant, and where labor is plenty during
the winter, wood is often a more eco
nomical fuel than coal, even when coal
is brought near by rail or boat. For
mechanic in the country, who buys his
wood, and then hires it sawed and split
coal viii often be found the cheaper
fuel. But on the farms where there are
hands and teams that would otherwise
be idle, and especially where there is
much cheap fuel that might rot, and be
lost, if not cut for the home fires, wood
is often the more economical to use. If
cut at the right season, and put under
cover, would make a good fire. The
farmers can possibly attend to it.
Good, sound wood will be the best
condition to cut for fuel, or for durable
lumber, if cut soon after July, but
the stumps sprout poorly at that
season, so the next growth is retarded
and considerably weakened. The
stumps will start, but the young growth
has little time to mature healthy wood,
and "a second lot of sprouts may start
again in the spring. If woodland is to
be cleared up for cultivation this early
fall-cutting is advisable. Most Of the
firewood of the world is cut in winter,
and, taking the cost of handling and
the growth of the sprouts into account,
this is the best time, but to have the
best fuel the cutting must be delayed.
An old charcoal-burner once said to
the writer: II would like to see you
try to kindle fire in a coal-pit made of
white birch cut in March or April. "
Now, there is no wood that will make
farmers wife look sappier than will
white birch cut in Che fall, or early
winter, and put under cover to season.
It kindles almost like gunpowder and
makes hot fire. But If cut late in
winter or in spring, after the sap runs
freely, and then left exposed to the
winter until midsummer, it will burn
about as well as potatoes or wet
sponge.
Cut the fire wood then as early as
possible, and be sure to have years
stock of it on hand, well seasoned and
under cover. A farmer who has dry
wood always on hand in abundance,
will usually be found to be successful
in whatever he undertakes. Success
depends largely upon attending to little
things at the right time. From ten to
twenty acres of woodland well taken
care of, farmer can often get very
large part Of his fuel, and still have
supply of timber constantly on hand fit
for making many of the repairs required
on farm buildings and fences.
Many have argued that when a wood
lot is cut, it should be cut clean, thas
the sprouts may all start up together
If a lot is to be used for growing fuel
expressly, this may be the better way.
We have lot 10 mind of but very few
acres, that has kept family constantly
supplied with fuel for many years, and
has as much wood standing now as any
previous time. Just about as much is
cut every year in one place, as equals
the annual growth of the whole lot IN
twelve or fifteen years the whole lot is
cut nyer, and all the wood is thus burned
while young and sound, no loss from
dead orrotten trees. Being cut SO young.
the SDTqo1tS START and GROW 11I1cb mora
vigorously than from the old stumps of
trees that are thinned out from tim
Der lot. We have much to learn in this
country concerning the care of our for
est trees.-Nea0 England Farmer.