Mountain Home bulletin. (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1888-1889, 1889-02-23
THE FARMERS FUtA.
Why Wood should Be Thoroughly Sea.
soned Before 1t lsCsed.


Comparatively few farmers employ
any thing but wood as fuel for family
use. There is every reason why this
should be so; upon most farms where |
there is much extent OF timber or wood |
land. there is generally enough dead
wood to furnish all the light fuel for
summer, and the cutting OF timber for
necessary repairs will &c far toward af-
fording the supply for winter. when the
demand is more severe. In any event,
the farmer who has wood growing upon
his farm, which he can by turning on
his labor convert into fuel, and so se-
cure supply without any cash outlay,
wi be likely to resort to that means
in preference to any other.
A wood fire requires cons derable
attention in order to secure the best re-
suits, but for general use both summer
and winter. for family purposes there
is nothing better.
And yet, counting the value of the
wood standing, the time required in
cutting to haul. hauling. and the time
required to prepare ii for use ut regular
wages, the cash value would prove an
obstacle to its use.
AS before stated, because IL can be
secured wholly without any cash ex-
penditure. and because it can be cut and
prepared for use when there is no other
work of the farm pressing, renders it
the popular fuel among farmers.
But in order to secure the best re-
suits, wood should be thoroughly sea-
soned before it is used. In bIrning
green wood that is filled with sap or
moisture, there must be certain
amount Of evaporation carried on be.
fore the fuel will burn, and certain
amount of heat must be employed in
the process; how much OF that heat car
be utilized during the process 1t is diff
cult to determine, but it is reasonable tt
suppose that but small amount of i
can be made available. Then there il
; lost in burning green wood just as mucf
heat us is required to expel the moist
ure from the gre-n wood.
When there is years supply in ad
vance no trouble in this line need arise
and if it is desirable to occasionally us,
: a stick of green wood to regulate tn,
heat u little better, or to prevent to,
rapid combustion Of the dry, it can b.
: used.
1t is always best to perform the labo
required in the woods to get ready 70
: hauling in the early winter, or what i
better, in the late fall, so as to take ad
vantage Of any favorable conditions 70
hauling. and so as to have n supply a
hand for the employment of spare hours
Ifwood is to be hauled upon snow "
: much prefer cutting in eight fec
lengths, as it requires less handling an
Q is fully as convenient for chopping q
J, the wood-pile. In cutting IA though
should be had for the season of year i
: which the bulk of the pile is to be uset
g and place by itself that which is smalle
u and light wood for summer use.
preparing for the winter supply it
: very good economy TO leave consider
! able proportion of large size, and espt
cially leave knots split only SO much q
c may be necessary to put into the stove
9 slower and makes coarser Goals whe
burned. and may therefore be consit
/ cred much more durable. At the san
l. time there should be sufficient quaint
/ ty finely split so that Il fire may
II kindled in the quickest possible tim
1t Those who enjoy the constant heat of
>, continuous coal fire know little of u
discomfort of occupying ten or tiftee
, minutes in building II fire under uni,
y vorable conditions.
l. After the wood is prepared for u.s.
it should remain exposed for time
), and then it should be placed undo
: cover, carefully piled up, and renal
ready for future use.
) Even ii the wood itself Is dry, it
u not a comfortable duty TO dig it out
,, the snow in winter to secure it for us
IS and this an be avoided II it is properl
l. sheltered. as it should be.
o With the varieties OF opinions ~
garding the best woods for fuel, it ma
/ be said that considerable depends upo
It how it is to be used; for burning gree
e some kinds are far superior to other
y but when seasoned any will answer IL
= purpose, although there is always
l. preference for the harder and mol
compact varieties.
The hard birches, hickory. ash an
70 oaks, are good and will not fail of NAL
l. ing good heat. Some OF the soft al
a equally as good. but are consume
10 much more rapidly, which is objection
y able for winter use. e.-HH lam II. Ie,
)f mans, in ~ Y. Observer.
), Save the Wood Ashes.
ST Wood ashes have too great value