Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-07-24
DOMESTIC ECONOMY.
HOUSEHOLD AND AoRIcUL-
TURAL TOPICS DISCUSSED.
A Budget Of Useful Information Relating
to the Farm. Orchard. Stable, Parlor and
Kitchen.
Timber for Farm Use.


About this time of the year we hear
that the month of July, or the summer
months. is the proper time for cutting
timber to last we'll, and to do the most
service. Now, my experienced, covering
more than thirty years of cutting large
quantities of all the varieties of wood
and timber. has proved thar the spring
and summer months are the poorest of
the year for cutting timber to last.
Other operators of experience in my
neighborhood have avoided cutting ship
timber and other hard wood timber as
much as possible during the spring and
summer months. They have considered
December and January to be the best
months foi cutting, although experience
proves that October, November, and
February will answer very well. Tim
Der should always be cut while in o DOR
mant state, both for wood and for man
ufacturing purposes.
This has been proved by cutting hard
wood and timber and allowing the same
to lay over for year or two. / have
always found the summer-c timber to
decay much the quicker of the two.
Farmers would find it to their advan-
tage to cut their fencing stuff and draw
it ia early winter to the place where
wanted. Their teams are strong and can
draw more at that season of the year
than in the hot days of spring. Again,
by this method they will have better
material, and also hasten their spring
work.
There is a popular belief that posts
set top down will last longer than when
set butt down. Such is not the fact.
Both the butts and tops of the trees are
the poorest to last in the ground. The
| former is open-grained and spongy,
| while the latter is the last grown and
the most sappy, hence quickest to de-
cay. To prove this, set the first post
butt down and the second post TOP
down. The first post will rot in the
ground first, but with the second the
upper end will rot first.
The proper way is to cut off two oi
three feet of the butt, and then set the
| posts butt down, or else set the first cut
with the top down and the rest butt
down. When cutting small trees fol
fence stakes, setthe first cut top into
the ground, and find they last Longer
than any other way.
Some scientists claim that If posts are
set butt down that the sap cells will be
brought into action, and supply the posts
| win moisture. his argument does MOI
convince me, for can hardly believe
that section of dead tree, without
root or branch, can perform the func'
tions of a live tree.
In order to prove the truth and fallac.
of the above 1 set oak and pine post
after they were perfectly seasoned
When they had been set several years
bored them late in the fall, after the
rainy season was over, also in tn,
spring, near the ground, and midwa.
above the ground, always finding then
dry. ALI who have post fenc to main
tain should have their posts cut at tn,
time herein described, and season then
thoroughly before setting. My expert
ence for many years shows me that post
cut and set in green state never seasol
or dry through; and the first change j
towards decay.-Josepk Barnard, 1,
American CMltiUator.