The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1903-12-03
Proper Care OF the Wood Lot.


| The late fall and early winter IS N
best time in the year for giving U
farm wood lot such attention as WI
Improve its condition and at the sam
time yield the whole OF part OF th
annual supply of fuel for the family
The high price Of coal the past winte
drove a great many families to the us
Of wood again who had almost iorgoi
ten its use except for kindling fires
Those farmers who had seasoned WOO
on hand suitable for market realize
unusual prices, greater, probably, tina
will rule again for long while, ye
| many persons. both owners OF wood
land and consumes of fuel, learned
new lesson as to the value Of wood TO
fuel and as money crop from tn
farm. The wood growing on the iarn
should be reckoned as farm crop a
much as the hay, the apples, or thu
cranberries when these are grown, ant
the wood should be harvested at TIN
time of maturity just as should any otl
cr crop. Even shade and ornamental
trees, as well as the fruit trees oil tht
orchard, all reach time when they
shonld be removed to make place fol
younger stock or some other kind o.
crop more suited to the times or the
condition or taste of the owners. Many
men when trimming fruit trees are IN
the habit of Juggling the trimmings into
some out-of-the.way corner and leav'
ing them there till too rotten for good
fuel, which is too wasteful practice
as all our fruit trees are among the
hard woods and make excellent fuel
when properly prepared and season
ed.
There was no farm work that ! en-
joyed better in early winter before the
SHOWS were deep than the trimming
up of natural growth of white pine and
other kinds of forest trees. When |
90 off into the woods in these days IN
search of wild flowers or plants and
see the quantities Of fallen trees and
that are worthless where
they are, I always think how | would
enjoy cleaning up the land and fitting
the valuable fuel for use in our kitchen
stove. Coal is very convenient when
an all day fire is needed, but many
line housekeepers want a fire for
short time only, and wood comes in
very handy on such occasions. 1t is
rue that gas or kerosene in stoves fit
ed for them are equally handy, but not
many farmers or other country people
rave gas within reach, and kerosene is
controlled in price by persons over
whom consumers have little influence.
woodlot in connection with the farm
we'll cared for, makes one feel de-
rec Of independence not otherwise
'ossible.
This is especially true when the trees
ave been SO cared for that the lot will
ford the occasional lumber needed tor
,ncing, and repairs of buildings.
uilt my first farm house almost entire
! Of lumber taken from a woodlot that
had purchased few years previously
hicfly for fuel supply. BY cutting the
ees and hauling the logs to mill aud
rawing away the lumber and plling
up for seasoning with but little hired
clip, and then doing most of the work
digging the cellar and hauling the
ones for foundation found the money
itlay was not over half OF the value oil
Hiding when finished. Then the tops
the trees gave a supply Of fuel that
sted more than one year when It was
ed chiefly for heating and wholly for
tchcn purposes. That experience has
ven me high regard for family |
oodlot in connection with farm. {,
We also always made it pra ctice to
We valuable logs sawed into lumber
different dimensions for use in any
pairs that might be required on the
m or the farm implements.
In handling neglected woodlot the |
i work will naturally be to get to-
her the down. stuff, and then to cut
the dead OF dying trees whatever
size. An ocs asional live tree may
&c to be cut for making roadway
hauling out the wood, though il is
en- good plan to haul out trees 10
edge of the lot by hitching horse
the butt and thus get through mar
yer places than sled or wagon
id be drawn. | once knew a chest
lot nicely cleaned that way with
cutting any road at all. Frequent
he horse could haul out quite
nber Of dead trees at time. When
IS die from standing too crowded
re are usually but few 81 dc bran
5 Of any size and only the bodies
worth saving for fuel.