The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1914-12-27
FUEL VALUE OF 1
coal. DOUBLE
THAT OF WOOD
This is Shown by Certain Cal
eulations of the Forest Ser
vice Laboratory.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 26.-The fuel
value Of two pounds OF wood is
roughly equivalent TO that OF one
pound of coal. This is given as the
result of certain calculations now be-
ing made in the forest service labor
atory, which show also about how
many cords of certain kinds OF wood
ARE required to obtain an amount OF
heat equal to that in ton OF coal.
Certain kinds of wood, such as
hickory, oak, beech, birch, hard
maple, ash, elm, locust, longleaf pine,
and cherry, have, fairly high heat
values, and only one cord of season
ed wood OF these species is required
to equal one ton OF good coal.
Same Heat Value
1t takes cord and half of short
leaf pine, hemlock, red gum, Doug
las fir, sycamore, and soft maple to
equal ton OF coal, and two cords
OF cedar, rewood, poplar, catalpa,
Norway pine, cypress, Eastwood,
spruce and white pine.
Equal weights of dry, n6n-resinous
woods, however, are said TO, have
practically the same heat value; re-
gardless of species, and as u conse-
quence. II can be stated as a general
proposition that the heavier the wood
the more heat to the cord. Weight
for weight, however, there is very
little difference between various spec
les: the average heat for all that have
been calculated is 4 LEGO calorles, or
Eheat units, kilogram. A kilogram
of rosin will develop 9,400 heat units,
or about twice the average sfor. wood,
AS a consequence resinous woods
have a greater heat value per pound
than non-resinons woods, and this
increased value varies, OF course,
with the resin content.
The available heat value OF n cord
j of wood depends On many different
factors. 1t has relation not only
4 to the amount OF resin il contains
but to the amount OF moisture pres
ent. Furthermore, cords vary as to
the amount of solid wood they CON
tain, cTcn when they are of the stan
dard dimension and occupy 1913 cubic
feet OF space. A certain proposition
Of this space is made up OF air spaces
between the sticks. and this air space
may be considerable in cord made
of twisted, crooked, and knotty sticks.
lOut, of the f2S cubic feet, q fair aver
ago of solid wood is about 80 cubic
feet.
Favored Woods g
1t is pointed out, however, that
heat value is not the only test of use
fulness in fuel wood and since 50 per
cent of ali wood used for fuel is con
tsumed for domestic purposes, large
Ely in farm houses, such factors. as
rapidity of burning and ease of light
ing ARE important. Each section 81
1.-THE country has It's favored woods
and these are said to be, in general
The right ones to use Hickory. OF
1.-THE non-resinous woods. has the high
est fuel value per unit volume oil
wood, and has other advantages. II
burns evenly, and, as housewives say,
holds the heat. The oaks come next,
followed by beech, birch and maple
Pine has a relatively low heat value
per unit volume, but has other ad-
lyantages. 1t ignites readily and gives
Sout q quick hot fame, but one thar
soon dies DOWN. This makes 1t a ia
vorite with rural housekeepers as
I,summer wood. because it Is partic-
.ularly adapted for hot days in the
kitchen.
The fuel qualities OF chestnut adapt
lii particularly to work in brass foun-
ldries, where 1T gives just the requir-
ed amount OF heat and 1t is therefore
| in favor. Coastwise vessels in Flor
ida pay twice as. much for Florida
. buttonwood as for any other, because
| 1t burns with an even heat and with
q minimum amount of smoke and ash
The principal disadvantage Of the
resinous pines is their oily black
smoke. ~,
Prof. Max Muller. Of philadelphia
says the hobbte skirt Is =, 900 year.