The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-12-30
TWO POUNDS OF WOOD
EQUAL ONE OF COAL
On the Basis OF Fuel Value, II Is De-
termined By Inyestiga-

The fuel value OF two pounds of WOO,
Is roughly equivalent 10 that Of on'
pound OF coal. This is given as the re
suit of certain calculations now being
made in the forest service laboratory
which show also about how many cord,
OF certain kinds of wood are required u
obtain an amount OF heat equal 20 that
IN ton OF coal
Certain kinds of wood, such as hick
Dry, oak, beech, birch, hard maple, ash
elm, locust, longleaf pine, and cherry
have fairly high heat values, and only
one cord of seasoned wood OF these
species is required to equal one ton OF
good coal
IL takes a cord and half of shortleaf
pine, hemlock, red gum, Douglas fir, syc-
amore, and soft maple to equal ton OF
coal, and two cords OF cedar, redwood,
poplar, catalpa, Norway pine, cypress,
Eastwood, spruce, and white pine,
Equal weights OF dry, non'resinous
woods, however, are said TO have practi-
cally the same heat value regardless of
species, and as consequence 1t can be
stated as a general proposition that the
heavier the wood the more heat to the
cord. Weight for weight, however, there
is a very little difference between va
rious species; the average heat for all
that have been calculated is 1900 calories,
or heat units, per kilogram. A kilogram
OF resin will develop 9,400 heat units,
or about twice the average for wood.
As consequence, resinous woods have
greater heat value per pound than
non-resnous woods, and this increased
value varies, OF course, with the resin
The available heat value of cord OF
wood depends on many different factors.
1t has relation not only to the amount
OF resin it contains but to the amount of
moisture present. Furthermore, cords
vary as to the amount OF solid wood
they contain, even when they are of the
standard dimension and occupy l2S cubic
feet of space. A certain proportion OF
this space is made up of air space be-
tween the sticks, and this air space may
be considerable in cord made OF twist
ed, crooked, and knotty sticks. Out of
the 1913 cubic feet, fair average of sol |
ID wood is about SO cubic feet.
1t is pointed out, however, that heat |
value is not the only test of usefulness |
u fuel wood and since 95 per cent OF all |
wood used for fuel is consumed for do |
nestle purposes. largely in farmhouses, !
iuch factors as rapidity Of burning and
'ase of lighting are important. Each
lection Of the country has its favored
woods and these are said to be, in gen
raj, the right ones to use. Hickory, OF
he non resinous woods, has the highest
uel value per unit volume OF wood, and
las other advantages 1t burns evenly,
nd, as housewives says, holds the heat
The oaks come next. followed by beech
irch. and maple. Pine has a relatively
ow heat value per unit volume, but has
Their advantages Ii ignites readily and
ives out quick hot fame, but one that
DON dies down. This makes it a favor
.c with rural housekeepers as summer
'ood, because it is particularly adapted
or hot days in the kitchen.
The fuel qualities Of chestnut adapt it
articuIarly to work in brass foundries,
here it gives Just the required amount
{ heat and it is therefore in favor.
oastwise vessels in Florida pay twice as
,uch for Florida buttonwood a for any I
Their. because il burns with an even !
Eat and with a minimum amount OF :
nokc and ash. I
The principal disadvantage of the res >
ous pines is their oily black smoke.