Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-11-29
THE FUEL VALUE OF WOOD.
Two Pounds Of Seasoned Wood Equal
to One Of Coal

Two Pounds Of Seasoned Wood Equal
to One Of Coal
Persons who plan to relieve the coal
shortage this winter by burning wood can
figure, roughly speaking. that two pounds
of seasoned wood have fuel value equal
to one pound Of coal, according to ex-
perts Of the forest service. While diff
ferent kinds Of wood have different fuel
values, the foresters say that in general
the greater the dry weight of a nom
resinous wood. the more heat 1t will give
out when burned.
For such species as hickory, oak. beech.
birch, hard maple. ash, locust. longleaf
pine or cherry, which have compare
lively high fuel values. one cord. weigh
ing about 1000 pounds. is required to equal
one ton Of coal.
pine, hemlock. red gum. Douglas fir,
sycamore. or soft maple. which weighs
about 1900 pounds cord, to equal a ton
of coal, while for cedar. redwood. poplar.
catalpa. Norway pine. cypress. Eastwood,
spruce, and white pine, two cords. weigh
Ing about 1000 pounds each, are required.
Weight for weight. however. there Is
very little difference between various
species. Resin affords about twice as
much heat as wood. so that resinous
woods have a greater heat value per
pound than non-resinous woods. and this
increased value varies, Of course, with
the resin content.
The available heat value Of a cord OF
wood depends also on the amount OF
moisture present. When the wood is
green part Of the heat which it is capable
Of yielding is taken up In evaporatine
the water. The greater amount of wa.
ter in the wood the more heat is lost.
Furthermore, cords vary as to the
amount Of solid wood they contain. even
when they are Of the standard dimen'
sion and occupy 12s cubic feet Of space
A certain proportion Of this space is made
up of air spaces between the sticks. and
this air space may be considerable in a
cord Of twisted. crooked. and knotty
sticks. Out Of the 12s cubic feet. fair
average Of solid wood is about 80 cubic
feet.
This. however. applies to the standard
foot lengths and piled four feet high and
eight feet long. Instead of buying the
four-foo. lengths. however. most people
now a-days have the sticks cut into two
foot lengths by gasoline saw. This re-
suits in saving Of both time and labor
Tho purchaser should. however take care
to see that he gets full measurement when
wood Is bought in this way. In parts OF
New England a stack Of 16-inch wood -four
feet high and eight feet long Is COM
monty sold as rum" but contains only
one-third Of a cord.
Where wood Is to be burned in a stove
or furnace intended for coal. it will be
found desirable, the foresters say. &c
cover the crate partly with sheet iror
or FIRE brick. in order to reduce the
draught. II this is not done the wood Is
wasted by being consumed too fast. ant
makes a very hot fire which in a furnace
may damage the fire box.
1t Is pointed out. however. that hea'
value Is not the only test of usefulness
In fuel wood and since IS per cent. Of al
wood used for fuel is consumed for do
nestle purposes. largely in farm houses
such factors as rapidlty Of burning and
ease OF lighting are important Each sec
ton Of the country has Its favored woods
and these are said to be. in general. the
right ones to use. Hickory. Of the non
resinous woods. has the highest fuel val
ue per unit volume Of wood. and has 9TH
er advantages. 1t burns evenly. and. as
housewives say. solids the heat The oaks
come next. followed by beech. birch. and
maple. The white pines have relatively
low heat value per unit volume. but have
other advantages. They ignite readily
and give out quick hot fame. but one
that soon dies down. This makes them
favorites with rural housekeepers as a
summer wood. because they are particu-
iarly adapted for hot days in the kitchen.
The same is true Of gray birch. or white
BIRCH" as 1t Is often called, in the re-
gions in which 1t abounds. With tho re-
sinous pines a drawback Is their oily
black smoke.