The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1919-11-07

ElNS8LAzlk3 body burned wood as
Ssk4StaA matter of course. but the
cd 90 CO number Of people in that
z day was small compared
with the population of the United
States now. In those Olden times peo-
pie would have been aghast at the
thought of paying IS or $40 cord for
tirewood. Yet these prices, and even
higher ones, have been charged in many
cities the last two seasons. When cold
weather approached and no coal had
been put into the cellars, great num-
bers Of people turned TO the wood
yards and to the farmers advertising
wood us a last resort. Fuel commits
sions have advised the burning OF
wood, pointing out that a cord Of the
best quality hardwood, thoroughly sea
soned, has the same potential fuel
value as ton of anthracite coal.
Moreover it is decidedly more eco
nomical for heating purposes during
the early fall and late spring, when
only temporary fires are required. Also
wood ashes have definite value as
fertilizer.
That the farmers of the country
helped materially in conserving coal In
1918 by substituting wood as fuel is
shown by the bureau of crop estimates
of the department of agriculture. An
average of 11.5 cords of wood or to-
tai of 77,092,000 cords, was burned on
tie farms of the cOur try during 1918.
The total production of cordwood dur
ing the year, which includes wood
burned ON farms and that sold by
farmers to city dwellers, amounted to
approximately 102903,0O0 cords. The
average farm value in 1913 was 70
cents a cord. Upon the basis of esti-
mates for 1918 the farm fleetwood
crop is one of the important crops of
the farm, inasmuch as only five crops
corn, wheat, oats, rye and cotton-ex-
ceeded 1t in value in 1918.
In the utilization of the forests of
the country, including farm woodlands
q great deal Of wood material is pro
duced which cannot find use other
than as fuel. While some Of II is used
for acid wood, charcoal, etc, most OF
II is left for fuel or wasted. Since
many of the trees in our forests are fit
only for fuel, they will not be cut I'M
less there is demand for fuel wood.
Improvement cuttings, which take the
small diseased, or defective trees, can
profitably be made use Of only In case
there is such demand. Trimmings can
frequently be made to pay for them
selves, II the material is used for fuel.
Sometimes products of trimmings can
be used for other purposes than fuel,
but more often they cannot. AS proper
Trimmings and Improvement cuttings
are n great stimulus to Increased pro-
duction and at the same time improve
the quality of the timber, fuel wood
demand opens up great opportunity
for forest Improvement and, If wide
spread and continued, will produce a
vast total effect for the better in the
character and quality of our forest re-
sources.
The great bulk of wood-fuel supply
in farming regions should come from
Trimmings and Improvement cuttings on
farm woodlands. Except under stress
of emergency, trees which will produce
lumber or other material of higher
value than cordwood should not be cut
for fuel. Trees which are better suit
ed for fuel than for any other purpose
whose removal VIII be of benefit tC
the remaining stand, are: Sound stand
ing and down dead trees; trees dis
eased or seriously injured by insect at
tacks; badly firescarred trees; crook
ed and large-crowned short-boled trees
which will not make good lumber ant
which are crowding or overtoppini
others; trees which have been overtop
ped by Others and their growth stunt
,, ed; trees of the less valuable specie
where they are crowding more valuable
ones like beech, black oak, birch, har'
maple. white oak. or white pine; SLOW
growing trees which are crowding fas'
,, growing species Of equal value.
On many farms former pastures nav
!, become overgrown with red cedal
gray birch. aspen, pine or other trees
, The trees came In slowly and throug
: neglect were allowed to steal much
the pasture. II fuel Is TO be cut som'
where on the farm. such land as TIL
. should be drawn upon first OF oil an
redeemed by removing oil the tree
and restoring the land TO grass. Ais
. unclenred corners of fields or patche
Of agricultural land within the borde
of the wood LOT may be cut clean, IL
wood used for fuel and the Ian
: eventually farmed. The expense
' clearing is thus largely or entirely me
by the value Of the fuel thus produces
With the increased use Of wood fue
= which is likely TO continue for sever'