Rockingham post-dispatch. [volume] (Rockingham, N.C.) 1917-1965, 1919-11-07

Z day was small compared
n..h the population of the United
States now. In those olden times peo-
pie would have. been aghast at the
thought Of paying S. or $40 a cord for
firewood 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 as last resort. Fuel commits
sionS have advised the burning of
wood, pointing out that 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 tiresare 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 u to-
tai of 100000 cords, was burned on
the farms Of the coul 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 102,903000 Cords. The
average farm value in 1918 was 73
cents 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 it in value in 1915.
In the utilization of the forests of
the country, including farm woodlands,
a great deal of wood material is pro-
duced which cannot find use other
than as fuel. While some CT 1t is used
for acid wood, charcoal, etc., most Of
iii is left for fuel or wasted. Since
many Of the trees in our forests are fit
sOnly for fuel, they will not be cut un-
less there is demand for fuel wood.
Improvement cuttings, which take the
small diseased, or defective trees, can
Fprotitably be made use of only in case
There Is such demand. Trimmings can
frequently be made to pay for them
selves, if 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 a great stimulus to increased pro-
duction and at the same time improve
the quality of the timber, fuel wood
demand opens up a great opportunity
for forest Improvement and, if wide
spread and continued, will produce 9
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 OF
farm woodlands. Except under stress
of emergency, trees which will produc,
lumber or other material of highe
value than cordwood should not be Gu
for fuel. Trees which are better suit
ed for fuel than for any other purpose
whose removal will be of benefit t
the remaining stand, are: Sound stant
ing and down dead trees; trees dis
eased or seriously injured by insect al
tacks: badly fire-scarred trees; crool
ed and large crowned short-boled tree
which will not make good lumber an
which are crowding or Overtoppin
others; trees which have been overtol
ped by others and their growth stun
ed; trees of the less valuable specie
where they are crowding more valuab
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 hay
become overgrown with red ceda
gray birch, aspen, pine or other tree
The trees came in slowly and throuG
neglect were allowed to steal much
the pasture. If fuel Is to be cut som
where on the farm, such land as tn
should be drawn upon first of all al
redeemed by removing all the tre
and restoring the land to grass. Ais
uncleared corners of fields or patch
of agricultural land within the bord
Of the wood lot may be cut clean, Il
wood used for fuel and the laI
eventually farned. The expense
clearing Is thus largely or entirely m
by the value Of the fuel thus produce
with the increased use Of wood flu
which Is likely to continue for sever