New Britain herald., 1930-12-12
HOW TO PICK WOOD
 FOR THE YULELOG
Traditional ''CraCkle" Now
 AVOidM-And With Reason

Washington, D. C.. Dec. 12-Wood burning fireplaces in skyscraper apartments and restored chimney hooks in colonial houses have brought up many questions about wood fuels. Particularly timely are these questions as the Yule log sea son approaches.
 Poetry and fiction conspire to describe the log fire as 'crackling,' but few real chimney -sitters would use a word that crackles," says a bulletin from the Washington, D. C.. headquarters of the National Geographic Society.
 Thorn and Holly Burn Best
 If wood crackles many objec- tions can be raised to it, in addition to the general indictment that it throws sparks which endanger floors aud rugs. The wood may be too dry and burn too quickly; or it may be too damp, and give no heat; or it may be too full of im- purities, endangering the flue,
 Ash. oak and elm, among the more common woods, make the best fire. Thorn and holly burn even better, but their rarity precludes them from general usage. Dogwood hazel and poplar are second choice woods which burn well. But birch, while 1t flames freely. is usually avoided. It's by-products leave a gluey residue inside the chimney that may later catch fire. Birch is also a poor heat producer, as is the sputtering, splitting beech, or the maple.
 Dry wood, but not too dry, makes better fuel that green wood. When wood contains water, as it does when green. a good part of the heat the wood is capable of yielding is taken up in raising the water to the boiling point, and converting it be raised to the temperature of the flue gases. All this heat is lost.
 Bark and Roots for Fuel
 "The water in green wood often makes up half the total weight. Air seasoned wood, that is to say wood that has been stacked outdoors for nine to twelve months, should con- tain about 20 per cent of water. This is considered the ideal propor- tion.
 The various species of pine give a quicker. better flame than any but sumed so quickly that they are used principally as kindling. Birch gives more intense flame than oak, but oak gives a steader heat Butter nut, tamarack and spruce are in i'll favor among fireside owners be- cause each throws off such a large quantity of sparks.
 Tn a number of species the bark has a higher heating value than other parts of the tree. In the northwest, Douglas fir bark is used Shagbark hickory bark burns with intense heat, but with much splitting and cracking. Cedar bark burns well but has lower fuel value.
 Underground Forests
 Roots. where obtainable, make good fuel. Mesquite sometimes is more developed below ground than above, giving the name under ground forests to stands Of it in semi-arid regions.
 The traditional English Yule log IS generally d rugged and grotesque- ly marked root of an oak. It is dragged from its resting place amid scenes of great shouting and laughter, and hats are doffed as it passes. It is customary to light | the new log with a portion of the charred Yule Nock preserved for this purpose from the preceding Christmas. NThis bit Of burnt wood, is regarded as an etfec- tive safeguard against fire,
 "The French peasants Of Prov ence burn a Yule log cut from an olive or an almond tree. AS the log fire must last from Christmas