Q: You don't want to crush the waterways in the stem. The sharper the blade of the pruners or garden scissors, the easier it will be to trim the stem without squeezing it too hard. A pair of shears or scissors with a smaller head are best for reaching into thick bushes. As opposed to flat blades, curved blades tend to make the cleanest cuts. Some pairs of scissors and shears have a "cut and hold" feature that holds onto the stems when they're cut so they don't fall to the ground. Clean the blades often with rubbing alcohol or soap and water. Roses are most hydrated and have the highest respiration in the morning hours. Never cut the roses during the middle of the day. That's when they're driest and weakest. If you can't cut the flowers in the morning, late evening is the 2nd best time for cutting. This means that the rose is in the late bud stage. The exterior petals should be unfurled but the entire flower shouldn't be completely open. The number of petals a rose variety has can affect which blooms you cut. For example, roses with more petals, like the Moonstone or St. Patrick types, can be cut at a more open stage. If you aren't sure which variety you have, ask your local nursery or look at a gardening book or website. Cutting the stems on an angle prevents them from sitting flat on the bottom of a vase, which would stop water from flowing up the stem. Longer stems allow you extra length at the end to trim off if you need to fit a vase, so cut them as low to the ground as you can. Cut stems from the front of the bush. The stems in the back haven't been exposed to as much sunlight, so they're usually weaker. This does not need to be your vase. Instead, use a bucket with a large enough opening for you to work inside, in case you need to. The water level in the bucket should not be so high that it gets the flowers wet. Only the stems should be wet. You can buy buckets specifically for flowers at a garden store, nursery, or online retailer. If you've used the bucket before, make sure you thoroughly clean and sanitize it with soap and water before placing the roses inside.
A: Choose pruners or scissors with sharp blades to cut the stem cleanly. Cut the roses in the early morning, before 10 a.m. Look for roses whose outer petals have just started to open. Trim the stems at a 45 degree angle, close to the base of the bush. Set the stems in a bucket of cool water immediately after cutting them.

Q: If you are buying a face cord, divide the depth of a full cord by the piece length of the wood in your face cord. Multiply this quotient by the price of your face cord to determine the cost of the full cord. Remember that the depth of a full cord is 4 feet (1.2m) or 48 inches (1.2 m or 122 cm). For instance, if Bob is selling a face cord with an average piece length of 16 inches (40.6 cm) for $90, the calculation would look something like this: 48 inches (122 cm) / 16 inches (40.6 cm) = 3 3 * $90 = $270 The full cord value would be $270. If you know the average market rate of a full cord in your area, you can compare the full cord value of the face cord you measured to that. If you do not know the average cost, however, you might need to shop around some and figure out your own average. It might save time to call each dealer and ask for their face cord price and piece length measurement, rather than going to each one and taking your own measurements. You should still measure the average piece length of the face cord you plan to buy once you've made your decision, though, just to make sure that the dealer's measurements match your own. If the piece length offered by each dealer is the same, you can compare face cord costs. If the piece lengths vary, however, you need to calculate the full cord value of each and compare those values to one another. In the previous example, Bob sold firewood at a full cord value of $270. If Sally sold 12-inch (30.5-cm) long pieces of firewood at $70, the full cord value would be: 48 inches (122 cm) / 12 inches (30.5 cm) = 4 4 * $70 = $280. If Sam sells 8-inch (20-cm) long pieces of wood at $60, the full cord value would be: 48 inches (122 cm) / 8 inches (20 cm) = 6 6 * 60 = $360 Even though Bob has the highest face cord price, he has the lowest full cord value at $270. Sally's full cord value is close at $280, but Sam's full cord value is by far the most expensive at $360, even though Sam's face cord cost was cheapest ($60). As such, the best value for your money would be Bob's face cord. Even though full cord value is the best way to get the best deal, there are other factors to consider that usually increase the value and cost of wood. Shorter lengths usually cost more because of the cost of cutting and handling. Firewood cut into consistent lengths may cost more because more work went into maintaining that even length. Finely split pieces usually cost more because of the extra labor, as well. Dry wood can cost more because it has been stored under better conditions. Cleaner firewood is also more valuable because it is more pleasant to the consumer when it comes time to burn it.
A:
Calculate the full cord value. Shop around. Compare the value offered by each seller. Be aware of outside factors that can affect cost.