Page 20 .

The Herald and The Lantern

Wood Heat: An Economically Attractive Alternative

(From Page 1) villages seem all the more authentic Wood has a low ash content It burns cleanly, leaving only a minimum of waste as-ash The ash that remains can bo useful for gardening, applied to Jhe mhI it's a valuable fer fllizer In using wood, a rchewable fuel resource is utlized Coal, oil. and gas are limited resources Once used, they cannot be replaced But no>v trees can be grown, so that after a few years, more wood is available Wood has the advantage of being readily available, easily cut. and relatively inexpensive Trees anil other green plants are our most ef fluent means of capturing the sun s energy Fossil fuels, by contrast, require expensive equipment, and increasing amounts of manpower and energy, to locate, extract, and process The wood used in a fireplace might very well be unusable in any other way ,Hy burning it in-the fireplace, the burdensome piles of wood waste rid-

dling our environment in woodlands, urban dumps, and around wood industries is reduced Reclaiming it for firewood provides a worthwhile environmental alternative. Generally speaking, a standard cord of flir dry. dense hardwood weighs approximately 2 tons and provides as much heat as 1 ton of coal, or 150 to 175 gallons of No 2 fuel oil, or 24.000 cubic feet of natural gas Where Tot Jet Firewood Wood fuel can be obtained from trees, growing in the woods, that are considered undesirable. This includes trees that are poorly formed, diseased, of little-used or wood species — like pin cherry — and genetically inferior individuals. All such trees pose problems for the forest manager. They occupy valuable growing space, which thrifty young trees might well use for continuing development. When diseased, these trees pose a hazard to nearby healthy trees. If genetically inferior, they may continue to reproduce and could

keep the forest area full of poor-quality trees for generations to come. Weeding them out often costs more than can be returned from their sale. But fuelwood markets may make this forestimprovement measure economical Contact a local State forestry office for, assistance in identifying less thrifty trees that should be removed. Be sure to get permission to cut or remove trees from property other than your

own.

You can also get fireplace wood from dumps and landfills, but be sure you have the approval of the landfill authority. Since many local ordinances forbid open buring the quantity of dead, discarded trees keeps mounting unnecessarily on these lands which are sorely needed for the disposal of other soldi wastes. As much as 30% of the debris in some town and city landfills consists of reusable wood fibers, including the logs, limbs., and tops of trees toppled by

storms

Dellas Stores KNOWN FOR VALUES N. Cap* May, Cap* May

ALL LINEN CALENDAR

TOWELS

$158

•Many

Patterns •tjnported linen •Hardwood

Dowel

1

Reg. 1.98

POLYESTER TIL •100 O/ o Pure Poly Fiber •For Pillows. Cushions. Toys. Etc. •16 Or. Bog

Reg. 1.99

PLANTERS PEANUTS

Dry Roasted Salted Unsalted

Reg. 1.88

GE TOAST R OVEN •Oven Broiler •Tooster-Browner •Counter Top Cooking

Reg. 56.98

REVERSIBLE PLACE MATS •Plastic •Washable •100 Designs

Rog. 69c Value

DELLAS STORES HOME OF NAME BRAND MERCHANDISE Mt-2889 °KR 7 DAYS A WEEK 8.4.4,68 NORTH CAPE MAY STORE CAPE MAY BAYSHORES FERRY RD . WASHINGTON * DECATUR DAILY 9-6, FRI 9-9 HOURS DAILY 9 6. FRI. 9-6 SUNDAY 10-3

SUNDAY 9-2

Fireplace wood is also available as industrial wood scraps Sawmills accumulate scrap materials such as slabs, trim, and edgings in their millyards. Lumber companies often offer these materials as firewood at minimal cost, since this use will alleviate hauling and burning problems for them. Power companies might also offer the logs, limbs, and tree tops that result from thetr powerline maintenance efforts. Firewood may be availfble from National Forests. Check with your nearest Forest Service District for more detailed information. State Foresters, county Extension Agents, and county and city foresters can also provide information on local sources of firewood. Mow To Buy

Firewood

The most common measure of firewood volume is the cord. A standard cord can be described as a well-stacked pile of logs. 4 by 4 by 8 feet. Since few people burn wood ui 4 or 8 foot lengths, most sales are a “face cord" or a “tier" — that is. a 4 by 8 foot-face, cut into desired lengths. A “face cord" of 16-inch pieces is really one third of a standard cord. To determine the volume of firewood in cords, the wood must be first properly stacked. Then, measure • the dimensions of the stack in feet Multiply the width by the height by the length to obtain the total cubic feet Then divide this figure by 128. which is the number of cubic feet of wood in a standard cord. For example, if you purchase firewood in 16-inch (1.33foot) lengths and find that after you stack it tightly, it forms a pile 4 feet high and 8 feet long,*you have one third of a cord: 1.33x4x8 feet = 42.6 cubic feet; this, divided by 118 = .333 cord. Logs are sold in different lengths and thicknesses. The sizes you buy should depend on the size of your fireplace and the amount of time you want to take to get your fire going. Purchase logs that will fit when laid across your grate. Logs too large to burn readily may be split. Short lengths are generally easier to split

^than longer logs; straight-

grained knot-free wood is , easier than crooked-grain Green or w<*t wood splits more readily than seasoned wood and softwoods usually split more readily than hardwoods Elm. blackgum. and sycamore are so difficult to

, split that they are rarely

used as kindling.

When kindling is needed, short lengths of straightgrained cottonwood, aspen, fir. and pine will split \Klreadily and prove most hvsatisfactory. Small twigs and branches found in your yard and wood wastes Tound around sawmills, are also good as they often do not have to be split and dried When you buy wood request a mixture of wood species and diameter sizes Although the wood should be generally sound, don't worry about small pockets of rotten wood you may

find in the logs

Most wood species will not burn if freshly cut. so the wood you purchase should be reasonably dry. or "seasoned." The surest way of having dry wood is to purchase it several ^ months prior to using it. ^Splitting logs hastens

Wednesday, January 2,1980

Sounds

Bv Charles P. Lamey !

Unlike a lot of performers who arc given unlimited studio time, Fleetwood Mac have not wasted their time or talents. "Tusk" (Warner Brothers) is a strong, consistent two-record set. For the most part. Fleetwood Mac haven't altered the sound of their last couple of long-players, and. while this might not be as instantly enticing as "Rumours", it does hold up to Fleetwood Mac's standards. There's the usual pop of Stevie Nicks, the bluesy ballads of Christine McVie, and the rock and roll of Lindsey Buckingham, all of which should please their legions of fans. Entering the eighties. Fleetwood Mac are ready to take on their third decade. One group which is sure to follow the success of The Knack and The Shoes is The Beat. Their first album (Columbia) is full of bright, cheerful songs, such ns "Rock and Roll Girl." "Walking Out On Love." and "Working Too Hard." Leader Paul Collins is a classy vocalist and writer, who has his finger on the pulsebcat of frustrated teens I suspect radio stations will have a tough time trying to pick a song to play from this, as all of them deserved to be heard As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago. reggae hasn't caught on in our country, yet. But. Bob Marley and The Wailers' "Survival" (Island) could easily change that. Keeping the basic Jamaican rhythm and adding an American soul flavor makes this record Marley's best bid for stardom in the States. A passionate vocalist with the best rhythm section in pop music, it’s not hard to recommend this platter. The soundtrack for The Who’s movie. 'Quadrophenia'' (Polydor). is a must for (heir fans. Besides the originals, which tell the

tragic story of Jimmy the mod. there are period pieces by 1 James Brown. The Kingsmen, The Crystals,, and The Ronettes to help set the mood. Being that Americans weren't fully aware of the British mod-rocker gang wars of the early sixties, it might be difficult to fully comprehend the violertce of the -line. The V/ho supthe anthems for the mods, and the music here is excellent. It’s that time of the year when critics are expected to list their favorite records of the year. So. in no particular order, here are my twenty-five favorite albums of 1979. The Who: "The Kids Are Alright" (MCA). The Who: ''Quadrophenia'' (Polydor). The Boomtown Rats: "The Fine Art Of Surfacing" (Columbia). Carlene Carter: "Two Sides To Every Woman" (Warner Brothers). The Kinks: "Low Budget" (Arista). The Jam: "All Mod Cons" (Polydor). Elvis Costello: "Armed Forces" (Columbia). The Last: "L.A. Explosion" (Bomp). The Police: "Reggatta de Blanc" (A&M). The Cars: "CandyO” (Elektra). Ian Lloyd: "Goose Bumps" (Scotti). Blondie: "Eat To The Beat" (Chrysalis). Dave Edmunds •Repeat When Necessary" (Swan Song). Joe Jackson: "Look Sharp" (A&M). Iggy Pop: "New Varaes" (Arista). The Records (Virgin). Nick Lowe: "Labour Of Lust" (Columbia). The Inmates: "First Offence" (Polydor). 20/20 Tanya Tucker: "Tear Me Apart" (MCA). Fleetwood Mac: "Tusk" (Warner Brothers). Bob Marley: "Survival" (Island). Shoes: "Present Tense” (Elektra), The Beat (Columbia), and Bram Tchaikovsky: "Strange Man Changed Man" (Polydor >. Happy New Year.

drying. Split logs or small round logs, should be stacked outside under a roof for 6 to 10 months before burning. Best Wood For Burning Choosing a kind of firewood to bum in the fireplace is much like selecting a favorite wine or cheese, since each wood species can offer something different in aroma or heat value. The fuelwood connoisseur will want to choose his wood carefully and weigh his needs and tastes before building his fire Softwoods, like pine, spruce, and fir. are easy to ignite because they are resinous They burn rapidly with a hot flame. However, since a fire built entirely of softwoodjPburne out quickly, it requires frequent attention and replenishment. This characteristic of softwoods can be a boon if you want a quick warming fire or a short fire that will burn out before you go to bed or before you step out for the evening. For a longer lasting fire, it is best to add the heavier hardwoods such as ash. beech, birch, maple, and oak. These dense species burn less vigorously than

softwoods and with a shorter flame. Oak gives the most uniform and shortest flames and produces steady, glowing coals. When you have several oak logs burning in your grate, you can settle back for a steady glow. Aroma is best derived from the woods of fruit trees, such as apple and cherry, and nut trees, such as beech and hickory. Their smoke generally resembles the fragrance of the tree’s fruit. Wood from fruit and nut trees often sells for more per cord than wood with greater heating values, but they are generally steady producers of flame. By mixing softwoods with hardwoods, ybu can achieve an easily-ignited and longlasting fire. Later, by adding some fruit or nut woods, you will capture the nostalgic wood smoke aroma as well. The heat that a fireplace log produces depends on the concentration of woody material, resin, water, and ash. Since woods are of different compositions, they ignite at different temperatures and give off different heat values: therefore, it is beneficial to mix light and heavy woods to achieve the ideal fire.