Country Life
BY IAN NIALL
WHILE visiting a friend who lives in a wooded valley where firewood is not hard to find, our conversation turned to the ash logs on the fire. It was a frosty night and the fire was going well, and we agreed that there can hardly be a more useful wood than ash, which burns dry or green. I think I like it better green, for it hisses and gives off the same bright light. It is such a welcoming fire on which ash is being consumed, although for wood-smoke scent per- haps oak is the thing. Oak burns rather dourly and, if it lasts longer, I am not sure that it gives any better heat than ash. My friend, who was burning ash, had only one preference above it, and that was for hawthorn logs. The amount of hawthorn to be had is small. Like apple, it is a luxury firelog, for no one can have a constant supply of either of these woods. Having gone through a considerable list of woods, we stretched our legs to the ash fire and agreed that it takes a lot of beating. He is a fortUnate man who has ash trees about his door and a good cross-cut saw with which to take them, down when they are old.
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