Firewood*. By A. D. Webster. (T. Fisher Unwin. 12s. 6d.
net.)—Many town-dwellers will think Mr. Webeter's book as superfluous as a treatise on diamonds, for firewood was never so scarce as it is now. It is, however, an interesting and practical book, which describes the firewood and oharcoal industries. and shows that something might be done, by a regular pruning of trees, to relieve the present dearth. Mr. Webster classifies our timbers according to their heating values, which differ very greatly, and puts float the hornbeam, beech, birch, Turkey oak, mountain pine, Robinia, old resinous Scotch pine, black pine, yew, and laburnum. Yew wood, well dried, comes nearest t,) coal ; poplar wood is the least valuable. Many curious hints may be found in his pages. One must not use cedar wood for smoking fish or bacon. A " cord" of wood measures eight feet by four by four. A small faggot in Kent is called a " pimp " and a large faggot a " bavin," while the small branches made up into bundles are called " spray." The book is well illustrated.
Previous page
