88 



NATURAL HISTORY OF THE FARM 



and timing the disappearance first 

 of flame, and then of red glow. 



3. The burning quality of the 

 same kind of wood in different con- 

 ditions, green and dead, sapwood 

 and heartwood; dead wood wet and 

 dry, sound and punk; pieces from 

 knot and from straight-grained por- 

 tions, etc., may be tested as in 



PIG. 47. Rubbing sticks for 



fire-making: a, drill-socket, paragraph I. 

 to which pressure is applied . 



with the left hand (a pine 4. Ancient methods of starting a 



knot with a shallow hole in ~ 



it win do for this); b, the fire may be demonstrated in the inter- 



drill, an octagonal hardwood , , ... . . . .. 



stick about fifteen inches vals while waiting for the pieces used 



long; the top should work ., , _ T . , 



smoothly in the drill socket; n I, 2, and 3 to DUITl OUt. With the 



c, inelastic bow for rotating . ., 



drill, it is moved horizont- apparatus shown in ngure 47 any- 



ally back and forth with the , J* . . - 



right hand; its cord, d, is a one can start a lire by tnction or one 



leather thong with enough . ,, 



slack to tightly encircle the piece of wood upon another and care- 

 driii once; e, fire board of _ ,, . , ,. , . 



dry balsam fir, or of cotton- fully nursing the first resulting spark. 



wood root, or even of bass- _..,. J .. . .. . , 



wood, observe how the Flint and steel and tinder may also 



notches are cut with sides , . .. 



be tried. 



flaring downward; a little pit 

 to receive the point of the 

 fire drill is at the apex of 

 each one; i is a used-put 

 notch; 2 is yet in use; 3 is a 

 new unused notch. The 

 rotating of the drill with 

 pressure from above rubs off 

 a brownish wood powder 

 which falls beneath the , . ....,,...,. 



notch and smokes, and then, burning at one end, the liquids in 



with gentle fanning, ignites. - . ., ., 



A dry piece of punk should the wood may be made visible. 



be placed beneath the notch .-,,..,., , 



to catch it, and some fine Green elm will exude water at the 



tinder (such as may be - - 



readily made by scraping Otiier end; 



fine, dry cedar wood) should 1 . , ..., 



be added to catch the first hlCKOry Will 



quantity of delicious ' 'hickory honey. ' ' 

 (b) By burning pieces of chestnut, sumach, etc. , the crack- 

 ling of woods may be demonstrated; also the ember-throw- 

 ing habit of hemlock. A shower of sparks may be had by 

 throwing on green and leafy boughs of hemlock and balsam. 



5. Some interesting peculiarities 

 of certain woods may be shown at a 

 common fire: 



(a) By having green chunks 



red maple will froth; 

 a very limited 



