BURNING — SEEDING NEW LAND. 663 



the smaller ones in their fall. I haul my logs to the neighbor- 

 ing mills, to be cut into lumber for my own use, or sell them 

 to the mill owners. Good oak logs, butt cuts, will bring about 

 seven dollars per thousand, measured by Scribner's rule. Bass- 

 wood and maple, suitable for furniture, bring about six dollars ; 

 dry maple wood is worth three dollars and fifty cents per cord ; 

 oak, two dollars and seventy-five cents, and basswood, one 

 dollar and fifty cents. 



The remaining timber I cut into cordwood, I use a horse 

 drag saw, with which I cut such sound chunks as are not fit to 

 saw for logs, and are too tough or knotty to split if cut four 

 feet long, into sixteen inch lengths, for stove wood. 



BURNING. 



When the piece is well chopped over, I prepare for a burn. 

 I roll out any old stuff not piled, from its bed of leaves, loosen 

 up the rotten wood, so that it may dry thoroughly, close up 

 the brush heaps in good shape, and wait my time. In May or 

 June, a very dry spell, attended with high winds often occurs. 

 I provide barrels of water located near objects which I wish 

 to protect. With the utmost care I often burn up things which 

 I do not wish to. When all is ready, and we have a dry time, 

 with a high wind in the right direction for safety, I get some 

 help, and apply the match. The dry leaves will generally carry 

 the fire from pile to pile, but I watch it, and supply all defi- 

 ciencies. 



HOW TO SEED THE NEW LAND. 



The best possible use to make of this new laud is to seed 

 it to timothy grass, and pasture it closely until the sprouts are 

 all killed. In close woods, where grass has not grown, this 

 can be done by sowing in the Fall to wheat and seeding. This 

 plan often gives me a good crop of grain, and leaves every 

 thing in good shape. Seeding can be done in the Spring, by 

 sowing with oats. It is unfortunate to have to plow such 

 land. In oak timber I can do it more readily than in other 

 kinds, for the roots run deeper ; but it is very embarrassing to 

 have the plow catching among the green, sharp roots. 



