132 FARM MECHANICS 



ordinary stumpage. This, of course, must be a rough 

 estimate, because stumps, like other things, vary in 

 numbers, size and condition of soundness. Some old 

 stumps may be removed easily while others hang to 

 the ground with wonderful tenacity. 



There are two profits to follow the removal of stumps 

 from a partially cleared field. The work already put 

 on the land has in every case cost considerable labor to 

 get the trees and brush out of the way. The land is 

 partially unproductive so long as stumps remain. For 

 this reason, it is impossible to figure on the first cost 

 until the stumps are removed to complete the work and 

 to put the land in condition to raise machine made 

 crops. When the stumps are removed, the value of the 

 land either for selling or for farming purposes is in- 

 creased at once. "Whether sold or farmed, the increas- 

 ing value is maintained by cropping the land and se- 

 curing additional revenue. 



There are different ways of removing stumps, some 

 of which are easy while others are difficult and expen- 

 sive. One of the easiest ways is to bore a two-inch 

 auger hole diagonally down into the stump; then fill 

 the auger hole with coal-oil and let it remain for some 

 weeks to soak into the wood. Large stumps may be 

 bored in different directions .so the coal-oil will find its 

 way not only through the main part of the stumps 

 but down into the roots. This treatment requires that 

 the stumps should be somewhat dry. A stump that is 

 full of sap has no room for coal-oil, but after the sap 

 partially dries out, then coal oil will fill the pores of the 

 wood. After the stump is thoroughly saturated with 

 coal-oil, it will burn down to the ground, so that the 

 different large roots will be separated. Sometimes the 

 roots will burn below plow depth, but a good heavy 



