s lasting coals, and soft woods make a quick, hot fire that is soon
spent. But each species has peculiarities that deserve close attention.

"_Best Fuel_--Best of all northern fire woods is hickory, green or dry.
It makes a hot fire, but lasts a long time, burning down to a bed of
hard coals that keep up an even, generous heat for hours. Hickory, by
the way, is distinctly an American tree; no other region on earth
produces it. The live oak of the south is most excellent fuel; so is
holly. Following the hickory, in fuel value, are chestnut, oak, overcup,
white, blackjack, post and basket oaks, pecan, the hornbeams
(ironwoods), and dogwood. The latter burns finely to a beautiful white
ash that is characteristic; apple wood does the same. Black birch also
ranks here; it has the advantage of 'doing its own blowing,' as a
Carolina mountaineer said to me, meaning that the oil in the birch
assists its combustion so that the wood needs no coaxing. All of the
birches are good fuel, ranking in about this order: Black, yellow, red,
paper, and white. Sugar maple was the favorite fuel of our old-time
hunters and surveyors because it ignites easily, burns with a clear,
steady flame, and leaves good coals.

"Locust is a good, lasting fuel; it is easy to cut, and, when green,
splits fairly well; the thick bark takes fire readily and the wood then
burns slowly, with little flame, leaving pretty good coals; hence it is
good for night wood. Mulberry has similar qualities. The scarlet and
willow oaks are among the poorest of the hard woods for fuel. Cherry
makes only fair fuel. White elm is poor stuff, but slippery elm is
better. Yellow pine burns well, as its sap is resinous instead of watery
like that of the soft pines.

"In some respects white ash is the best of green woods for campers fuel.
It is easily cut and split, is lighter to tote than most other woods,
and is of so dry a nature that even the green wood catches fire readily.
It burns with clear flame, and lasts longer than any other free-burning
wood of its weight. On a wager, I have built a bully fire from a green
tree of white ash, one match, and no dry kindling. I split some of the
wood very fine and 'frilled' a few of the little sticks with my knife.

"_Soft Woods_--Most of the soft woods are good only for kindling, or for
quick cooking fires, and then only when seasoned. For these purposes,
however, some of them are superior, as they split and shave readily and
catch fire