The Poor Man's Stump Burner: Newport Farmers Pack Kelly's Hall

The Farmers' Institute, held at Newport Saturday, March 5, proved a success, both in point of attendance and interest manifested. The sessions were held at Kelly's Hall, the use of which had been donated by the owner.

H. W. Sparks, superintendent of the state experiment station, and L. V. Hansen, of Seattle, deputy state dairy inspector, were the speakers of the occasion. Prof. Thatcher, director of the experiment station, having been unable to come, owing to the floods that were devastating the Palouse country.

Mr. Hansen's address on dairy questions proved of interest, and will doubtless be beneficial in stimulating an industry which at present receives but scant attention in this territory, and which with proper application can be made profitable, the grasses of this section being especially rich in butter-producing qualities. Mr. Sparks' talks were on fruit raising, soils and clearing lands and were of much interest, being closely followed and many questions being asked by the 150 farmers who attended the sessions. The attendance proved greater than anticipated, and shows the farmers of this section are interested in everything that pertains to their vocations, and that they are anxious to benefit by the experience of others.

Mr. Sparks' talk on clearing land and the charpitting system of removing stumps are of particular interest to this section, and in order that those who did not attend may get the benefit of same, The Miner reprints the article below, taken from a bulletin prepared by Mr. Sparks.

The state college plans to hold a series of demonstrations of this method, and an application has been made to hold such a demonstration at Newport, which will doubtless be granted.

'Among the methods we have investigated we believe the charpitting or charcoaling method to be the poor man's method for removing the stumps, where conditions are favorable, and as we have given considerable time to the investigation of this method we will attempt to give a brief description of some of the essential features.

'This method consists of the application of the art of charcoal burning to the stump. As a preparation for this work, we would suggest to those wanting to clear their land that better headway can be made by slashing the tract to be cleared as early in the season as possible after the foliage is all out, being careful to bring everything down to the ground and together, in such manner as to produce conditions favorable to a good burn. To assist in producing this condition, we believe that the use of a little powder in the old logs, shattering and splintering them, taking special pains to remove the bark from all the stumps to facilitate the drying-out process, then fire at such time in the early fall as to secure the best burn with due regard to safety. At this time we will suggest the sowing of such grass seeds which seem to give the best results as soon as possible after fires are out, and ground cooled, in the dry ashes and soil, where they will remain safe until the rains give sufficient moisture for germination and growth. This is especially desirable on loose soils, as the grass in time will make sufficient sods to materially assist in banking or covering in the fires. The grass will make also some pasture if the clearing is not completed ready for cultivation during the first season.

'The reason for removing the bark and securing as good a burn as possible is to produce a charred stump, as charred stumps do not absorb the rains and moisture as much as the uncharred. They are in better condition for burning during the wet season, and as this is the season when we have most time for the work this advantage is to be kept in mind. We are now ready to begin operations for the removal of the stump.

'Begin by breaking up a quantity of wood, usually finding enough at hand for the purpose by slabbing or chopping from the top of the stump the half-burned or charred wood and breaking up into lengths about the size of ordinary stove wood, being careful not to break any longer than eighteen inches. Longer wood makes covering higher on stump necessary.

'We stand this broken wood on end around the stump, making such a complete circle of broken wood and kindling that will insure the fire when kindled, from the side where the fire is lighted completely around the stump. We suggest that a little special care be taken in the placing of this wood, first, to so arrange the wood that fire will follow with the aid of a little artificial draft caused by the opening to windward and loosely piled covering of earth at bottom. Second, uniform lengths together so as to produce as smooth a surface as possible at top of this wood to facilitate covering. We now ascertain the direction from which the wind is blowing, and with two pieces of heavy bark, or old chunks of wood, about 18 inches long set about 12 inches apart at the bottom, with tops resting against each other and against the kindling around the stump and on the windward side. That there may be no misunderstanding of this windward side, we will further explain by saying we want the wind to blow into this arch when we fire our kindling.

'The next step is to take some soil (that having a good sod preferred), being careful at the start to place each shovelful against the wood around the bottom and build it up in such a manner as to leave the bottom for the first two or three courses loose. Avoid packing at this part of the covering. We must have some air and some draft at the starting. Be cautious about standing off at a distance and throwing this covering against the wood, as this would break up the soil and cause it to fall in among the broken wood, checking the draft and smothering your fire, but we do want a tight collar around the stump at the top of the banking or covering, which will be just over the upper end of the broken wood. The heat produced by the first fire will rise to the upper level under the covering. We want to conserve this first heat. The principle is much the same as is used in the fireless cooker. To insure a tight collar use a few shovelfuls of fine earth at the top of first covering and around the stump.

'We are now ready to fire the stump, which we do by using some good kindling placed in the arch left open for this purpose. We believe a good start essential. Usually some pitch wood may be had at hand, which makes easy and sure starting. After starting the fire the operator may go to another stump, or other work, but should return in about two hours, or at such time as the fire may be well around the stump, when the opening where the fire was started should be closed. If the wood has burned out at this part a few short sticks may be placed under the covering, and from this time on the treatment must be about the same as that given a charcoal pit, which in reality it is, being careful not to allow covering to fall in and leave an entrance for too much air, as this will consume the charcoal, which, in turn, would cause still greater falling in of the covering.

'With a little practice one soon learns to judge right conditions by the color of the smoke issuing. A dense white smoke indicates the driving off of the moisture and gases. A blue smoke is positive notice of the burning up of the carbon (charcoal).

'We do not expect that all who try this method will be successful from the start nor that all conditions will be found favorable.

'From observation we think that sandy or gravelly loam soils will be the hardest to handle for covering because of the fact that these soils have a tendency to run when hot, thus either smothering the fire or giving too much air, but believe we shall find a way to obviate this difficulty by the use of some other covering.

'We believe that we are not ready to discard powder, power and other known methods, and the probabilities are that a combination of some two or more of these methods may be found desirable.

'As a word of encouragement, we want to say that this method is used successfully by quite a number of people, and to that extent we feel justified in saying we believe this method will be a great factor in the hands of the man on the land. We have personally visited several fields where the roots were charred away below the plow.

'There is another feature in favor of the method where there is a market for by-products that is the charcoal produced, which amounts to several sacks under some of the large stumps. If this charcoal is not wanted, open up the pit, give it air and the coal is soon consumed.'