Camping and woodcraft - Scoutmastercg.com

THE CAMP-FIRE 233and western ones do): "White man heap fool;make um big fire — can't git near: Injun make umlittle fire — git close. Uh, good! "Kindling.—The best kindling is fat pine, or thebark of the paper birch. Fat pine is found in thestumps and butt cuts of pine trees, particularly thosethat died on the stump. The resin has collectedthere and dried. This wood is usually easy to split.Pine knots are the tough, heavy, resinous stubs oflimbs that are found on dead pine trees. They, aswell as fat pine, are almost imperishable, and thoseiticking out of old rotten logs are as good as any.In collecting pine knots go to fallen trees that havealmost rotted away. Hit the knot a lick with thepoll of the axe and generally it will yield ; if youmust chop, cut deep to get it all and to save the axeedge. The knots of old dead balsams are similarlyused. Usually a dead stump of pine, spruce, or baUsam, all punky on the outside, has a core very richin resin that makes excellent kindling.Hemlock knots are worthless and hard as glass —keep your axe out of them.The thick bark of hemlock is good to make glowingcoals in a hurry; so is that of hardwoods generally-Good kindling, sure to be dry underneaththe bark in all weathers, is procured by snappingoff the small dead branches, or stubs of branches,that are left on the trunks of small or medium-sizedtrees, near the ground. Do not pick up twigs fromthe ground, but choose those, among the downwood,that are held up free from the ground. Where atree is found that has been shivered by lightning,or one that has broken off without uprooting, goodsplinters of dry wood will be found. In everylaurel thicket there is plenty of dead laurel, and,since it is of sprangling growth, most of the brancheswill be free from the ground and snap-dry. Theyignite readily and give out intense heat.The bark of all species of birch, but of paperbirch especially, is excellent for kindling and for