Camping and woodcraft - Scoutmastercg.com

THE CAMP-FIRE 239coals. Balsam fir, basswood, and the white andloblolly pines make quick fires but are soon spent.The gray (Labrador) pine or jack pine is consideredgood fuel in the far North, where hardwoodsare scarce. Seasoned tamarack is good.Spruce is poor fuel, although, being resinous, itkindles easily and makes a good blaze for " brandingup " a fire. Pitch pine, which is the most inflammableof all woods when dry and " fat," willscarcely burn at all in a green state. Sycamore andbuckeye, when thoroughly seasoned, are good fuel,but will not split. Alder burns readily and givesout considerable heat, but is not lasting.The dry wood of the northern poplar (largetoothedaspen) is a favorite for cooking fires, becauseit gives an intense heat, with little or nosmoke, lasts well, and does not blacken the utensils.Red cedar has similar qualities, but is ratherhard to ignite and must be fed fine at the start.The best green softwoods for fuel are white birch,paper birch, soft maple, cottonwood, and quakingaspen.As a rule, the timber growing along the marginsof large streams is softwood. Hence driftwoodis generally a poor mainstay, unless there isplenty of iton the spot; but driftwood on the seacoastis good fuel.Precautions.— I have already mentioned thenecessity of clearing the camp ground of inflammablestuff before starting a fire on it, raking ittoward a common center and burning all the deadleaves, pine needles, and trash; otherwise it maycatch and spread beyond your control as soon asyour back is turned. Don't build your fire againsta big old punky log: it may smoulder a day or twoafter you have left, and then burst out into flamewhen a breeze fans it.Never leave a spark of fire when breaking camp,or when leaving it for the day. Make absolutelysure of this, by drenching the camp-fireJ:horoughly,