It is too late for this suggestion, but the time to think about
removing stumps is before you remove the tree. This diea started when
a bulldozer operator said to cut the trees down with a high stump
left, so he could have more leverage to uproot the stump.

Later when I decided to remove more trees, I ended up getting a steel
cable attached high in the tree and attaching a come-a-long to pull
the tree in the direction I wanted it to fall. Then instead of
cutting the tree down, I started digging out the stump. PITA, but the
same amount of work as if you dig it later. When there is pretty big
hole, then pull the tree down and it tears the stump loose. Still
lots of work. If you remove several trees, you can pull the stumps
together and burn them better than trying to burn one stump.
Of course if you can't burn, you still have a problem. But the stump
can be move somewhere where it can rot in peace.

Dan


Koz wrote in message ...
Just to change things a bit.....

I am currently working on a maple stump about 4 feet across with another
5 or 6 feet of major root. It's on a city lot near the neighbor's place
so I can't burn. For now I have been digging about a foot down and
chopping out the roots to get to only a main stump area left.