You are correct that roots will burn...and burn for a LONG time.

It is common in forests that burn for roots to smolder for months if
not years. A root can smolder underground and if the fire works its
way back to the top of the surface, you can have another forest fire
started. Something to think about where fires burned last year.

Another little detail those in towns may want to consider when burning
stumps and their roots is what buried lines you have in the
neighborhood? I have seen sewer, phone and GAS lines damaged by
burning roots. In one case, a burning root from a stump that was
burned three months earlier damaged a gas line and took the
neighboring house out. Big lawsuit followed. Many $$$$$ spent.

Any chance you could just build a flower bed on top of this stump of
yours?

Sometimes it is better to let Nature take her slow but steady course.


TMT



Peter T. Keillor III wrote in message . ..
On Thu, 03 Jun 2004 16:58:46 -0700, Eric R Snow
wrote:

On Thu, 3 Jun 2004 17:59:38 -0500, "williamhenry"
wrote:

anyone have any suggestions on the best way to burn stumps

I know I can have it ground , this is purely an entertainment stump,

just want to play with a little fire ?

can I pour LOX on it like in the grill video and reduce it to ash in short
order?


I have access to the aluminum suits and safety gear ,

might really spice up the fourth ?

might really get hurt

Oh yeah! Go for it. Drill a bunch of holes, pour the stuff in, let it
soak a few milliseconds, then light it. Mebbe it'll get hot enough to
burn the water in the stump! If it's dry enough you could drill all
the holes and fill 'em with diesel or kerosene, let it soak in, and
repeat until it will take no more, Then light it. I've also heard of
dissolving saltpetre in water and letting that soak in and dry. Then
the stump burns completely, but slowly, for a number of days. More of
a smolder really.
ERS

If you just wanted to get rid of the stump instead of all the above
4th of July Darwin Award stuff, I've done it successfully several
times. You just need several months patience.

If the stump is not dead, kill it. There are stump killer compounds
available, although I've not used them. Mainly you don't want any
water movement in the stump for the next step.

When you're sure the stump is dead, use a brace and bit to drill 3/4"
to 1" holes vertically as deep as you can every 3 or 4 inches around
the periphery of the stump. Then drill at a 45 deg angle intersecting
holes near the base of the stump. Fill all the holes with potassium
nitrate. Soak the stump with water, but not enough to dissolve all
the potassium nitrate. Just get it good and wet. Cover the wet stump
with a garbage bag and tape securely.

Now just wait six weeks to two months. When the waiting's done, soak
the stump several times with diesel or kerosene, then light. I've had
the stump burn for a full week, including through some light showers.
When smoke finally quit coming out of the hole, even the roots were
gone, with tunnels into the ground in all directions.

Pete Keillor