Harry K wrote:
-snip-

Elm! I cut some Red Elm two years ago. It was part of a deal with a
farmer to get a batch of Black Locust trees (#1 firewood). I will
never, ever fool with that stuff again. Even with a splitter I had to
use a hatchet to cut the strings.

With elm there seems to be a small window- about 2-3 years after it
dies - where the strings are gone, but the wood will still burn-- if
really dry.

But even at that, remember this one from the old Farmers Almanac
"Elm wood new or elm wood old, even the embers are very cold"


[I can't find that-- but here are a couple poems that cover a raft of
woods- http://thankstrees.tripod.com/id16.html ]

I might be mis-remembering this stanza;
"Oaken logs, if dry and old
Keep away the winters cold
Poplar gives a bitter smoke
Fills your eyes and makes you choke
Elmwood burns like churchyard mould
Even the very flames burn cold
Hawthorn bakes the sweetest bread
So it is in Ireland said
Applewood will scent the room
Pears wood smells like a flower in bloom
But Ashwood wet and Ashwood dry
A King may warm his slippers by. "


I am now burning it. Very good wood, burns hot, burns long but the
worst wood I have ever burned for the amount of ash it leaves. It is
also a very light, feathery ash dthat I have poke down through the
stove grate. I am emptying the ashpan every 2-3 days vice the 4-5
days I was used to witht other wood.

That's been my experience, too. I would burn elm to get it out of
the way-- The best wood I ever burned was untreated 20' telephone
poles. Most were 30-40 year old locust or red cedar. The cedar
burned super hot and the locust lasted forever. [not to mention they
were all nice straight poles and were free-- and delivered.g]

Jim