{"id":2710,"date":"2015-12-02T15:19:40","date_gmt":"2015-12-02T15:19:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.reading.ac.uk\/crg\/?p=2710"},"modified":"2015-12-02T15:19:40","modified_gmt":"2015-12-02T15:19:40","slug":"adventbotany-day-2-the-yule-log","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/2015\/12\/02\/adventbotany-day-2-the-yule-log\/","title":{"rendered":"AdventBotany 2015 – Day 2: Yule Log – a carbon neutral heat source?"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Alastair Culham<\/a><\/h2>\n
\"Harvesting<\/a>
Harvesting the Yule log, from Chambers Book of Days (via Wikimedia)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Yule log was traditionally a large branch, trunk or whole tree brought indoors to burn slowly over the Christmas period and in to the New Year.\u00a0 Currently Yule coincides with the 12 days of Christmas, 21st December to January 1st.\u00a0 What seems unclear is how the tree was treated before Yule, some accounts suggest it was freshly harvested however the use of oak (Quercus<\/em>) in England as a favoured Yule log suggests at least two years planning ahead to allow the wood to dry sufficiently to burn well!\u00a0 In an era where wood burning stoves have become fashionable as a chic and environmentally friendly way to heat the house, one must ask “Is wood burning really good for the environment?”<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
A magnificient ancient oak in the New Forest, Hampshire, U.K.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There is much interest now in the use of wood to heat homes in the UK because this is seen as a renewable fuel with a low net carbon output.\u00a0 Different woods are known to have different burning properties, some burn well even when freshly cut while others need two years of seasoning (drying) after cutting. One issue with wood is the carbon cost of fuel to fell it and transport it on an industrial scale – this means it is not a truly carbon neutral fuel.\u00a0 Another issue is that of keeping the fire burning if it is the main source of heat in the house.\u00a0 Views vary.<\/p>\n

In The Guardian, a paper I thought might be promoting wood fuel Phil Daoust<\/a> says “your burner will dominate your life like a newborn baby” and the cost: “Imagine 300 blue Ikea bags filled with \u00a350 notes.”<\/p>\n

The Telegraph focuses on the fashion value of wood burning stoves in a piece by Harry Wallop<\/a> on the collection of cast off Christmas trees as a source of fuel: ” ‘You need to be quick,’ he said, as he pointed to the far end of the road at another fellow, bent double and trying to yank a base off a tree. Oh, yes: it was rutting season for the lentil-munchers of north London. ”<\/p>\n

A decidedly positive piece on wood burning was provided by the Energy Saving Community<\/a> web site which emphasized that, although wood burning is not carbon neutral it does have other environmental benefits: “One very positive aspect of the upsurge in wood burning has been its effect on biodiversity and habitat. With a growing commercial value in forestry products, managing woods has itself received a welcome shot in the arm at a time when, in many parts of the country, natural woodland habitats and the species that depend on them have been suffering from years of gradual decline.”<\/p>\n

Ultimately wood burning has costs on air quality and carbon costs in transport so unless you have a ready source of local wood, and live in an area of low population density there are probably better ways to heat your house.<\/p>\n

A widely quoted poem on the internet, and attributed to Honor Goodhart<\/a> (Punch 1926) gives a valuable summary of the properties of many UK native timbers.<\/p>\n

“LOGS TO BURN.”<\/p>\n

“Logs to burn ;\u00a0 logs to burn;<\/em>
\n Logs to save the coal a turn.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Here’s a word to make you wise
\nwhen you hear the woodman’s cries;
\nNever heed his usual tale
\nThat he’s splendid logs for sale
\nBut read these lines & really learn
\nThe proper kind of logs to burn.<\/p>\n

Oak logs will warm you well,
\nIf they’re old and dry.
\nLarch logs of pinewoods smell
\nBut the sparks will fly.
\nBeech logs for Christmas time;
\nYew logs heat well;
\n“Scotch” logs it is a crime
\nFor anyone to sell.
\nBirch logs will burn too fast;
\nChestnut scarce at all;
\nHawthorn logs are good to last
\nIf cut in the fall.
\nHolly logs will burn like wax,
\nYou should burn them green;
\nElm logs like smouldering flax,
\nNo flame to be seen.
\nPear logs and apple logs,
\nThey will scent your room;
\nCherry logs across the dogs
\nSmell like flowers in bloom,
\nBut ash logs all smooth and grey
\nBurn them green or old,
\nBuy up all that come your way
\nThey’re worth their weight in gold.<\/p>\n

I couldn’t find the poem in Punch but a message to them generated the rapid response that it was actually published in 1920.\u00a0 Thank you Punch Ltd.<\/a> for your time in helping me out!\u00a0 Since then I’ve found the original printed over two columns of page 337, October 27, 1920 (University of Reading, Senior Common Room<\/a> has a run of bound editions from 1900-1979).\u00a0 The poem has no attribution on the page but is in the annual index under Articles on p519 (Punch, December 29th, 1920) “Goodhart, Mrs. H. Logs to Burn……p337”.<\/p>\n

Alongside these historic aides memoires there is much modern information on which wood to use for log burning stoves and open fires.\u00a0 The company ‘Flaming Fires’ has published a list<\/a> including many species not mentioned in the poem above and the Forestry Commission have a detailed document<\/a> on choosing firewood.<\/p>\n

References<\/h3>\n

Chambers Book of Days<\/a> (1832)<\/p>\n

Goodheart, Honor (1920) “Logs to Burn”, Punch Magazine,<\/a> 27th October 1920, p 337.<\/p>\n

Advent Botany 2015: back to Day 1<\/a>, forward to Day 3<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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