Harvesting Wood: Difference between revisions

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==Deforestation==
==Deforestation==
Charcoal production created a huge impact on forest depletion
Charcoal production created a huge impact on forest depletion
Forest destruction tended to be complete near smelters and furnaces, it was generally localized near the demand for the fuel.<ref>Straka 2014, 105</ref>. The average annual furnace output was 1000 tons of pig iron. Thus, an average iron plantation furnace would require fuel from 150 acres of woodland per year. <ref>Straka 2014, 105</ref>.The woodland area surrounding the furnace was extremely important to feeding the charcoal furnace. <ref>Straka 2014, 110</ref>. Because of the consistent use for the furnaces, regeneration and growth were so slow that wood supplies would likely be depleted after a decade or so of woodcutting<ref>Straka 2014, 111</ref>. The furnaces acknowledged the slow regeneration of wood and as a result many furnaces practiced various forms of conservation and land management as a way of maintaining their source of fuel<ref>Straka 2014, 106</ref>. Over time iron production became increasingly efficient, ergo more acres of woodland were required to fuel production<ref>Straka 2014, 106</ref>.
Forest destruction tended to be complete near smelters and furnaces, it was generally localized near the demand for the fuel.<ref>Straka 2014, 105</ref>. The average annual furnace output was 1000 tons of pig iron. Thus, an average iron plantation furnace would require fuel from 150 acres of woodland per year. <ref>Straka 2014, 105</ref>.The woodland area surrounding the furnace was extremely important to feeding the charcoal furnace. <ref>Straka 2014, 110</ref>. Because of the consistent use for the furnaces, regeneration and growth were so slow that wood supplies would likely be depleted after a decade or so of woodcutting<ref>Straka 2014, 111</ref>. The furnaces acknowledged the slow regeneration of wood and as a result many furnaces practiced various forms of conservation and land management as a way of maintaining their source of fuel<ref>Straka 2014, 106</ref>. Over time iron production became increasingly efficient, ergo more acres of woodland were required to fuel production<ref>Straka 2014, 106</ref>. Woodlands in the east were typically more plentiful than that in the western United States and they typically took less time to regenerate<ref>Straka 2014, 111</ref>.


==Notes==
==Notes==

Revision as of 15:40, 26 September 2020

Wood

Wood must be dry before it could be used for charcoal production and iron production. Wood cut in the late autumn and early winter proved to hold the least amount of water. For example, wood cut in April would typically contain 10 to 20 percent more water than wood that was cut in January. Wood cut in December and January was more solid and would dry faster[1]. Dead of decayed wood was of no use for making charcoal[2].

In 1878, 4 cords worth of charcoal proved to provide 1 ton of pig iron [3]. Places like Hopewell Furnace would use a 30 year cutting cycle which meant they had to use way more land so that the cut trees had plenty of time to regrow. Around 200 acres would be cut annually at Hopewell and 147,000 acres or 230 square miles of forest were harvested annually nationwide which led to obvious cases of forest depletion. In response to the depletion, furnaces and their employees because very strong supporters of forestry early on because of their need for forests to continue supplying wood [4]

Denser types of woods were preferred to soft woods as they produced more heat and were less friable[5]. It has been recorded that sometimes a mixture of soft and hard woods would be used to create charcoal[6]. It was also important that the wood being harvested was in good condition, this meant no decaying, knotted or decaying wood[7].

Woodcutters

A cord of wood is four foot lengths of wood stacked four feet high and eight feet long. Woodcutters could cut anywhere from a few cords to more than one thousand cords. Many woodcutters were farmers who supplemented their income in the offseason[8]. For example, between 1851-1853 Edwin Gault was paid for 1993.5 cords[9]. One must remember, however, that he may have had helpers whom he then paid. Colliers also became woodcutters during the winter months in order to get a full-years wage[10]. Payments for cutting wood varied greatly due to location and time[11].

Wood cutters comprised a large proportion of the workers at any charcoal iron furnace. At Hopewell Furnace between 1851-1853, 225 persons were paid for any type of work and 116 were paid for cutting cord wood[12]. At Hopewell, on average approximately two cords of wood could be chopped down in a single day[13]. Two and a half cords was the average at Hanging Rock District[14]. It was noted, however, that in the Hanging Rock District there worked "...Reuben Beverly, who was reputed to be the champion chopper of this region and who, it is said, could cut, split and rank eight cords per day indefinitely. His name was as familiar throughout the Hanging Rock field as was that of the lad who cut down the cherry tree"[15]. Crandall also indicated that he personally had "known many expert wood choppers who could chop, split and rank from four to five cords a day"[16].

Woodcutters sometimes delivered the wood to charcoal hearths, called "delivering in the ring". They were paid $1.75 for this wood[17].

Deforestation

Charcoal production created a huge impact on forest depletion Forest destruction tended to be complete near smelters and furnaces, it was generally localized near the demand for the fuel.[18]. The average annual furnace output was 1000 tons of pig iron. Thus, an average iron plantation furnace would require fuel from 150 acres of woodland per year. [19].The woodland area surrounding the furnace was extremely important to feeding the charcoal furnace. [20]. Because of the consistent use for the furnaces, regeneration and growth were so slow that wood supplies would likely be depleted after a decade or so of woodcutting[21]. The furnaces acknowledged the slow regeneration of wood and as a result many furnaces practiced various forms of conservation and land management as a way of maintaining their source of fuel[22]. Over time iron production became increasingly efficient, ergo more acres of woodland were required to fuel production[23]. Woodlands in the east were typically more plentiful than that in the western United States and they typically took less time to regenerate[24].

Notes

  1. ↑ Overman 1854, 80
  2. ↑ Overman 1854, 83
  3. ↑ Straka 2010, 60
  4. ↑ Straka 2010, 60
  5. ↑ Straka 2015, 106
  6. ↑ Straka 2014, 106
  7. ↑ Straka 2014, 106-107
  8. ↑ Walker 1966, 238
  9. ↑ Walker 1966, 238
  10. ↑ Kemper 1941, 10
  11. ↑ Overman 1854, 84
  12. ↑ Walker 1966, 239
  13. ↑ Walker 1966, 239
  14. ↑ Crandall 1906, 20
  15. ↑ Crandall 1906, 20
  16. ↑ Crandall 1906, 20
  17. ↑ Walker 1966, 239
  18. ↑ Straka 2014, 105
  19. ↑ Straka 2014, 105
  20. ↑ Straka 2014, 110
  21. ↑ Straka 2014, 111
  22. ↑ Straka 2014, 106
  23. ↑ Straka 2014, 106
  24. ↑ Straka 2014, 111

References

  • Crandall, Elias. 1906. Reminiscences of the Hanging Rock District (Concluded). The Iron Trade Review, July, 19.
  • Kemper, Jackson. 1941. American Charcoal Making in the Era of the Cold-Blast Furnace. History 14. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of the Interior; National Park Service.
  • Walker, Joseph E. 1966. Hopewell Village; a Social and Economic History of an Iron-Making Community. Philadelphia: Univ. of Pennsylvania Press.
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