27 NOVEMBER 1953, Page 13

Green Logs The bite of a log saw on green

wood soon tells one whether the sap has gone back or not. I took down three stunted and twisted trees that were in the way. One was a hawthorn with a deformed trunk, another an ash and the third a sycamore. The hawthorn was ready for cutting. Its leaves had gone in the gale and what berries it had had were scattered on the ground. The saw made short work of the trunk and btanches and in a little while I moved to take down the ash. The bark of the ash had sap in it and the saw made slow progres,§ because the tooth clearance was

restricted with moist sawdust. I toiled and struggled until the job was done and the green ash lay with the thorn. The sycamore was dead. I made the discovery as soon as I reached it and I was thankful, for the battle with the ash had reduced my enthusiasm as well as my strength. The hawthorn will burn well enough but I like green ash on the fire. It hisses and sings and it burns with the same life as a branch from a blighted apple tree.