I wonder why, just before the first indian attack when the people are clearing the land, they burn all the trees they cut down? Wouldn't it be more sensible to store it up for the cold winter to come? It was a waste of a lot of good fire wood.
Never depend on anything and you will never be disappointed.
I haven't seen it in a while but sure they weren't burning the stumps instead of the cut timber?
shareJust watched it again this morning and sure enough, it was trees and long planks they were burning. I thought people in thoes days were frugal, there it was, all this wood ready to be corded...and they burned it up. (Yea, I know it is only a movie and I am nitpicking.)
Never depend on anything and you will never be disappointed.
They didn't have to be frugal with wood since in their minds back then the forests seemed inexhaustible. They musta been fixing to toss Claudette Colbert onto the bonfire to finally shut her the hell up- man her frightened screaming was seriously obnoxious!
shareTwo thumbs up on that.
shareStill, they'd have to cut the additional trees with ax or saw, and then cut them into smaller pieces when they had wood already there. It would have been a lot simpler to stack it up for the winter then and there.
shareBurning all that wood made no sense (it did look good on camera though). There's a New England term, 'Yankee frugality' where ideally nothing goes to waste. I'd rather chop and split firewood when it's 75 degrees outside, not when it's -5 and snowing.
shareOne of the men does mention firewood, after one of the large trees is cut down. The line is muffled though, so I can't make all of it out.
But they're clearly burning stumps, branches, and smaller trees in order to clear Gil's land. It was more important that they cleared a vast area so he could plant enough crops to make a profit for the next year.
It's not as if the trees are in short supply, and I'm guessing it would take a while for two people in one small cabin to use up even just one of those massive trees in their tiny fireplace. They couldn't possibly have had room to keep every single tree they chopped down when Gil had so much planting to do. He probably owned acres upon acres of land, so burning the excess trees was essential to getting his farm ready for planting.
There is a series of historical novels that I love; granted, it's fiction, but the author is known to do a lot of research. In one of her books, there is a description of settlers cutting down trees and planting around them - allowing the stumps to start rotting and the roots to die and easing their removal later. The wood is used for building the needed outbuildings. Fireplaces were not necessarily 'tiny' and heated the whole dwelling as well as providing all cooking heat and hot water for bathing.
shareThe early settlers had to literally chop out an existence in the forest. Not only were trees plentiful, they were probably seen as the enemy :)
Most of the trees seen being tossed on the pyre were birch--not a desirable firewood.
That clearing still looks the same today!
shareI said exactly the same thing... PLUS he was already talking about building a barn and a 'real' house.
shareI agree, that was a waste, not even using 21st century eyes. It was hard work to clear that forest, and what couldn't be used for timber or planks would have nicely dried for use in fires for winter warmth, cooking, tanning, etc. You don't burn green wood even if it is plentiful if you have a choice. I just think that was Hollywood creating an interesting landscape and maybe foreshadowing a bit. Although I'm sure there was little thought about renewable energy sources in those days, no one would like to expend their own human energy cutting down a tree if not necessary.
I was thinking the same thing. Glad I found others who agree. Beside the waste of firewood what about the need for spare wood necessary for both household and farming items. Not to mention the waste of labor. Chopping wood was a never ending chore in those days.
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