HELP : energy farming of trees

[EVANSJII at PURCCVM.BITNET]

There is a collected table of BTU values for North American trees, but
I cannot seem to lay my hands on it.  What I have found is an
extension publication.  Wood for Home Heating, by Daniel L. Cassens,
Extension Forest Products Specialist.  Unfortunately, this publication
doesn't concentrate on individual species, but more on the use of wood
for an alternative fuel source.  However, the references contain some
addresses that might help.

"Wood burning quarterly and home energy digest"  8009 34th Ave. S.,
Minneapolis, MN  55420  ($5.00/year)

"The wood burners encylopedia"  Vermont crossroads press, Box 333,
Waitsfield, VT  05673, 162 pp.  ($6.75 each)

Dan Cassens is the department of forest products at Purdue university
(as am I), but is attending a meeting.  When he returns, I will see if
he has further information.

Here is a short list of values for some NA species.

SPECIES            AVG WT/CORD IN LBS         BTU AVAILABLE @50% efficiency

ash                    2950                       11,300,000
aspen                  1900                        8,850,000
basswood               1900                        8,550,500
beech                  3240                       13,900,000
birch (yellow)         3000                       13,100,000
cherry                 2550                       11,750,000
elm                    2750                       12,250,000
hemlock                2100                        8,955,000
hickory                3595                       15,300,000
maple (hard)           3075                       14,500,000
maple (soft)           2500                       12,000,000
oak (red)              3240                       13,150,000
oak (white)            3750                       13,850,000
pine (white)           1800                        8,950,000
spruce                 2100                        9,050,000
tamarack               2500                       12,005,000

A cord is a stack of wood 4 feet high, 4 feet wide, and 8 feet long.

the data for this species was calculated using a measured moisture
content of 20%.

the btu (british thermal units) column values are in the millions of
btu's.  ie  1 cord of ash wieghs 2,950 pounds and yields 11 million,
three hundred thousand btu's worth of heat, assuming a 50% efficiency.

Joel Evans