HOW DO YOU KNOW WHICH WOOD TO USE?
With a bit of practice you can learn to recognize seasoned wood when you see it. One telltale sign is that the bark has loosened its hold, or has already been knocked off with handling. Also, the log ends have darkened, dried out and started to "check" (crack), not to be confused with the deeper split marks from an axe. A freshly felled cord of wood, which is about 3.6 cubic metres (128' 3"), weighs about 1.5 tonnes. A well seasoned log will be lighter in weight than a partially-seasoned or "green" piece of the same size and species. When it really is well seasoned, expect to pay more.

Freshly cut or green wood of nearly all species (see below) is useless as a fuel, as it is difficult to light, yields less heat than dry wood, and causes tar deposits in stoves and chimneys. Firewood should be dried in the open air until the moisture content is 20-25%. This takes at least six months for most species, and at least a year for elm and beech. Some species produce naturally much drier wood than other species. Freshly felled ash has only about 33% water, and can be burnt without seasoning, whereas fresh poplar is about 65% water. Firewood seasoned for two years is generally best. Wood stored for more than about 3 years may deteriorate due to fungal growth, woodworm or other agents. Firewood loses weight as it dries, and as a general rule two tonnes of green wood will produce one tonne of air-dried wood. The table below gives a general guideline for most species.

Wood is a poor conductor of heat, and burns less efficiently the larger the piece of wood. For stoves, open fires and for conversion to charcoal (p134), the optimum size of log is about 100mm (4") diameter.
Wood dries more quickly from cut ends and cleft faces than if left in the round. Larger logs need to be split, both to encourage drying, and to give the optimum size for efficient burning. As splitting involves extra work, cutting the wood when it is no bigger than 10cm (4") diameter, as produced by coppicing, is the most efficient way of producing firewood.
All types of wood burn more efficiently in wood burning stoves, than on an open fire. On average, air-dried wood burns at 70% efficiency in a free-standing stove, 60% in a built-in stove, and 35% efficiency in open fires. The problem of some woods creating sparks is less significant in stoves.

Wood needs to be burnt at a fairly high temperature of around 700°C, which ignites the gases given off by the wood and converts these to carbon dioxide and steam. Filling a stove with wood and then damping it down by reducing the air supply prevent these 'volatiles' from burning, and generates smoke and tar. It's best instead to let the logs burn freely until they almost turn to charcoal, and then damp the stove down. The glowing charcoal will continue to give off heat for some hours.

Conifer wood is generally less suitable than hardwood for heating. Its resinous nature means it flares up and burns quickly, rather than giving off heat over a longer time. Attempting to burn it slowly means that the resinous sap is not burnt completely, but leaves creosote deposits on the stove and chimney, which can lead to chimney fires.

Wood ash is a useful garden fertiliser, containing 5-10% K2O (potash), and should be applied in early spring at 125-270g/m2 for improved growth of fruit, flowers and potatoes. It's particularly useful on acid, sandy soils, but should not be applied to chalky soils. Store the ash in a dry place before use.

STORAGE
Wood does not have to be stored under cover to dry out, and logs stacked or in a pile will dry out over the summer following cutting. Logs can then be transported to be stacked close to the point of use. Minimise handling and restacking. If possible, stack close to the point of use immediately after cutting and splitting. Don't stack newly-cut wood in a closed shed, as it will rot rather than dry out but stack in an open-sided shed, barn or lean-to or in the open, covered with corrugated iron or similar and weighted down. Logs dried for six months or more can be stacked in a dry shed, but ensure there is some ventilation.

If possible, stack small logs and larger logs separately, with kindling in a large box, so that you can easily find what you need. Keep several days' supplies of kindling and logs in the house, near but not touching the woodstove or range, so it dries to give the best fuel value when burnt. 
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