Wood that it were so simple

IT was a very good article by John Wright on wood fuel (‘The slow burn’, November 16), but I did wonder what reaction I would get from our usual supplier if I asked for a certain calorific value and water content, let alone specified the type of wood I wanted—i think the reply would be ‘it’s just logs, mate’.

One aspect that received only passing reference was aroma. Ten years ago, when apple orchards around us here in Oxfordshire were being grubbed up with funding from the EU, apple wood was particularly popular for this reason. Dr David A. Harris, Oxfordshire