How Is “Fat Lighter’d” Formed

Q: As a child, I remember hunting in the woods for “fat lighter’d” to be used as kindling in the fireplace. How it is formed? 

A: Fat lighter’d is the center portion of a pine tree stump (the heartwood). It is saturated with hardened pine sap (rosin). Even if you submerge fat lighter’d in water for a week, after you shake the water off you can light it with a match and it will burn vigorously. The wood makes excellent kindling because it is easy to light and burns hot, thus easily starting a fire in a fireplace.

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