How Was 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.