I had the opportunity to talk to 37 beekeepers across Western Canada
earlier this year. One of the questions was the type of smoker fuel they
used. In Alberta most people used burlap (jute) potato sacking.
In Saskatchewan rolled up corrugated card board obtained from grocery
stores was the most common fuel.
 
Manitoba beekeepers favoured "punky" oak - a common tree by the Souris
River.
 
A beekeeper  I worked for in North Eastern Alberta had discovered that
newspaper has a "grain" - it tears easier in one direction better than the
other. He tore strips of a complete section of the Edmonton Journal. The
strips are 1/2" and are torn starting from the centre fold to the outer
edge.
 
The strips are loosely put into the smoker - you light the first few with
a ZIPPO ( the world's best lighter!) . Stuff some more strips in, mking
sure that they are loosely "jumbled up" before putting them in.
Keep the smoker fairly full.
Give the smoker a tap on the ground stir up the fuel and keep it in
contact.
 
I suppose the large exposed surface area of the strips of newspaper make
this effective - whole sheets of newspaper are useless.
 
regards
 
Peter Wilson
 
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