Hot-water compost

To the real estate editor: In your Energy Q&A column April 29 Henry Roberts of Middlebury, Conn., asked about hot water from a compost pile of wood chips. The complete story on how to use such a heat source is found in the lead story in Mother Earth News about two months ago.

The magazine's research people even duplicated the French farmer's work although on a smaller scale.

You were absolutely right in estimating it would take a huge chip pile. The French farmer had a lot of chips. But it does work with even a smaller pile.

To obtain the magazine send $4 to Mother Earth News, P.O. Box 70, Hendersonville, NC 28739, and ask for no. 62. Edward C. Proctor New Holland, Pa.