Ha! I was thinking of lamp oil and blubber. You know, it used to be one of the leading exports from New England. I read that whale oil was of the highest quality.
As for the cigarettes, have we not substituted cell phones for cigarettes? Both are addictive. Both can adversely affect the health of body or mind.
We lost a tree in the backyard to Hurricane Irma, but it was one of those softwood trees — not like the oaks I lived under in the Poconos.
But imagine, we must have been 250 miles from the center of Irma(northwest Georgia) and the winds were strong enough that far away. Massive storm in terms of size, if not sheer wind velocity at the center.
Recalling words....
One does not mention the words ‘lighter fluid” to a revamped smoker. To us this could only mean cigarette lighter. If for fuel in establishing illumination, this might be second to come to mind. Blubber is but one commodity from whales. Seem to remember the perfume industry uses parts for their production as well.
Cell Phones replacing smokes? Find it much easier to do w/o cell phone than it was doing w/o cigarettes.
Sorry to hear about your tree. To see such a sudden change in your landscape takes time to focus. We lost a Tallow tree several years ago due to drought, a tall, leafy, majestic tree which gave much needed shade. Never replaced and too late to do so now and find enjoyment in its maturing presence.