If you are still following this thread,
Any roots left in will rot down, expect mushrooms or toad stools in due
course.

regards
Cineman
"Chris" wrote in message
.. .
I have felled about 60 trees in our small wood, some pine, some ash and
beech, most have trunks about 6 to 8 inches in diameter. Initially i made
the mistake of chainsawing them flush with the ground, but soon found thet
chain saws soon blunt because of the grit around the base of tree trunks.
Subsequently i cut them leaving about 3 feet standing. I haven't got a
tractor or JCB to pull them bodily out with, in fact I don't really want
to
tear the place up to that extent. What's the correct way of cutting them
flush to the ground without the local sharepening place having next years
holiday on me? What's a stump grinder? Thanks.