iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

Looking for a National Tree

Started by Ron Scott, January 13, 2001, 10:11:44 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Don P




Testing the new upload and attach image feature.
Giving clues as to my vote. :D

Ron Wenrich

Don:

Are you voting for rock oak? :D

Roy:

Much of what you say about maple could also be said about black walnut or cherry, with the exception of the sports thing.
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

Roy


Thanks for the reply Don, but . . .

Maple represents middle (class) America(ns), the teeming, huddled masses yearning for syrup.  The Black Walnut is too exlusive and not embraced with the same warmth and commonality.  Does it give us its lifeblood, what 3 foodstuffs does it offer up?  Cherry cannot be considered, although a worthy tree, simply because George could not tell a lie.  So, thankfully, we are back to maple.  Don't you agree, Don?
Roy

Don P

Maples cool...but you guys are still cold... We call the tree on the right something other than rock oak, have heard it also go by tanbark oak. My vote is on the left. Mast, feed, food, high value timber... ::)

Jeff

Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

Ron Wenrich

Tree on the right appears to be chestnut oak, which we call rock oak.  Mainly call it that because it is usually the only tree growing in the rock outcrops.  

Never heard it called tanbark oak.

Tree on the left is all be extinct.  It used to be the primary species in my area, and there are still some whips around.  They recently found 2 large ones in back yards of some older homes nearby.  They will be used as breeder stock.
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

Gordon

The blight all but knocked them out. That is the American tree, on the left. A couple of large ones? Wow. You could probably fill up a chest of nuts. Do you guys and gals want me to give it's complete name. I guess what I've said so far speaks for itself.

As for the leaf on the right. I've narrowed it down to a couple of choices. Still working on that one.
Gordon

Don P

 :D
Congratulations!
 To visit these whips of trees 50 years gone, still trying, you have to admire the perseverence of nature. They usually make it to bearing age for a few years, the bark cracks, the blight moves in. I've seen 4 bearing in my lifetime...one is going to make the right nut one day. As a national tree our pride would be wrapped up in making that day sooner rather than later.
Chestnut Oak is also called Tanoak because the tannic acid content of the bark is very high,the tanneries preferred its bark. It is also the only leaky white oak...unsuitable for whiskey or wine barrels. The cells are unsealed, the wood acts like a red oak in cooperage. It also has a reputation as a durable wood and many old sills are made from it.

Ron Wenrich

There now is a breeding program where they are trying to get the resistance gene from the Chinese chestnut, and the characteristics of the American.  

It starts with a 50% mix.  After 12-14 years, these trees are nut bearing, and ready for another split.  The next one is 75% American.  The goal is to have 92% American characteristics.  They need only one more generation to produce these nuts.

The whips in my area are much older than 50 years.  The blight came through in the 1910-20 area.  From my undestanding, it finished off the last chestnuts in Tennessee in the '50s, and I heard of natural stands in the IP of Michigan.  

I have seen several nut bearing trees in the woods.  During logging, we would always mark away from these.  The biggest was 14" dbh.

I was doing power line vegetation studies in western PA about 10 years ago.  The forester for the electric company showed me a power line put into a particleboard plant.  They bent the line around a 20" chestnut tree, so as to save it.  Too bad the logger cut it when he found it, which no one could prove.  Something like shooting one of the last passenger pigeons.
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

Don P

I think one nutbearer that I saw succumbed to poaching also.
This is a link to the American Chestnut Foundation

http://chestnut.acf.org/
They do not have a resistant tree offered at this time. But do have OEM seed and seedlings for those out of the blights range.
There are several mature big boys at the arboretum at UW in Madison. Several seeds fell in my pocket as I wandered around them but no success sprouting.

I've wondered about replanting them here even when the new strain is released. The blight is so well entrenched I wonder if introducing it to the new tree strain wouldn't just result in a better blight.

Hugh Darty

There's no doubt what the national tree should be, but you guys probably don't know because it only grows  from coastal Virginia down the coastline around the gulf to eastern Texas, mayby 150 miles inland. It was so useful that England proclaimed them the property of the Crown before the revolution and even had them branded. Later on many of the factories of the north were built out of them. Most all of the old growth was cut out by 1930. Today we are salvaging the old timbers and recycling them into flooring.
 Anybody have an idea what tree I'm talking about?
Hugh

swampwhiteoak

With the range I would guess longleaf pine

I think the english also claimed the eastern white pine in NE to be property of the crown.

Don P

Hmm, "Old Ironsides" sent them packing. Choices...

Roy



Rumor has it Betsy Ross modeled Old Glory after the maple tree.
Roy

Hugh Darty

Hugh

Roy

I cannot tell a lie . . . The maple should be our national tree.
Roy

Don P

We've overlooked the tree that won the prarie, Bodark. Each settler was told to pack a pail of its seed for their future fences. Native Americans used Bois D'arc as wood for bows. Can't say I could vote for anything that hurts that bad but it deserves a nomination. :)

Gordon

The mighty oak should be the nations tree! :)
That is my final decision.
Maple was my second choice.
Gordon

Don P

I was looking up rock,chestnut,tanbark...oak,and found this site. Good info on tree species and names.


http://www2.fpl.fs.fed.us/TechSheets/techmenu.html

Jeff

After finding out that apple is not a native species to the U.S. I feel I wasted my vote. But I can, however change my it here!

I am still looking over all of your personal testimonials to help make my personal choice.

Being a sawyer, I do have sawing preferences. I like black cherry and red oak for beauty. I like pine and cedar for aroma.My least favorite is Ash. It is always dusty. The more you think about this choice the harder it is to make!
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

Gordon

Jeff I don't think that your vote was wasted. If that was the tree you feel should be the national tree than so be it. It's the U.S.A. and everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

Now to the bottom line. The redoak is sure a good second choice. ;) But once again thats my personal opinion. Oak first then maple close behind. The more you think about picking just one tree the harder it gets. It took me about a month to decide. Then again I'm alittle slow. ;D
Gordon

Ron Wenrich

If you like aroma, try black birch and sassafras.  Tulip poplar often has a sweet smell as well, almost like perfume.

If you want dusty while sawing my vote is for black locust.  The dust also irritates the lungs.

Walnut is another beauty for sawing.  I also like the looks of elm.
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

Ron Scott

The following are still in the lead so far, by alphabetical order:
DOGWOOD
MAPLE
OAK
PINE
REDWOOD
Make sure that your wishes are known as this important National symbol is selected. Vote now at
http://www.arborday.org
~Ron

Gordon

I just got this e-mail from the National Arbor Day Foundation:

The Vote for America's National Tree has put the following five trees in the lead so far -- (in alphabetical order) Dogwood, Maple, Oak, Pine and Redwood.

We're glad that you have voted and made your wishes known in the selection of this important national symbol. If you have friends who might be interested in voting, you can send the voting link to them via e-mail. Just visithttp://www.arborday.org/efriend and use the automated message to help your friends find the voting site.

Or go here http://www.arborday.org.

So boys and girls if you still have not voted don't delay time is running out.

Gordon


Jeff



The Winner Is...
Oak[/size]

Voting Results
  
Tree Number of Votes
Oak  101,146
Redwood  80,841
Dogwood  47,351
Maple  45,111
Pine  23,806
Palm  15,519
Redbud  13,551
Magnolia  11,862
Elm  9,893
Tuliptree  9,567
Buckeye  9,058
Cottonwood (Poplar)  6,710
Douglasfir  6,415
Birch  6,245
Pecan (Hickory)  6,243
Spruce  5,986
Holly 5,848
Kukui  5,559
Baldcypress 3,071
Hemlock  2,812
Paloverde  1,114
Other Writeins  26,920
TOTAL 444,628
[/b]
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

Thank You Sponsors!