So what to do with Aspen logs?

[beenthere]

BEEMERS
This may (or may not ;) ) help sort it out.  One explanation from whence the name of the salve (balm of Gilead) came.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balm_of_Gilead

There is info that leads to making balm (of Gilead) from cottonwood buds too. Thence more confusion to add to the balm coming from balsam Commiphora_gileadensis

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commiphora_gileadensis

[Clark]

Balm of Gilead (Populus balsamifera) is the same thing as balsam poplar. Cottonwood is a different species and depending on how large an area you want to include could be several different species.

With that said, balsam poplar looks more like cottonwood than it does aspen. It tends to grow in wet areas much like cottonwood and I can only imagine produces lumber more similar to cottonwood. Also, I hate balsam poplar.

Clark

[SwampDonkey]

BEEMERS
This may (or may not ;) ) help sort it out.  One explanation from whence the name of the salve (balm of Gilead) came.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balm_of_Gilead

There is info that leads to making balm (of Gilead) from cottonwood buds too. Thence more confusion to add to the balm coming from balsam Commiphora_gileadensis

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commiphora_gileadensis

But black cottonwood (not indicated in this post) is almost the same as balsam poplar (balm of Gilead). Eastern cottonwood (also not shown) is quite distinct from both species. Black cottonwood is basically a giant version of balsam poplar and has a very small growing range. They have a var. at the end of the Latin name to distinguish both.

[barbender]

Young balsam poplar and aspen can be diffucult to tell apart, at least from the seat of a forwarder ;)

[SwampDonkey]

I just look at the leaves (summer) and buds (winter) if they are pole sized or smaller. In winter those resinous terminal buds are quite blump. Give them a squeeze and that resin gums your fingers up and stinks. :D After a summer's rain the air is heavy to balsam smell if your near a grove of them.

[Glenn]

When i was in college i had a small text book on twig id.  We had to know all our trees by leaf, twig and bark.  The book was very well done and had a twig id key.  I think it was written by the mnr.  It should still be in my office somewhere but i haven't seen it in years.  If anyone knows the book and where i can get another please let me know.

[SwampDonkey]

I'm not sure of that book, but the State of Maine has or had a good book on overwintering trees and shrubs. All hand drawings very detailed and keys.

I tried google, it didn't turn up. The cover was white background with blue ink drawing. I have it somewhere in storage.

[barbender]

     Like SD said they're easy enough to tell apart by leaves and buds when they're standing. My point is that they look similar enough that they can be hard to tell apart when they are cut and limbed, 100"

[grassfed]

My point is that they look similar enough that they can be hard to tell apart when they are cut and limbed, 100"

My experience is it is not too hard to tell them apart.  Aspen wood that has been freshly cut is more yellow and does not have much heart wood, if any, sometimes it has rot or the start of rot but the line between where it is beginning to spoil and good wood it clear.

Balm wood is more whitish gray and almost always has allot of heart/stain; there is not a clear distinction between good wood and where it is spoiling. There is also a distinctive sour smell from fresh cut Balm.

I have sold aspen saw logs to mills for rough use like skids and cribbing and they will not even take Balm for that.   

[barbender]

Again, I am giving my perspective of trying to tell them apart from in the cab of my forwarder. Bigger stuff is no problem, but the 4"-6" stuff can be, because the aspen that grows with the Balm often has heart stain as well. I don't think my boss wants me getting out to sniff the wood, it's hard on production  ;D

[Clark]

Barbender, I think you're talking about that real pretty aspen that is  growing on ground that is a little too wet, it's only 6" in diameter and it's already growing Phellinus conks? Mmmmm, that is some nice stuff.  :D I sometimes have to look twice at the standing tree to make sure I've made the right call. I wouldn't want to ID that stuff after it is horizontal.

Clark

[barbender]

Barbender, I think you're talking about that real pretty aspen that is  growing on ground that is a little too wet, it's only 6" in diameter and it's already growing Phellinus conks? Mmmmm, that is some nice stuff.  :D I sometimes have to look twice at the standing tree to make sure I've made the right call. I wouldn't want to ID that stuff after it is horizontal.

Clark

     Yep, that's the stuff Clark :D Aspen and Balmy are typically no problem to distinguish. Typically the stuff I run into that is hard to tell apart is growing in windrows in white spruce plantations, in slightly soggy soil. So it is pretty isolated.

[Gearbox]

BB just open the door and bring it up close and snif it . Or just put in the pile and let the truck drivers sort it out . they haven't got anything else to do but sit in cab all day and drink coffee with Kieth . Gearbox

[SwampDonkey]

You must have easier going truckers down there. If it ain't sorted it won't be hauled. A returned load to the woods trains them quick. :D

[grassfed]

I don't have to sort it since it all goes to hardwood pulp. They changed the specs over the years. Back in the day there was Groundwood aspen and hardwood pulp they did not take Balm and I no one not cut it.

For the last several years it has been simply hardwood pulp and they take everything except maybe basswood. No sorting and they take any length 12-20. You can sell aspen sawlogs but the time sorting and bucking plus extra trucking makes it hard to justify for the little bit of extra money.

[SwampDonkey]

The veneer aspen here never paid for the sorting. Pulp price back then was almost as much and there was 100" pulp and tree length markets. If one had big wood, 100" market was better than cutting up small sticks, so often tree length was best deal in small stuff. Then that market died when the mill burnt. We've always had different markets in the past. Some mills back then didn't want birch in with maple-beech-ash, some still don't. And others limit percentages of aspen or birch in the load. Nothing is easy. Better hope the mixed load mill doesn't shut you off with 2000 cord on the ground. Then have to sort for a mill that wants sorting to move it, more importantly to be paid. : ;D