cow **** wood British red might know?

[mr dazzler]

Can any one help me identify wood by smell ?
I once had a few large logs off the council (unofficial) I dont know what it was other than that it smelt exactly like cow **** when it was being worked. Once I get away from ash, oak, hazel and hawthorn my tree recogntion ability gets impaired a bit I wondered if it might be chestnut?
cheers Jonathan
Oh the spell/decency check has made my post seem ambiguous . The mystery wood smelled of cows pee, not poo

 

[British Red]

Hmmm,

Can't help there Jon - I'm happy to say!

Red

 

[fred gordon]

I wonder if it might have been oak. I have often thought that some oaks have that sort of smell. Can't be positive though.

 

[oops56]

Not sure about wood across the pond but over here we got elm when fresh and wet its called **** elm smalls like ****

 

[decorum]

Were the logs still green wood or would be possible that they'd occasionally sat in water, or something else that would explain the smell? According to SWMBLTASO it's likely that either the logs had absorbed local pollutants; either during the trees life or when logged and left to stand.

 

[Aaron]

Oak or chestnut are likely based on what you have said as both have a strong smell from their high tannin content

 

[SOAR]

Sounds like it could have been poplar that stinks like sh*t.

 

[mr dazzler]

Thanks for your reply's gemts
It definately wasnt oak (wrong colour, figure and I know the smell of oak). In fact me and the youngest boy take turns picking bits of oak kinderling and smelling them like cigar conosseurs to savour the aroma Sad or what He's almost as good as me at identifying wood and he's only 3
The log's were fresh cut out of a public park, and very dense sopping wet (I had a job lifting a 4 foot by 1 foot log) I never cleaved any I used it for bowls, aparently chestnut cleaves real well. But after a few hours the shop smelled like a byre

 

[robin wood]

any chance of a description of the wood? or photo? colour? any differece in heart sap? bark smooth or rough? clear anual rings? medulary rays showing? Just smell is not enough, at least a description of a smell think about wine people trying to describe wine smells. Having said that I wonder about elm...I won't have green elm in the workshop...rank.

 

[Aaron]

As Soar said poplar would be another likely one if the logs were very wet.

 

[mr dazzler]

any chance of a description of the wood? or photo? colour? any differece in heart sap? bark smooth or rough? clear anual rings? medulary rays showing? Just smell is not enough, at least a description of a smell think about wine people trying to describe wine smells. Having said that I wonder about elm...I won't have green elm in the workshop...rank.

The smell was the most memorable aspect .
I remember it was a pale olive green/pus colour, and quite "stringy" fine ribbons not crinkly like cherry wood. Even colour all the way through, rough drab green bark, thats about all I can recall. No medulliry rays or strong swiyly grain to speak of. so not elm. I thought poplars were verical formed, this tree was more dumpy and spreading.
Thanks for the sudegestion's gent's
cheers Jonathan

 

[SOAR]

could have been black pop.

 

[Toadflax]

How about this as the idea for Mr Red's next tree ID challenge? Given that the last tree ID competition was so easy , how about us having to identify trees by their smell with a scratch and sniff challenge?

1. [Scratch here]
2. [Scratch here]
3. [Scratch here]
4. [Scratch here]
5. [Scratch here]
6. [Scratch here]
7. [Scratch here]
8. [Scratch here]
9. [Scratch here]
10. [Scratch here]



Geoff

 

[w00dsmoke]

It sounds like it could have been elder? Elder fits that description and is very heavy to lift when wet. In France they call it comething like the p iss tree due to it's smell. Elders can grow very large however they are a shrub as sopposed to a tree. A photo would help.