That Wonderful Wood.

[Melonfish]

Working with this Elder recently has got me thinking about all the other tree's in my area and their uses!

elder obviously is a hard wood with a soft core so perfect for pipes and whistles etc.
out front i have common aldar in abundance, wild cherry and crab apple not to mention more rowan then you can shake a stick at.
the area i live in is filled with oak, horse chestnut, hazel, beech, hawthorn, blackthorn, birch and silver birch! there are some great finds out there especially after the winds at the end of last year!

silver birch is by far the most numerous tho, i'll grab some pics shortly to show you all, its like some elven silver woodland! heh

anyhoo i know the hazel is fantastic for sticks and staffs, and i know what elder is good for, cherry takes alot of heat so is good for pipe bowls, other then that tho i've no idea?!
pete

 

[Muddypaws]

Alder was the traditional wood for clog making, also highly prized for charcoal (especially by gunpowder makers).
Any fairly straight hawthorn and blackthorn makes good walking sticks.
Birch is easy carving (when green) for bowls/spoons.

These are just some of my suggestions, I'm sure others will have plenty more.

 

[launditch1]

Apple wood is good for smoking(cheese!)Oak must a million different uses,Horsechestnut aint much good for owt..Beech is good for turning on a lathe(pole of course!)..thats it for now.

 

[Peter_t]

birch + sliver birch im gessing the 'birch' is downy birch, more of a brown bronse colour and bark tends not to crack so much.

i read in ray mears wild food that horse chestnut can be used to poison fish.

pete

 

[BIGWOLFY]

An old woodman's poem to help you decide which fuel to use;

Logs to burn! Logs to burn!
Logs to save the coal a turn!
Here's a word to make you wise
When you hear the woodman's cries.

Beechwood fire burn bright and clear;
Hornbeam blazes too,
If logs are kept a year
And seasoned through and through.

Oak logs will warm you well
If they're old and dry,
Larch logs of pinewood smell
But the sparks will fly.

Pine is good and so is yew
For warmth through winter days
But poplar and willow, too
Take long to dry and blaze.

Birch logs will burn too fast,
Alder scarce at all.
Chestnut logs are good to last
If cut in the fall.

Holly logs will burn like wax,
You should burn them green,
Elm logs like smoldering flax,
No flame is seen.

Pear logs and apple logs,
They will scent your room.
Cherry logs across the dogs
Smell like flowers in bloom.

But ash logs, all smooth and grey,
Burn them green or old,
Buy up all that come your way,
They're worth their weight in gold.


Hard woods for roasting
Apple, Ash, Beech, Birch, Sweet Chestnut, Hazel, Holly, Hornbeam, Larch, Oak and Willow.

Soft woods for boiling
Alder, Aspen, cedar, Hawthorn, Horse chestnut, Lime, Pine, Poplar, Spruce, Sycamore.

 

[Melonfish]

birch + sliver birch im gessing the 'birch' is downy birch, more of a brown bronse colour and bark tends not to crack so much.

i read in ray mears wild food that horse chestnut can be used to poison fish.

pete

yes downy birch sorry, rather popular round here, still outnumbered 100 to 1 by the silver mind. heh

like the poem bigwolfy, that at least gives me clues on whats hard and whats soft.

 

[BIGWOLFY]

Alder Buckthorn
[Breaking Buckthorn,
Black Dogwood] Butcher's skewers, manufacture of gunpowder. Green dye from fruits, others from bark.

Alder, Common Clogs and broom handles, charcoal for gunpowder. Red dye from bark. Tanning agent. Fencing.

Ash, Common Oars/paddles, tool shafts and handles, walking sticks, aeroplanes, cart and carriage wheels, veneer. Arrow shafts.

Beech, Common Turned furniture. Mallets. Yokes. Nuts for swine, and also source of lamp oil.

Birch Charcoal. Pitch. Sap used in wine-making.

Black Poplar Matchsticks.

Blackthorn Walking sticks, rake teeth. Sloes eaten and used in sloe gin.

Box Carving, chessmen, draughts pieces, mathematical instruments, for woodcuts and printing blocks.

Buckthorn Dyes from black berries.

Crack Willow Artists charcoal.

Damson Cabinet making. [We also have a review of a Damson recipe booklet published by the Westmorland Damson Association over on the Books page. Jump there now.]

Dogwood
[Cornel, Dagwood,
Wax Tree] Skewers, pegs, arrow-shafts, bobbins. Lamp-oil from berries.

Elder
[Bore-tree, Bottery] Wooden spoons and toys. Bark & flowers in herbalism. Dyes.

English Oak Numerous: from furniture to building to ships to casks. Tannin from bark.
Acorns for pig fodder. Yokes. Five-bar gates.

Goat Willow Clothes pegs and teeth for rakes.
Hazel, Common Hurdles, basketry, crate hoops, walking sticks, building material [wattle & daub].

Holly Woodcut blocks, and inlay. 'Swingle' of flail.

Hornbeam Mallet heads, chopping blocks, yokes, wheel spokes, cogwheels and 'threaded' items, charcoal.

Horse Chestnut Toys, trays.

Laburnum Cabinet making.

Lime, Common Musical instruments and carving, spoons. Matting and ropes from inner bark.

Rowan
[Mountain Ash] Tool handles and carving.

Scots Pine Timber, furniture, fencing, boxes, masts, charcoal, railway sleepers, turpentine and tar.

Sessile Oak Charcoal.

Silver Birch Besom brooms [twigs], tool handles, brush making.
Spindle
[Skewerwood,
Pegwood] Artists charcoal, spindles for spinning.

Sweet Chestnut
[Spanish Chestnut] Timber, beer cask hoops, coppiced [for hop poles and fencing stakes]. Tannin from bark.

Sycamore Furniture, musical instruments, veneers, household utensils.

Walnut Furniture manufacturing.

Wayfaring Tree Tobacco pipe mouthpieces. Ink from berries.

White Willow Cricket bats, basketry. Trugs. Red dye from roots.

Whitebeam Hard wood enabled it to be used in early machinery as cogs.

Wild Cherry Tobacco pipes, furniture, veneers.

Wild Service Tree Charcoal. Berries in herbalism.

Wych Elm Boat making and water pipes, chair seats, wooden wheel hubs.

Yew, Common Bow making.

hope this helps bigwolfy

 

[Melonfish]

:yikes:

WHOA!
cheers! :You_Rock_
defo going to be giving this lot a go!