toka_shigazu Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 A quick bit of advice...on one of the permissions i have there are a couple of small copse's of young trees, they seem to have a purple tinge to the bark and checking i think they may be purple beech?? The farmer is going to get rid of them as they have self seeded on his fallow land and he will be using it next year. if it is purple beech will it be any good for making sticks? The growth is very straight and about the right width but a lot of the smaller branches have browned off and snap off easily. not sure if it is a disease or that when dry it does tend to break instead of giving a bit. can anyone give any advice please... [the bark on the pics looks green but when you look at the copse there is a very noticable purple tinge to it] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pyr8 Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 beech keep last years leaves on untill this years new leaves push of the old ones, young silver birch look similar to your photo as do cherry.can,t really tell from you pics but is there mottling pattern in the bark as one of the stems looks like it has raised spots on it,if it has and they are pink burn them i,ts probebly coral spot and very contagious to other trees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toka_shigazu Posted April 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2009 thanks for the reply...i will try to get a few more pics of the trees with young leaves. they are less than a year old now so first leaves coming through, they are whatever seeded from the ditch after the farmer had turned the soil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toka_shigazu Posted April 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2009 some more pics... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pyr8 Posted April 24, 2009 Report Share Posted April 24, 2009 there alder.the leaf buds have a purple tinge to them hence you discription.they like to keep there feet wet so there more than happy in a ditch.good news is it,s a hard wood that is often used for underwater pilings because of it,s durability underwater.it was also used for furniture and carving so your ok for working it. the wood will be white when you first cut it but it will soon turn red.it releases a red dye at the cut sight.i read somewere that it makes great charcoal as well.bit of useless information,venice is supposed to be built on piles of alder. and the old clogs that were worn in the north of england were again made of alder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boromir Posted April 24, 2009 Report Share Posted April 24, 2009 And the army used Alder as a ingredient making shot, that's why you got the army base Aldershot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toka_shigazu Posted April 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2009 great and thanks...farmer says i can take as much as i want and there are loads of lengths that will make various sized stick...will go get another bundle!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pyr8 Posted April 24, 2009 Report Share Posted April 24, 2009 the charcoal was used in the making of black powder,think we could set up a cottage industry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark_mjs93 Posted May 29, 2009 Report Share Posted May 29, 2009 i now have a really funy picture in my head of someone lobbing a bundle of those trees on a fire to have go off like black powder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeinVA Posted May 29, 2009 Report Share Posted May 29, 2009 Its also a wonderful wood to use for smoking fish, especially Salmon.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonnyR Posted May 29, 2009 Report Share Posted May 29, 2009 That's what I love about PW. You learn something new everyday. Also, I was out this morning with the hound and we saw a Cuckoo chasing and being chased by a clattering (new word to me) of Jackdaws. Have a good weekend all - I am off to scare some clays. Jonny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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