[MassChestnutOrchards] Tree in Conway

[Yvonne Federowicz]

P.s. The picture of the crown that you include doesn¹t seem to show
expressed male catkins?  If they still look slim and not like a chenille
stem, it¹s still possible for this year  I think...


On 7/8/09 11:11 AM, "Yvonne Federowicz" <Yvonne_Federowicz at brown.edu> wrote:

> Hi Brian, sounds like a wonderful tree!
> 
> We had hoped for more western MA/higher elevation mother trees, I believe;
> Charlotte can say for sure.
> 
> Re. using it this year:  are the male catkins bushing out yet? If they are far
> along, it¹s too late to bag this year.  You can see some good pictures of the
> stages at:
> 
> http://www.acffarms.org/pollination/pollination.html
> 
> It¹s probably too late in the year to start though for 2009, although perhaps
> the higher trees are behind.  Sounds like getting access for next year might
> be a very worthwhile project in any event.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On 7/8/09 10:53 AM, "Brian Clark" <brianeclark at hughes.net> wrote:
> 
>> I looked at a tree about 2 miles from the center of Conway last night
>> (attached pictures).  The owner called a couple days ago, referred by a local
>> state forester.  The tree is on top of a hill that was heavily logged about 2
>> years ago.  My GPS indicated about 885 ft elevation.  It is 8" DBH and about
>> 45-50' tall, with heavy blossoms in the crown (all above 30' unfortunately)
>> and quite a bit of old mast on the ground.  I could not find any sign of
>> blight. I did not find any indication of viable nuts in the mast I examined
>> but only looked at a dozen or so - a thunderstorm was moving in.  Owner said
>> the tree has had a lot of burs the last 2-3 years since he found it.  There
>> was what appeared to be a seedling (3-4' tall) about 30 feet away and a small
>> tree (2-3" diameter) at another spot 30-40 feet away (maybe sprout, but not
>> obvious) - no blight evident in these either.
>> 
>> We have apple picking ladders up to 24' tall, but I don't think these would
>> work here, even reaching from the top with a hook as the tree doesn't have
>> any branches in the middle (below the crown) to set a ladder into to hold it
>> away from the trunk far enough to be able to reach up into the edges of the
>> crown.  By the way - I can provide one of these ladders if there are other
>> places they would work out - they are quite light (about 20 lbs) with long
>> spikes on the bottom (drive into ground for stability) and can be set into
>> fairly small limbs by an experienced user.  It does take some skill and nerve
>> to use these around the edge of a big tree as they must be set close to
>> vertical when the supporting branches are small.
>> 
>> The woods in the area (same owner) are being logged now (thinning under
>> forest management plan guidance) and access to the tree was about a mile in
>> from town road, mostly uphill on a logging road.  The road is being used by
>> heavy logging equipment now so most of the way to the tree was quite wide and
>> driveable although greasy due to rain earlier in the day.  I had no trouble
>> in my 4 wheel drive pickup and I think a 2 wheel drive with good ground
>> clearance could make it in dry conditions.  However the last couple hundred
>> yards is a branch off the main logging road, up a steep hill and the brush
>> has grown in some since it was used a couple years ago to log the top of the
>> hill. The owner is very interested/supportive and suggested doing some road
>> improvement if needed.  I have not had any experience with bucket trucks so
>> don't know if the hill was too steep or not.  I currently don't have any
>> contacts for a bucket truck either.
>> 
>> The GPS coordinates for the tree are: 42 31.020, 72 41.186 and the owner is
>> Jack Lochhead, 130 Reedsbridge Rd., Conway.
>> 
>> I have more, higher resolution pictures I can send to individuals on request.
>> I also collected some leaves, a small branch and burs.  Is this something we
>> are interested to pursue for this year (or next)?
>> 
>> 
>> Brian Clark
>> 42B Clark Rd.
>> Ashfield, MA 01330
>> 413-625-2791, cell 507-269-4249
>> brianeclark at hughes.net
>> www.applevalleyapples.com <http://www.applevalleyapples.com/>
>> 
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> 
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