[MassChestnutOrchards] Trees near Goshen, MA

Tue Jul 21 10:42:25 EDT 2009

I looked at these trees on Hyde Hill Rd. (think they are the same 
ones - directions are inconsistent) this morning.  The one I found 
that was flowering was about 30 ft. tall with heavy male flowers 
starting at 15 ft.  Could not see many females but the males were so 
dense and bushy it was hard to see.  Flowers all on one side, hanging 
over the road.  Found one old bur on ground at base of tree.  Could 
have been more but it was a gravel road with big ditch that had 
recently been dug out and scraped and most would have fallen into 
it.  Tree is heavily blighted with largest canker right at the base, 
about 300 degrees of the trunk involved.  Many smaller ones visible 
up the main stem.

There was another tree nearly as large about 20 ft. further down the 
road, upper half dead from blight and no blossoms.  There were 
several small trees along the road side within a couple hundred yards 
of these, those with any size showing blight.  I drove the road as 
far as the Williamsburg town line (1+ mile) and saw numerous small 
chestnuts along the road side (no flowers visible).  The whole area 
is heavily wooded, so could be more off the road.

I started getting excited when I first saw all the blossoms hanging 
out over the road, relatively low, but after seeing the extent of the 
blight and seemly small number of females, I concluded it was a 
marginal tree at best.  Although I didn't find a 2nd tree with 
blossoms, it was a pretty cursory search.  Considering the abundance 
of trees I saw along the roadside, it seems like a good chance there 
is something blossoming in the woods somewhere nearby.  All of the 
Chestnut trees I looked at closely appeared to be American.

Attached 3 low resolution pictures.  Have more, higher resolution 
(including leaves) if anybody is interested.

Problem with the directions: it is a left onto Hyde Hill Rd. from 
South Chesterfield Rd.  Right is Pond Hill Rd.  I also drove along 
Pond Hill Rd. for a ways but did not see any large 
chestnut.  Probably worthwhile going back when I have more time (and 
its not starting to rain) to do more thorough search, with the person 
reporting them involved.

Brian

At 11:32 AM 7/20/2009, you wrote:
>These sound like potentially very nice trees, has anyone ID'd the leaves?
>
>The unfortunate thing about there being two is that if it's past the time to
>bag them this year, they might have pollinated each other so I'd think we
>would want to wait for next year.
>
>Anyone up there want to check them out?
>
>Yvonne
>
>
>On 7/20/09 11:21 AM, "Kathy Desjardin" <kathydesjardin at verizon.net> wrote:
>
> > As I was reading these e-mails, the phone rang and I conversed 
> with an elderly
> > woman from Goshen, MA who was intent on reporting two American 
> trees in bloom
> > along Hyde Hill Rd.  She's been watching these trees for years 
> and just found
> > them in bloom this year.
> > They are approximately 40' - 50' tall.  I asked how many clusters 
> of catkins
> > she sees and she thinks about 50 - 100.
> >
> > Helen notice the bloom within the last few days.  Actually she's at her
> > cottage there.
> > Normally she resides in Wakefield, RI.  She apologized for not 
> calling sooner,
> > but indicated that her husband has been ill and just passed away this week.
> > In the midst of all this, she took time to call us.  She will be available
> > today in Goshen.  Tomorrow she is going to R.I. to make funeral 
> arrangements
> > for a memorial service in August. She will be back in Goshen on Wednesday.
> > She said she'd be happy to meet anyone who wishes to check out the trees or
> > feels that with the directions she gave we can easily find the trees, which
> > would be accessible by bucket truck.
> >
> > Coming from the north, Rt.9 you would turn onto S. Main St., then 
> a right on
> > West Chesterfield Rd. and then a right onto Hyde Hill Rd.  She 
> said the trees
> > are right alongside the road and in bloom.  Her contact info is 
> Helen Behrens
> > - 413-268-0309.
> >
> > In Rhode Island she resides at 127 Firelane, #1, Wakefield, RI.  Her phone
> > there is
> >  401-783-1133.  Helen uses a computer, but while in Goshen must 
> unplug it and
> > go to a neighbors picnic table to pick up a signal.  Her e-mail is
> > Hbehrens1 at cox.net
> >
> > Kathy
> >
>
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>MassChestnutOrchards at masschestnut.org
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Brian Clark
42B Clark Rd.
Ashfield, MA 01330
413-625-2791, cell 507-269-4249
brianeclark at hughes.net
www.applevalleyapples.com  
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