Author: asterix

A tree with European ties and an American heritage Long ago, English bodgers crafted the legs of Windsor chairs from beech trees they felled in the forest. The long- wearing wood also became peasant footwear in the shape of shoes and clogs. And in the iron smelters of Germany, France, and England, beech was the…

Carvers make a beeline for this tree Among the most important of America’s nectar-producing trees, the basswood makes itself at home along city streets as well as in the forest. In cityscapes, nurserymen call the hardy, decorative tree American linden. But in the woods, it’s basswood, beetree, lime, or whitewood. Regardless of its name, basswood…

Good wood for great sport Most people probably know white ash quite well. They’ve hefted it, grasped it in their hands, and worked with it for hours. Anyone who has ever dug a hole with a spade, gathered leaves with a rake, or chopped weeds with a hoe has touched white ash. The tough, resilient…