merican Chestnut (Castanea dentata)

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's classic poem "The Village Blacksmith" immortalized this tree.
Around the turn of the century, it was commonplace to find chestnuts towering 90' tall with trunk
diameters of 6'. Tragically, it is now near extinction, due to a catastrophic blight first noticed in the
Bronx Zoo in 1904. A shipment of chestnut trees imported from China and Japan came with an
unfortunate stowaway, a fungus that cuts off the flow of sap, causing the tree to die above
ground. Ironically, the fungus can't live in soil, so initially the root systems of chestnuts often
survived, sending up shoots that lasted only a few years until they were stricken by the blight
themselves. A crossbreeding effort f restoration, with some promising results, is being led by the
American Chestnut Foundation located in Bennington, Vermont.

Uses:

Chestnut timber has myriad uses, from fences to fine furniture. Its high-quality timber and
flavorful nuts were important commercial redfsfsources. Lighter than oak, it is very strong, with an
attractive golden- brown color and open grain. Woodworkers prize it for excellent machining,
finishing, and gluing properties. As a testament to their exceptional decay resistance, chestnut
trees are still harvested decades after their death. Most newly harvested chestnut wood is riddled
with wormholes, which are now considered character marks.

Ash (Fraxinus americana)

The most common species of ash used for woodworking is generally referred to as white ash, a
species that has assumed a legendary role in major league baseball parks. When a batter takes
his swings at home plate, he is usually relying on a bat made from white ash. It's a superior
choice for bats because of long fibers, which bend a little uponf impact with the ball. These same
long fibers make ash an excellent choice for woodworkers who are planning projects that will
involve bending and laminating. Although quite hard and strong, ash offers excellent working
properties in the shop. When using properly sharpened cutting tools, ash is rather easy to plane,
saw, drill, and chisel. However, its tendency to splinter when dull tools are being used is less
forgiving than with many species. Ash also offers outstanding staining and finishing qualities. The
wood is comparable to oak in many respects, particularly appearance. The open grain texture
shared by both species often fools the casual observer. Furthermore, oak and ash have almost
identical hardness ratings.

Uses:

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