ENTS, I found the following article excerpt interesting describing the forests of Southwestern Indiana: http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-6578478/Forest-communities-and-tree-species.html
Quote: "Ridgway's actual measurements of height of trees still living, and those he observed as recently cut, substantiated his earlier estimates. His careful measurements of the heights by triangulation and lengths of actual felled trees allowed him to determine the average tree-top level at 130 feet (40 m), and that "by no means infrequent monarchs attained a height of more than 180 feet (55 m), and that the tallest sycamores and tulip trees approached 200 feet (60 m) in height." (Ridgway 1872) Ridgway's diameter measurements were equally impressive. Bald cypress (Taxodium distichum (L.) Rich.) stems that were recently cut were 9-10 feet (2.7-3 m) across, whereas some harvested earlier exceeded the dimensions of any stumps, or those still standing (Ridgway 1876). Other trees measured by Ridgway included a sycamore (Platanus occidentalis L.) in Gibson County located nearly opposite Mt. Carmel, Illinois, at 15 feet (4.6 m) diameter at 10 feet (3 m) above ground, whose height as measured by dendrometer was "probably the tallest tree east of California," in Ridgway's (1882) words. He also stated that, "In the same half mile square, I measured, on this same day, twelve sycamores which averaged near 8 feet (average girth of 23 1/2 feet) in diameter and 127 feet spread of top." Additionally, four tulip trees (Liriodendron tulipifera L.) within a single photograph taken in 1888 by Ridgway ranged from 5-7 feet (1.5-2.1 m) dbh each. (The term dbh, stands for diameter at breast height, the forester's term for the standard height measurement for trees, i.e., at 54 inches or 1.37 m above ground.) A Shumard's red oak (Quercus shumardii Buckley) below the White River mouth was 6 feet (1.8 m) in diameter at 12 feet (3.7 m) high (Figure 2). Within 100 yards (90 m) of the above oak were two black walnuts (Juglans nigra L.), each 6 feet (1.8 m) in diameter above the butt swell, " -- Eastern Native Tree Society http://www.nativetreesociety.org Send email to [email protected] Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees?hl=en To unsubscribe send email to [email protected]
