I have not been to the Thomas Edison Estate. In fact I haven't been to that area of New Jersey, the northeastern part of the state, since the 70s. I just had an unrelated thought. I think I'll drive over to Elwood and measure that oak that's in front of the firehouse. Once I buy my coffee I'll need to warm up my truck anyway. I'll report back once I've measured it. Barry --- On Sun, 1/3/10, [email protected] <[email protected]> wrote:
From: [email protected] <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [ENTS] Huge buttonwoods found today To: [email protected] Date: Sunday, January 3, 2010, 6:42 AM #yiv1386896875 p {margin:0;} Barry, Another common name for an American sycamore is button ball tree. It is an unsophisticated sounding name. I've never liked it. Really fine shots of those sycamores. If we ever have an ENTS big tree photo contest, I would nominate your last image as one of the 10 best. It is a real keeper. Regardless of whether we have a formal contest, I'm holding on to your last shot. On Monica's and my return trip from Virginia, we traveled I287 through New Jersey. I saw several areas with very mature, stately oaks along the Interstate. There is no question that New Jersey once had lots of exceptional trees, and on the estates, there are still plenty to see. Back in October, I had to testify at West Orange on behalf of a property that was going to be savaged by Seton Hall Prep School. That institution has all the ecological sensitivity of an enraged charging rhinoceros. But one the trip, I was taken to the Thomas Edison estate. There are some great tulips and oaks on the estate. Have you see it. Larry, I have seen old sycamores that look like Barry's. The trees may not have a reliable source of underground water needed for a sycamore to reach the huge proportions that they're capable of. Bob ----- Original Message ----- From: "Barry Caselli" <[email protected]> To: "ENTS" <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, January 3, 2010 12:47:45 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern Subject: [ENTS] Huge buttonwoods found today ENTS, Today I was off from the cranberry farm yet again. Since December 24 or so I've been dealing with having a bad cold (which is almost better now), and having water in the basement, which is where I live, plus not working for various reasons. But I'm taking advantage, and doing some exploration, walking and photography. Today I started at Weymouth and did an update video to the extreme high water video I did there last Sunday, the 27th. I then drove all the way up to Mt. Holly, which is an estimated 15 miles further north and west from the cranberry farm. I used a lot of gas getting there. My main reason for going to Mt. Holly was to photograph a whole mess of churches I had missed last time I was there, because they were on a street that I had not walked on. So anyway, I ended up walking past the Friends meeting house again, and noticed that the big buttonwoods I had seen last time were in full sun this time. So I got good pictures of them. This was when I realized how huge they were! So it ocurred to me, why not measure them! I hadn't measured a tree in a while. So I found my tape and measured them. The larger one, which is the one with the unusual shape, has a CBH of 16'5", and the smaller one 13'3". The larger one is the largest buttonwood I've ever measured, though not the largest I've ever seen. Friends (Quaker) cemeteries are great places to find large trees such as buttonwoods and white oaks. To refresh your memory, a buttonwood tree is an eastern sycamore, which I'm sure you can tell by seeing the pictures. This Friends meeting house was built in 1775 and the burial ground may be older than that. So the trees likely date from that era, at least I would think so. Barry -- 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] -- 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] -- 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]
