Jack: Thanks for this info--I was thinking of looking it up, but had not gotten to it yet. I read somewhere that the Royal Navy after they had access to the white pines in America, had an advantage in their shipbuilding. The masts were lighter and better overall than those constructed from european trees. I read about these mast trees from time to time, but couldn't remember much. Thanks!
--Gaines On 1/7/10, JACK SOBON <[email protected]> wrote: > Dear Carolyn, ENTS, > I can't recall where I got this from but there were apparently two > standard mast sizes in New England in colonial times. They were hewed > square in the woods for ease of handling and to remove the sapwood and > bark. > The 100 footer was hewed to 36" x 36" at the butt and tapered to a 24" x 24" > at the tip > The 125 footer was hewed to 48" x 48" at the butt and tapered to a 30" x 30" > at the tip > This larger one required a absolutely straight pine of about six foot > DBH that was still three and a half feet in diameter 125 feet up! The 100 > footer required a pine over 4' diameter above the butt swell and about 3' > diameter 100 feet up. Hundreds of such trees were cut in New England > attesting to the presence of some magnificent trees. I doubt there is a pine > standing today of sufficient size, soundness, and straightness enough to > make the smaller one. > > Jack Sobon > >
