I’ve had several trees fall recently on my property up here in northern New Hampshire. The local “Old Timers” refer to them as “Barn Gilliards”. From what I have learned so far, they are a member of the poplar family.
Can anyone shed more light on them? Would they make a good substitute as a secondary wood for furniture? I have several logs that appear to be clear in terms of being knot free.
Best Regards,
Bob @ Kidderville Acres
Kidderville, NH
Use whatever tool needed to Git ‘r Done!
Replies
Bob, I have a respectable size horticultural library, I find nothing even close. Several books on forestry are 100 years old.
I wonder if Gillard were a french word for something used as slang. And perhaps the wood harvested from them were regularly used in barn siding, lofts, flooring or chicken coops.
Bob, are the deciduous? do they have seeds or nuts?
If ya run out when the rain stops and look for a leaf. Its important to know if the leaves are opposite one another or alternate?
Ron
Edited 12/23/2006 9:16 am ET by Ron01960
balm of gilead ?
wikipedia refers to balm of gilead as Populus candcans
Landman
I really wonder about wikipedia on this one. All my tree books have Balm of Gilead as Balsam Poplar (Populus balsamifera L.). This is a tree that will hybridize with others easily and I suspect the Populus candcans would be one of those hybreds as I can't find it in any of my references. The nearest I get is Populus canescens which is Grey Poplar a native of Europe but not North America. Anyone else have more info about Populus candcans?
To the OP if you want to know what this wood looks like without sawing a log first just look at a bushel basket, it is most likely made of Balsam Poplar.
RichThe Professional Termite
As a born newenglander, I would say that "barn gillards" is nothern New Hampshire for Balm of Giliad, also known as Balsam Poplar. Properly dried, it makes nice stuff. You have to debark it, or the wood will rot.
Hi All,
Thanks for all your inputs. I've been told by a forester that it is Balm of Gilead, a poplar. I have several logs of considerable size so I'm contemplating having them sawn for use as secondary wood for furniture.
Any suggestions as to how to dry it, i.e. should I air dry or kiln dry the boards. I've had recent success with some real nice kiln dried cherry that I harvested.
Should I debark the logs ASAP?
Regards,
Bob @ Kidderville Acres
Kidderville, NH
Use whatever tool needed to Git 'r Done!
Would you use it as a secondary wood for cabinets as one would use poplar?Bob @ Kidderville Acres
Kidderville, NH
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
I wood, It definately wants to be peeled to dry, other wise it will rot. It is lovely wood, soft, but nice highlites.
It's been hauled to the sawyer. When he slabs it, the bark will be removed. He also said that I will lose some of it as some of it "blows apart" as it's being sawn.
I wonder what causes that to happen?
Where abouts in New England? I'm in Northern New Hampshire, just 10 miles from Quebec.
Regards,
Bob @ Kidderville Acres
Kidderville, NH
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Northeast Mass. I had to leave cuz I couldn't learn how to spell it. I never heard of it "blowing apart". Let me know. I have a exbrotherinlaw that works at a ski hill up near you.
Gotta be the Balsams? We just got about 9" of nice fluff and expecting -10 F for the next week! The snowmobilers are coming in droves!
Ciao,
Bob @ Kidderville Acres
Kidderville, NH
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Hi Bob,
Some names that may be popular where you are are Hackmatack, Tackamahac, Black Poplar, or Black Cottonwood.
When researching furniture woods these terms come up often when related to this secondary wood of some New England furniture.
J.P.
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