Ice storm, trees, urgency : Translation

[Ron Wenrich]

KMorrisD wrote:

> I had an interesting conversation yesterday with a local history buff about the
> ice storm.  He said that following the 1938 hurricane  that hit central and
> western Massachusetts, cut timber was stored in local ponds to prevent
> spoilage.
>
> The logs that sunk were retrieved up to years later as the ponds were not that
> deep.  Can you imagine trying to do something practical and common sensical
> like this today?!
>
> Karl Davies

Logs stored under water removes the air necessary for blue stain to form.  However,
logs must be totally submerged, and preferably in cold water.  I know of 1 ash
handle plant that routinely "irrigates" their log piles during the summer.  Ash
dries quickly and is harder to cut, and the water helps eliminate powder post
beetle.

I know of a logger who buried white oak veneer which was cut in the summer.  The
dirt help prevent staining, again by removing the air.  When veneer season came
around, the log ends were cut off and the buyers found the logs to be acceptable.
I know that utility poles do not rot below 1' in the ground due to the amount of
available air.  Maybe you can bury the logs that you don't have room to sink. <G>

I remember back in the '70's they milled some logs that were dredged out of the
harbor up in Mass.  The logs were sunk in the 1830's, and were in as good as shape
as when they were sunk.  Cold water is the key.

RDW