NEWSLETTER #4, SPRING 1984Some people may view the idea of tree crops as nothing more than a fleeting trend. Perhaps an inherent stubbornness and impatience keeps them from seeing the forest of tree uses, their practicality, perseverance and grace. Thor Heyerdahl, in one of his first visits to a tropical island, described the trees there as master chefs—transforming mud into food. Our esteem for these resourceful creatures is low. We don’t need to revert back to Druid worship of trees. We should investigate how they might help us. That’s part of what this network stands for. Trees as allies. Amidst an explosion of information—there is much to share. Bill Mollison speaks of diversity in nature as not the number of things but the number of ways in which things work—the number of functional connections between elements. The Alliance, the network, has remained a collection of things. Its future is in question now more than ever. Financially it is weakly rooted so the mailing list has been pruned and a few projects curtailed. If you wish to see this seedling survive please respond now. For those of you who have already contributed your support—a special thanks. I hope you have a productive summer and make a few connections with both trees and tree people. TREE DECLINE New York Times sun. Feb. 26, 1984 reports quite a scare has been given to eastern foresters with the realization that growth rates of most coniferous and some hardwood trees are slowing down—possibly as a result of industrial pollution. The only other record of such a trend has occurred in Germany—downwind of the industrial sector. Acidification of a few mountain lakes is minor compared to the overall destruction of forests from Maine to Georgia. Some remote mountain sites being monitored are showing NO biological activity and it’s no wonder with heavy metal concentrations 23 times the normal level. For a global perspective of the situation and some enlightening views on the problems you may enjoy transcripts of Bill Mollisons’ Permaculture Design Course—An Introduction to Permaculture 17 pgs. $2.50 or free with purchase of the 1984 The International Permaculture Seed Yearbook, 75 pgs., $7.50. The concepts and resources in both of these works can promote change. Mollison repeats “The problem is the solution”. Think about it. At ten cents a page—the trees are being honored. TREE TRAVELS The mulles pear tree in Stacyville measures 8’2″ in circumference and is approximately 40′ in height. Its location would suggest its age as over 150 years. The fruit is quite good and it appears to be self-fruitful. Scions were dispersed this year to preserve this handsome tree. It should bear this year and if you’re up that way you may want to contact Clark Nattress, Box 22, Benedicta, 04733—for a visit. The Southwest Harbor Saskatoon may still be out there. Spurned by reports of an incredibly large fruited juneberry—we were able to locate and collect scions from the remaining clump of serviceberries, that were spared from spring “thinning”. We’ll check on these and any noteworthy trees you’re aware of—so please share what you find. POPPLE BURGERS Who’ll be the first on your block to produce them? Miles Fry 5 Co., Rd. 3, Euphrata, PA 17522 reports that a univ. of Toronto researcher has found the leaves of poplar to contain about 20 per cent protein and it is the only tree known that contains most of man’s essential amino acids. Leaves can be harvested 3 times a season, making it one of the cheapest forms of protein to produce. In the USSR 100,000 tons of finely ground leaves, bark, and small branches are being processed for cattle feed. This muka-can approach the nutritional level of an equal weight of alfalfa. A report in the 1870 Yearbook of Agriculture accessed elm and poplar leaves as containing twice the feed value of alfalfa, clover or honeysuckle. Will our populus get hooked on Populus? For an informative catalog on the many uses of hybrid poplar write the above address. CODDLING MOTH CONTROL Notes from New Alchemy Quarterly Spring 1984. These notes mention the role of woodpeckers and stresses leaving dead forest trees for nesting sites. Also suggests establishing flowering plants as an understory in orchards to aid moth parasites. Several other schemes for pest control and some specific references are cited in the article Habitat Enhancement for Pest Control. ORCHARD FRIENDS Fruit trees inoculated with 800 worms a piece grew more roots than uninoculated trees in Holland on newly drained land. Earthworms were once cited for their control of apple scab by their ingestion of fallen leaves—in the pre-pesticide orchard era. In Northern Italy Southern Germany black ants were once cultivated in orchards. The 5-6 year old hills did best in controlling the larvae and pupae of (shoot leaf) destructive insects. A section on ecological fruit culture utilizing poultry, pigs and ants appears in the Farmers & Housekeepers Cyclopedia 1888, reprinted 1977 with modern annotations, Crossing Press, 540 pgs. $6.95. For information on establishing earthworms (Lumbricus terrestris) contact: Bob Wagner, P.O. Box 89, Conway, MA 01341. PLANT PROFILE Common name: White mulberry Researchers: Gregory Williams, ITCIUSA, Rt 1, Gravel Switch, KY 40328 References: Agroforestry Review vol 3,#2 ITCIUSA Area Trees: Will check on fruit quality of several local trees. Additional Notes: J.R. Smith was very enthusiastic about mulberries as a food 5 forage crop. He mentions the trees ability to put forth secondary buds and produce fruit if the first set of buds are damaged by frost. As a pasture tree for swine & poultry he rated it king of crops. While most of his observations and correspondence come from the south—area trees suggest longevity, productivity and hardiness for northern regions. Contact person: I would be interested in coordinating any additional data on mulberry trees.(ed). CALENDAR Permaculture Design Course at the Ranch (campground), Orange, MA, June 17-30. Tuition $500. Accommodation and food extra. Dan Hemenway will present information on an array of food, and energy producing systems that are ecologically and economically appropriate. Sources for scholarships are being investigated now. If you would like to attend, sponsor, or know of potential sponsors out there please let us know. Course graduates qualify as “design apprentices” and workshop leaders—so the education and money will go a long way. For details: Elfin Permaculture, Box 202, Orange, MA. 01364. (617) 544-7810. Permaculture Design course in Kentucky, details from above. Aug. 27-Sept. 15. Budwood Exchange—Not enough response to warrant an event (yet) so please consult the scionwood listing for likely sources of budwood, and arrange your own exchanges. Tours: Highmoor Farm, Monmouth will be hosting Field Days for small & large fruit growers and will conduct tours throughout the summer. Give David Handley, area small fruit specialist, a call for details at 933-4412. See the directory for additional people to visit. Common Ground Fair: Plans still underway. We’ll have a booth, demonstrations and possibly a slide show. Want to help? Fruit Exchange: Now that you have a collection of scions of older fruit varieties—how about a taste of the fruit? You can contact folks in the directory & arrange your own swap OR help and participate in a Fall Fruit Exchange. Two dates in October would let us peruse most of the fall crop at its prime. No meeting place or date is set. Let us know if you have fruit that needs picking that you could spare or or any suggestions or ways to help. Sharing these oldsters with young and old alike is an allied venture. Please support you, us, them. Fall Seed Exchange: Many tree seeds require a cold treatment or stratification to break their dormancy and fall planting usually fits that bill. Thus a cooperative tree seed order is being considered for this fall. Friends of the Trees offers an admirable selection of useful tree, shrub, vine and herb seed and their focus on a geographic region is worth noting. Catalog $1.00, F.O.T. P.O. Box 1064. Tonasket, WA 98855. While they offer packets, other sources have seed in bulk at significant savings. Now WHO CARES about any of this? Should we try and arrange a bulk order breakdown and seed swap this fall? What about local seed? Can we get some of our native shagbark hickory spread north, get more white oak spread around, encourage local collection? Yes, with your help. Tentatively, we could combine a Fruit & Seed Exchange. A seed order deadline needs to happen by Sept. Lets hear from you. What do you want or have to swap? Planting tree seeds heightens gardening about 3 notches. It’s a rewarding experience. No nuts, no trees, no nuts…! ORGANIZATIONS Scatterseed Project, Box 1167, Farmington 04938. A project to collect & disseminate old, rare, newly released & useful plants Via seed. Cultivar gardens determine compatibility to this area. Seed production exchange perpetuates this effort. Samples available. Seed Savers Exchange, c/o Kent Whealy RR2, Princeton, MO 64673. $10/yr. membership for directory to growers collectors of primarily heirloom vegetable varieties. Also publishes index for locating specific varieties through the conventional seed trade. International Seed Exchange: SESAME, c/o Uplinder Frodingevagen 1, 5-112 56 Stockholm. Richard St. Barbe Baker Foundation, 417 Cumberland Ave. S. Saskatoon Saskatchewan Canada, 57H 2L3. Assists non-governmental organizations in the promotion of tree care planting. An overview of the life work of St. Barbe Baker is presented in a 32 p. booklet “Man of the trees”. Maritime Permaculture Institute, 61 Chandler Rd. Chehalis, WA. 98532. Offer a number of resource materials on permaculture. Including tapes of Bill Mollison’s lecture and a NW design course outline. A $15 or more donation, will support their travel expenses to First International Designer Conference in Australia and reward you with gleanings of the proceedings. Elm Research Institute, Harrisville, NH. 03450. Offers rooted cuttings of disease resistant elms. Membership $15 and $5 per tree or one free tree if you send information on the location of an existing elm. Children of the Green Earth, 7635 Tyee Rd. Umpqua, OR. 97486. Needs to be commended for their efforts to unite heart and hands with the earth. Their spring edition of the newsletter offers tips on planting trees with children, global celebrations of trees and human unity, and related inspiration. VARIETAL LIST-1984 Scion wood exchange (for code see people directory) APPLES KIWI PLUMS PEARS PEACH APRICOT MULBERRY Also on hand were an assortment of apple scions from the collection of some 250 varieties of A.F.Gamage, RD-1, Box 174, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866. APPLE IPM HOTLINE For updated reports on insect and disease conditions the Extension Service offers a toll free number 1-800-952-2266 QUESTIONS ABOUT SICK PLANTS? Have them answered by the Plant Disease Clinic, Dept. of Botany & Plant Pathology, Deering Hall, UMO, Orono 04469 DEER REPLELLENT 18 eggs mixed in 5 gallons of water per acre stopped deer injury to soybeans in Louisiana—and didn’t leave any objectionable smell. A BUCK $aw What will cut 100 cords of firewood, operates on renewable resources, never needs sharpening and costs about $5? A Swedish bow saw blade. Eddie Veronesi, who manages his woodlot with hand tools, reports that the hardened steel blades can be reset to allow for prolonged use. PEOPLE DIRECTORY (please allow for any inaccurate statements concerning the following folks). (CM) Charles Martin Jr, RFD 2, Box 880, Thorndike 04986 Has: Collection of hard & softwood, native introduced seedlings to sell or trade(write for list). Wants: Seeds of Actnidia arguta, Cedrela sinensis. Interests: Any wood plant that will naturalize for wildlife food or for forest growth. (AW) Arthur Wilder, RT 1, Box 2330, Norridgewock, 04957 Has: Collection of apple, pear plum varieties, black walnuts—seeds & trees. Wants: American & Chinese chestnut, filberts, pecans, Thomas black walnut, pears, plums. Interests: Native & rhododendrons (Has reference material). Liz Lauer, RFD 1, Box 132, Springfield 04487. Has: access to 20 old types in her area. Yellow transparent, Empire apple, Wolf River. Wants: Tetofsky, each, Lasalle, Scarlet Pippin, and apple scions. Ed Bobalek, 193 Main St., Orono 04473. Has: varietal test collection of fruit trees-ISO apples, 30 pears, 10 plums, 10 cherries, 6 nut trees & mix of various minor fruit and wild native fruits. (LP) Louise Pare, 293 Stetson Rd. Lewiston, 04240. Has: apricot rootstock from seed, Van sweet cherry scions. Wants: hardy sweet cherry & apricot bud-wood for this summer. Interests: Home orchard, small fruit. (JS) Jerry Sass, RR 1, Box 2930, North Anson 049S8 Has: raspberry, blackberry cuttings to swap for strawberry plants, plastic rodent guards for sale @ 50¢, relevant literature. Wants: butternut & other nut seedlings, American Beauty, Pecks Pleasant, Sutton Beauty apple scions. Interests: Wildlife habitat, forest resources, antique apple varieties, nuts. Hollis Tedford, Dutch Neck, Waldoboro 04572. Wants: improved selections of white pine, white oak shagbark hickory, chestnut, elm sugar maple. Has: Knows of special quality hemlock, all sorts of forestry literature. Interests: Registered professional forester (RC & D) Urban forestry, forest resource, home orchard small fruit. Lissa Widdoff, Box 650, Freedom 04941 Has: background and literature on bugs and bogs. Interests: Forest resources, living hedges, bee plants, locating protecting rare Maine species & climax forests. Rick Small, R2, Box 84, Lubec 04652. Wants: nut trees. Interests: hedgerows, pleaching (grafting living trees into unusual forms), tree crops in general. Gavin Keeney, Old Post Rd. Bowdoinham 04008 Has: small nursery of native rare plants, literature on seed collecting & planting. Write for list of plants (SASE) will barter. Wants: many native trees, ferns & wildflowers, seed exchanges. Interests: native species for wildlife, nut trees, bush fruit, bio-dynamic agriculture. Eddie Veronesi, RFD 2, Box 910, Thorndike 04986. Has: softwood plantation, hardwood woodlot maintained with hand tools, will conduct tours. Wants: information on biological controls the development of genetically superior trees. Interests: Silviculture, forest engineering, wildlife management, maple syruping, small scale farming & forestry. Walter Wefel & Helen York, Wilson Dist. Rd. Pinio Pt., Harrington 04643. Has: literature on 19th century agriculture, viticulture pomology. Will help coordinate dwarf rootstock order for area. Interests: Rural forestry, old fruit varieties. Robert Morrell, 16 Coffin St. Brunswick 04011 Has: scionwood—American Chestnut (14 yrs. old) Interests: Home orchard nut trees, ornamentals, small fruit. Judy Andrés-Harris, RR 1, Box 923 A, Kittery 03904 Wants: native species for wildlife, nut trees, Boyne & Madawaska, raspberries. Clayton Totman, RR3, Waldoboro, 04572 Has: Carpathian Walnut nut scions & seedlings & seed. Interests: Wildlife habitat, forest resources, fruit trees. Frank Hubeny, RFD 3, Box 650, Dexter 04930. Has: A few good wild apples. Literature on plants permaculture. Starter batches of earthworms. Interests: Caragana, actnidia, fruit & nut trees, sugar maple, forest trees. George Stilphen, Box 1347 Bolsters Mills, Harrison 04040 Has: about 2 dozen apple varieties. Vermont Beauty Pear, McLaughlin, Pearl, Imperial, Epimeuse & Pipeston Plum, McKay Modison & Fayhaven Peach, Swenson Red, Edelweiss, Seneca, Aurora, Canadice & Van Buren Grapes, others. Mackernut Hickory seedlings. Large library. Wants: Horsechestnut seedlings. Interests: Forest trees as ornamentals, wildlife habitat; horticulture beekeeping instructor. Charlie Greene, RFD 1, Box 1390 E1, Stoneham. Has: back issues of Agro-Forestry Review. Wants: seeds seedlings of local tree crop species. Interests: horse logging, permacultural landscaping, home orchard, small fruit, nut trees, hedges. Paul Sprung, RR 1 Box 240, St. Francis 04774. Interests: Perennials, fruit nut trees, lilacs. Is a member of America Primrose Society, American Rock Garden Society. Bud Lewis, RR 2, Box 7280, Pittsfield 04967. Interests: small fruit, home orchard, nut trees, forest resources. Bruce Fulford, c/o BTEC, P.O.Box 3112, Portland 04101. Interests: Heat, CO2, humus from composting, coppiced trees & brush. Director of Bio-Thermal Energy Center Francis Fenton, Norridgewock 04957 Interests: Urban forestry, wildlife habitat, old varieties of fruit trees. (TB) Tom Berry, RFD 2, Thorndike 04986 Interests: home orchard, small fruit. Ellen Thomas, RFD 1, Fayette 04349. Interests: resources, fruit nut trees, small fruit. Forest. (PG) Peter Garrett, RFD 2, Box 5115 Winslow 04902. Interests: Forest resources, wildlife habitat, fruit nut trees, small fruit. Tom Vigue, 16 Drummond Ave. Waterville 04901. Interests: home orchard, small fruit & nuts. Keith Peaio, 125 Elm St. Mechanic Falls 04256 Interests: fruit & nut trees, small fruit, wildlife habitat. Jay Cook Gabbletown Farms, Tenants Harbor 04860. Interests: chestnuts, oaks, filberts, other fruit & nuts, hardy peach rootstock. Would like to explore China for compatible fruit. Wants: Juneberry varieties, black walnut seed sources native filberts chestnuts. Doug Stark, Hospital St., Augusta 04350—State Forest Service Entomologist. Maintains a collection of American Chestnut seedlings & usually has seed to share in fall. Brad Ronco, RFD 1, Hallowell 04347 Home orchardist with a collection of fruit & nut trees grapes. Will give tour and ample quantities of enthusiasm. (DL) Dave Leyland, RFD 1 Box 103, Unity 04988. Has small nursery young commercial orchard. (DH) Dwane Hanson, RFD 2 Box 830, S. Paris 04281. Has a collection of apples. Robert Partnes, Box 65, Temple 04984. Interests: home orchard, small fruit. Conducts tests in many phases of soil management at Woods End Lab. Educational offshoot reports these findings in a newsletter. (WC) Wyatt Courtemanche, North Country Permaculture, Blue Hill 04614. Interests: Permaculture, edible landscaping seed exchanges, sustainable agriculture societies. Jim Dobson, RFD 2, Box 209, Buckfield 04220. Interests: fruit & nut trees, small fruit. Dora Marin, Box 68, Kingfield 04947. Interests: wildlife habitat, forest resources, fruit & nut trees, small fruit, perennials. Jonathan Fulford, Box 76 Monroe 04951. Conducts grafting workshop at scionwood exchange willing to demonstrate as needed. Contact person for information regarding John Hershey’s tree work in Pennsylvania. Interests; oaks, nut pines, juneberry & kiwi & excited about most other tree crops. (Bon) Will Bonsall, RFD 1 Box 121, Farmington 04938. Young preservation orchard of over 100 varieties of apple miscellaneous fruit. Scatterseed project director, also publishes newsletter on self reliant living and offers grafting forestry & composting demonstrations regularly. Dennis Culley, RT 2, Box 2215 Mercer 04947. Interests: home fruit & nut culture. Will organize apple harvesting, pruning & grafting collective for 1985 season. Chris Marshall, Rd 2, Box 790 Thorndike 04986. Contact person for information on Korean nut pines. Assistant MTCA director. Jack Kertesz, RFD 1, Box 680, Albion 04910. Interests: most perennials, especially edible and useful landscape materials neglected plants like alder, seed exchanges, cooperative nursery tool supply. MTCA director & editor. (JG) Jim Greenlaw, 23 Kennison St., Augusta 04330. Interests: home orchard, small fruit. (RM) Robert March Perry, ME Sherry 04667. Wants: Spartan, Mutsu, Beacon apple scions. (NM) Neal Meltzer, Coffin Hill Rd. Limerick 04048. Interests: home orchard, small fruit. Barbara Ridiboux, Rd 2, Box 334, Union 04862. Contact for herb society newsletter. Prepares Bach flower essences. Ron Desrosiers, P.O.Box 349, Orono 04473. Horticultural interests, access to black walnuts (native Mass.) assists with Environmental Resource Center. Caellaigh Bennett, P.O.Box 349, Orono 04473. Coordinator of Maine Energy Environmental Alliance resource group at UMO. Sponsors speaker series & maintains information file in Environmental Resource center. Student of international agriculture. Reinald S. Nielsen, Box 100 N Star Rt. 74 E. Machias 04630. Interests: nuts, plums, honey locust & in developing wood fueled woods vehicles. John Bunker, Box 340, Palermo 04350 Manger of FEDCO trees—looking for local suppliers of nursery stock, plum coordinator for NAFEX. Mark Fulford, Box 76, Monroe 04951. Interests: all aspects of tree crops, knowledge of diverse specimen plants of coastal islands, small nursery of grafted fruit trees, nuts, honey locusts, test orchard of apple pears, permacultural orchard & no-till agriculture. (AC) Ann Caswell, RD 1, Box 1925, North Whitefield, 04353. Interests: antique apple varieties, hardy black walnuts, experimental planting in hedgerows.
FALL EDITION Deadline for your input-Sept. 1, 984. Should include honeylocusts, nutrition—eating from trees, updates on chestnuts and Korean pines. BOOK LIST NATIVE SELF SUFFICIENCY–Tribal Sovereignty Program, The Youth Project, P.O.Box 10 Forestville, CA 95436 Vol. 6#3 (Oct/Nov. 1983-$!.25) offered the following: Native perspectives o^n Permaculture, Nutrition in your Edible Landscape, interview with Bill Mollison, sook reviews. Most of their back issues are available and focus on food, health, communities and cooperation. A good blend of positive energy and spirit. A HANBBOOK FOR TOWN FORESTS Maine Association of Conservation Commissions P.O.Box 152, 77 Water st. Hallowell o*il7 $2-00 A citizens guide tp establishing .and .managing..municipally owned forests FLORA OF OXFORD COUNTY MAINE Christopher Campbell, Leslie Eastman UMO Technical Bulletin 99, July 1980 244P. What’s out there, where. PROPAGATION OF PLANTS #11, C. Haramaki 1982 170Pgs. $9.25(includes handling) A 10 lesson correspondence course covering seed production, genetics, seedling care, vegetative propagation, nursery management. Very informative guide with option to enroll for credit. For a 20 page catalog listing 108 Agriculture, family living community development courses. Write: Correspondence Courses, Penn. State Univ., 307 Ag. Administration Building, University, PA 16802. CARE AND MAINTAINANCE OF ACTNIDIA ARGUTA–A booklet—$1.25 Edible Landscaping 2519 Cool Spring Rd., Adelphi, MD 20783. Michael McConrey offers a selection of useful plants including the Meader Persimmon(self-fruitful tolerates -25°F) and professor Meaders selection of Actnidia. NEW ALCHEMY QUARTERLY Spring 1984 NAI 237. Hatchville Rd. E. Falmouth, MA 02S36 24p. $2.00. Contains abstracts of A. arguta Amelanchier from Greg Williams PROPAGATION…book. Also includes summer schedule of events (edible landscaping course, August 25, $33.00) and a good deal more to ingest. Back issues of Quarterly available as well as; TECHNICAL BULLETIN #4—NAI Bibliography $2.50. THE APPLE IN CANADA, ITS CULTIVATION AND IMPROVEMENT–W. T. MaCoun 139pgs.. A 1920 (and thorough) account of apple culture. Xerox copy for loan, sign up, be patient, pay postage. WHAT CAN THE MANCHURIAN FLORA AS WELL AS THE FLORA OF NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES GIVE TO GARDENS OF MANCHURIA ITSELF AND OTHER COUNTRIES WITH COLD CLIMATES, A.D. Woeikoff 1941 140pgs. The author’s prediction that half of the world’s breeding stock of hardy plants would come from Manchuria is backed by his extensive work in the field. All types of plants and their potential are discussed. We have a xerox copy of this one too, write. A LANDOWNERS GUIDE TO WOODLOCK MANAGEMENT IN THE NORTHEAST Misc. report 253, UMO 1981 23p. A guide based on field work at Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge. Includes plans to improve wildlife habitat as well as provide income from forest products. COLLECTING TREE AND SHRUB SEED Friends of the Trees Society, Box 1064 Tonasket WA 98866. $1.00. SETTING UP A TREE NURSERY. THE DIGGERS OF ALBION (NEWSLETTER) 3, DAGLANDS RD., FOWEY, KERNOW (CORNWALL) U.K. 12p. A Basic Guide For Propagators And Planters Of Hedges, Woods, Forests. With A View To Creating A Mixed Ecology For Bees, Birds, Beasts Plus Diverse Renewable resource Products- Timber, Poles, Canes, Dyes, Tanning, Medecines,Fruits, Nuts, Fodder, Food, Energy, Etc! This is a useful guide to setting up a thriftylandscape on a low budget. Some of it reads decidedly British and translates accordingly. Fun reading, more fun implementing. Can’t wait for a copy? Send a large SASE, 2 stamps and $1 and we’ll mail you one. TREE SEEDS OF BAMBER BRIDGE. Lower Lee Seed Farm, Brindle Rd., Bamber Bridge, Preslou, PR5-6AP British Isles. Catalog $1.00. TIMELESS TOOLS. New, used and reconditioned forest, field and woodworking tools. Timeless Tools, Box 36, Deerton, MI 44822. Catalog $1.00. A COOPERATIVE TOOL ORDER—is being considered for this winter. It would include orchard, grafting and forestry supplies. Send us suggestions. |
This newsletter digitized by Tom Roberts, 4-Mar-2011.
