Splitting this elm was a dream. I’d take 100 more dead standing elm logs if I could get them. Another species I would love to have more of is Hawthorn. I have a slim to none chance for BL, so I’d go Hickory, WO, RO.
I’ve never even heard of smooth bark hickory, so hard to judge there. For me, I’d pick white oak first. I’ve been burning the chestnut variety for years and still have years c/s/s. Love the smells, only negative is the messy nature of its sapwood/bark. Next wood be red oak. When I split RO, my splitter wedge goes in about 2-3” and done. Really cuts back on processing time. I’m 5-6 years ahead so dry time is a non issue. I personally like the smell unless there is any decay, then it can get putrid. 3rd black locust. I really love having it on hand. It cranks btu’s for a very long time in my Englands add-on wood furnace. The smoke is not pleasant when reloading. IF you listed shaggy hickory, it wood be #1 on my list.
He maybe referring to bitternut hickory. Of the three common here it has the smoothest bark. I just googled it and the result was another name for pignut hickory Carya glabra
We have some shagbark in my area and when I find it, I love it!! To me, it burns a little hotter than regular hickory
The smoothest bark hickory here is the bitternut variety. Some in my woods. Ill have to get a pic when the snow melts.
I'm not gonna be picky here because my situation is different than most but I'll vote for the Hickory. Although I ain't turning none of it down...
I can't speak for hickory or white oak since they don't grow this far north. Can't speak for black locust either as I have never scrounged any, but there are a few around and I actually have one growing on my property (how it got here is anyone's guess but it is growing in an area where I had several loads of fill dirt dumped). Like ole and RCBS, my vote will have to be for red oak because it is the only tree out of the four I have access to.
Thanks! I've heard folks talk about bitternut but I don't know that I've ever seen it. I just finished getting up a red oak that Helen blew the top out of. I dropped the stob and measured the stump. It was 49" Should make enough wood for a few seasons!
I have mostly red maple and eastern white pine to burn. So I burn mostly red maple and eastern white pine. Of those four I would probably choose all of the above even though I've never had any hickory nor any locust.
I used to be stationed in Newport, Rhode Island and I have Family all through Massachusetts. I know for a fact there are "Pignut" Hickories all over there. I had a friend that lived in New Bedford had a big one on the property in the place he was renting. I have many cousins up in Glouchester and my brothers house there had lots of Red Maple and Hickory. He had 3.5 acres. Maybe you'll come across one some time. If you do any smoking, the pignut is a nice wood for Pork and Chicken. "Make sure it's good and dry" because to much can be strong tasting, Use sparingly.
White oak Red oak Hickory Black locust Black locust is last on my list because we have so much of it around here, I get tired of cutting it. It is often odd shaped and full of dirt. There aren’t many tall, straight, round and solid BL trees around here. White oak is a very rare thing for me, so there’s something extra special about it to me. I’ve cut a good amount of red oak and loved it. We have shag bark and pig it hickory here and I enjoy that also.
