---------- Forwarded message ----------
This message was originally submitted by 101065.446@COMPUSERVE.COM
------------------------ Original message (134 lines) -------------------------
Date: Thu, 17 Jul 1997 07:49:24 -0400
From: "E. Baldwin/Maruhon" <101065.446@compuserve.com>
Subject: Request for "stories" about wood--and a few stories for you.
Message-id: <199707170749_MC2-1B08-BD9B@compuserve.com>
To the Forest List Members:
I represent a Japanese building products company. We have put together a
new showroom, displaying over 50 species of wood from around the world,
which we stock in lumber, flooring, FJL and other building products. We
are working on identification tags for the displays, and rather than put
down the usual information on density, machining characteristics, gluing
ability, and so on, we want stories and interesting facts that will catch
people's attention.
Our goal is to find interesting things about the wood that will make
people think. I would appreciate any ideas you might have. For example, I
learned that Lewis and Clark named Ponderosa Pine, because it was so
massive: 'ponderous.' We are interested about how Red/White/European Oaks
differ in the amount of tannic acid which can change the flavor of wine in
wine casks. We found out that Teak was the favorite wood of Queen
Elizabeth the first in England. These are the stories and fun facts we
are happy to get. We want to personalize the wood, give people something
to remember it by
We want our customers to call up and say, "I want the wood that Queen
Elizabeth liked!"
To get the juices going, here are examples of other tales we've pulled
together:
Cherry:
*George Washington's wood teeth were Cherry
Ayous:
*the famous German sculputerer RAFFAEL BENAZZI uses Ayous. His
most famous work "Venus in Glarus" is a sculpture 4m high and 1m
wide.
*used in the VATICAN in Rome, to build giant frames for art in the,
"San Pietro Church."
Redwood:
*the largest Redwood grows over 6m in diamter and 100m long, yet
they grow from a seed only 0.15cm in size The tree is very strong
against fire--bark is sometimes 30cm thick.
*The biggest tree in the world (the biggest living thing in the
entire world) is a Redwood in CA. Its nickname is "General
Sherman" and it is 83m tall. It is 24.11m in circumfrance.
It is estimated to hold 182916.5m3 of timber. It is the third
tallest tree in the world.
Perupok:
*Perupok is nicknamed the "torch-light" tree because the tree has
very few branches at the top and is particularly big at the
bottom: it looks like a big-head torch light.
Chinese Birch:
*White Birch grows where the White Dragon rested after he did
battle with the Black Dragon of Heilongjing.
Khaya:
*In the Ivory Coast, Europeans were walking around, saw a giant
tree and asked the local people the name, and the people said
"Khaya" so that became the name. But actually, "Khaya" means
"I don't know!"
Thank you all in advance for any help. If I can do anything for you from
Japan, please let me know.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Baldwin <101065.446@compuserve.com>
Maruhon Our web page: http://www.orange.or.jp/~maruhon/
Please respond directly to 101065.446@compuserve.com
so not to bother uninterested list members. Thanks!
Some particular species I am interested in stories about:
European: Whitewood (Spruce), Redwood (Pine), Larch
African: Ayous (Obeche), Koto, Limba (Frake), Iroko, Doussie
(Apa), Afromosia (Assemela)
S. American: Marupa, Banak (Virola), Taeda Pine, Lenga, Bibosi,
S. East Asian: Ramin, Perupok, Terrantang, Pisang Pisang (Mempisang),
Sesendok, Gerrongang, Nyatoh, Agathis, Kempas, Teak,
Karin, Keyaki, Mahang, Merkusii Pine,
Chinese: Oak, Ash, Elm, Birch, Spruce, Hemlock, Maple, Alder
American Hardwoods: Red and White Oak, White Ash, Cypress, Hard Maple,
Cherry, Yellow Poplar, Hackberry, Alder, Cottonwood,
Basswood, Sap Gum, Sycamore, Sasafrass,
American Softwoods: Ponderosa Pine, Southern Yellow Pine, Port Orford
Cedar, Western Red Cedar, Redwood, Incense Cedar,
Sugar Pine
Other: Radiata Pine, Australian Cypress, Kauvula, Kaudamu,
Kiri (Paulownia), Japanese Cedar, Japanese Cypress,
and MORE!
THANKS!
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