interesting aroma while cutting

[rmihalek]

I was helping a buddy cut some logs today. While cutting into the pile, I started bucking a round off one of the icy, snow covered logs. Once I was through the bark, the chips that started coming out from the saw were greenish in color and had a strong, almost medicinal, aroma. We picked up a handful of chips and breathed in the smell. There was some organic odors like turpentine, but also a nutty smell as well.

A lot of the bark was mangled up from the harvesting process and the rest was covered in snow, ice and other logs.

I'm thinking this is honey locust or black locust, but without the benefit of seeing leaves or bark, I'm not sure. The main stem is straight and suitable for milling, so we'd like to i.d. it before turning it into firewood.

Anyone have some guesses as to what this wood might be. It was probably harvested from eastern massachusetts, maybe even southern new hampshire.

 

[HUSKYMAN]

Was it sassafras? They get to be pretty good sized trees.

 

[acer saccharum]

What you describe might be Black Locust. It is yellowish green and has a unique kind of stench. It is rock hard, it is almost like cutting steel. It is very dense, kind of makes Oak feel like Balsa (OK, maybe I exagerate just a little.) The wood is very easy to split when green and frozen. One wack with a maul and a 20" piece cracks in half with a resounding thunk. The bark is very thick, 1-2" plus deep. So thick that it would be hard for snow to cover it up. It is not native to your area, however it has been transplated most every where.

In this picture, the split wood, the log on the left and half-round are Black Locust, the right hand logs are Red Maple. The rounds in the background are also Black Locust.

 

[RaisedByWolves]

Was it sassafras? They get to be pretty good sized trees.

Hah, I just split some sasafrass today, smells/tastes just like rootbeer. The locust also has a smell, but I dont know how to define it. Some Ash smells like perfume when freshly cut.
.

 

[larman]

maulberry and headge are the two that are green around here into a bunch of loust (honey or black not for sure bigggg thorns) more red than green.
my 2 cents worth larry