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New England loses a big tree, and a little history
washingtonpost ^ | DAVID SHARP

Posted on 01/19/2010 1:18:52 PM PST by JoeProBono

YARMOUTH, Maine -- Herbie, a massive tree that stretched 110 feet into the sky, captured the imagination of a town's residents and earned the title of New England's champion elm, was cut down Monday after a long battle with Dutch elm disease. It was more than 200 years old....

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: History; Outdoors
KEYWORDS: dutchelmdisease; herbie; jpb; maine; newengland; tree


1 posted on 01/19/2010 1:18:54 PM PST by JoeProBono
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To: JoeProBono

2 posted on 01/19/2010 1:20:26 PM PST by JoeProBono (A closed mouth gathers no feet)
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To: JoeProBono

Best thing to do now is grind the stump and immediately plant one of the many Dutch elm disease resistant elms available in the nursery trade. Heritage elm, I believe, is doing well in tests and outplantings as is another one that I believe is named Princeton elm.


3 posted on 01/19/2010 1:28:20 PM PST by lesko
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To: lesko

Princeton' American Elm


4 posted on 01/19/2010 1:34:27 PM PST by JoeProBono (A closed mouth gathers no feet)
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To: JoeProBono

Arboreal cancer.


5 posted on 01/19/2010 1:35:52 PM PST by Steelfish
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To: lesko

That’s a good choice. Another is Retoration American Chestnuts. The American Chestnut Foundation is releasing seeds/seedlings that are the result of a 25 year back cross breeding program. They may or may not be blight resistant, which is one of the reasons that they are releasing the seeds/seedlings now to TACF members- for wider testing.


6 posted on 01/19/2010 1:37:39 PM PST by Dogfaced Soldier (Strength and Honor)
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To: JoeProBono


There's just something about old tree's, the command a lot of respect, and make the life of a man seem like a flash in the pan ... I hate to see the go, you should see some of the sycamore's around here
7 posted on 01/19/2010 1:38:38 PM PST by Scythian
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To: JoeProBono

That darn Dutch Elm disease of the 50’s destroyed so many beautiful trees.

I know tree hugging around here is not well liked, but I love trees and especially ones that were here at the start of the country.

We also just lost a tree that was around during the Civil War.


8 posted on 01/19/2010 1:39:46 PM PST by Beowulf9
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To: JoeProBono
Thanks for the follow up on Herbie, JPB.

*Sigh* ... losing an old friend is not easy.

Herbie in better days...


9 posted on 01/19/2010 2:50:07 PM PST by Daffynition (What's all this about hellfire and Dalmatians?)
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To: Beowulf9
Got a huge maple that shades the whole back of my house. Twisted trunk, various knot holes that have housed coons, birds and whatnot, a real PITA in fall when it drops its leaves.

Lived here almost 50 years, and it was a big mature tree back then. Don't know how old it is, but it's seen a lot I'm sure.

10 posted on 01/19/2010 3:08:47 PM PST by AFreeBird (Going Rogue in 2012)
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To: AFreeBird

I’d love to see a pic!


11 posted on 01/19/2010 3:26:28 PM PST by Beowulf9
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To: Beowulf9; Scythian

I heartily agree with you both. I spent a major part of my youth in the wooods. It was a haven for me even in my young years. Slept in the roots of many a big old tree.


12 posted on 01/19/2010 6:54:20 PM PST by Tainan (Cogito, ergo conservatus)
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To: Daffynition
What a beautiful tree that was! I love trees too....

The saddest loss for me was the famous Princeton Battlefield Mercer Oak....It was toppled by wind in 2000 and I was so sorry I never took a pic of my kids under it before (procrastinating) Learned that lesson....


.....Washington made his way to Princeton. Here, on January 3, 1777, Washington got his first victory against British Regulars. This is the place where General Hugh Mercer died( reported his body was brought under this tree).... whom Mercer county is named after, where the first US Marine died and where George Washington rallied his troops to carry on the fight for freedom.

13 posted on 01/28/2010 7:47:25 AM PST by SunnyUsa (I'm not one of those "who are we to judge?" people)
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To: SunnyUsa
Great commentary SA

There used to be a web site about champion trees that was delightful. It doesn't seem to exist any longer, but it was full of specimens that were noteworthy; Similar to this database.

14 posted on 01/28/2010 10:07:45 AM PST by Daffynition (What's all this about hellfire and Dalmatians?)
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To: JoeProBono
Beautiful words of wisdom from the 101-year old volunteer caretaker.

"It's been a beautiful tree. I'm sorry to see it go. But nothing is forever," Knight said. "It's pretty near my turn. And it's just a fact of life that life is going to end. And that's for people, for trees, for everything. I thank the good Lord every day that we had him in his glory and beauty for so long."

15 posted on 01/28/2010 10:13:56 AM PST by Madame Dufarge
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