Arob

If you used paypal then you can go through their procedure to see if you can get a refund, may in part depend upon sellers description, if they were misleading or whatever.

"Jolyon Jenkins investigates how, in the mid-1960s, Dutch Elm Disease started to sweep through England, leaving barely a single elm tree alive in the UK. Previously unpublished archives reveal that members of public were aware of the problem and were demanding action long before the government or Forestry Commission accepted that that they had a crisis on their hands." http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/inlivingmemory/pip/te5sw/

I'm no expert, I have grafted a little fruit but no more, but to me it seems as if the rootstock was never stopped. The basic grafting I have done involves minimising the amount of rootstock beyond the graft, so that the scion grows over and around the rootstock. In this pic, what appears to be the rootstock has very good, straight, form, it doesn't look like re-growth from a side bud. That raises the question why wasn't it stopped? Alternatively I wonder is it definitely grafted - not a natural graft arising from two trees being planted too close together? Hard to tell with my eyesight though.

was really happy to have picked up a Yo La Tengo album at my local library a couple of years back have a copy which lives in the van,they have a really nice laid back, bleached by summer sound. Just came across this on you tube which may not have been my first choice of song if it's an intro to YLT for anyone but the video... what can you say about this video....(even a bit of a link there Jason - Butthole Surfers to this vid...!) [ame]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Az3SHeMHC6c&feature=related[/ame] Really must do some work though

not Barry Manilow (sorry Lee), but a bit different [ame]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=pY8jaGs7xJ0&feature=related[/ame]

Was just looking for a link to "Welcome Home" feat Mike Ladd off the Exquisite Corpse album, couldn't find that but found this (off the same album) [ame] [/ame]

I take your point Matty, but could you expand? What would you expect to see that you can't? Have you seen the pics on the other thread? What I am suggesting is that the failure isn't entirely attributable to inonotus, however, as mentioned before there does look to be different types of failure within the branch, if you look at the other thread you will see an even clearer example of something which, to me, appears to have distinct and separate types of failure.

Unfortuately the piece which had fallen into a recently ploughed field had been largely removed (I couldn't find the corresponding end). Certainly it has unusual irregular grain and this will have affected it's strength, and the sharp edge that was left was the first of this kind that I've seen; couldn't explain why that had been left like that. However, there does appear to have been a different type of failure on the side with the fruiting body (more of a shearing of fibres) unlike the tearing side which appears to have retained fibre strength (with fibres intact and failure between fibres). Have you seen the pics from the other thread? There too, it seems there was a partial loss of strength with probable shearing of affected wood and tearing of that wood which appeared to be structurally unaffected. This is only a theory; happy for you to test it.

Adding these pics here to make them easy to find. (posted a similar example here http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=3329&page=2). Inonotus hispidus is known to result in brittle fracture on Ash, however when I wanted to find pics of brittle fracture I couldn't find any, came across another possible contender today but cannot say for sure that it is brittle fracture but would welcome any feedback.

It's on a Beech, overed in dead ivy, just above head height. Maybe one day I'll be able to afford a half decent camera, until then you'll just have to squint and use your imagination a little!

Any guesses on this one?

Brachychiton Rupestris, The Queensland Bottle Tree, whose roots and starchy seeds are a food used by aborigenes...

Ficus Macrophylla...

Please allow me to make amends for my previous post, and attempt ot bring this thread back on track, here follows a couple of pics taken at Sydney's Botanic Gardens, First off the remarkable, ubiquitous Moreton Bay Fig, (note ariel root next to opera house)

I stand corrected, thanks Huck. Having been initially surprised by the events in the programme I just wanted to suggest an alternative viewwhich may give some credit and the benefit of the doubt to the TO. It's all opinion and supposition.

Was surprised to see that they left the tree standing, but on reflection wonder if perhaps this was to let it serve as a subtle reminder, and presumably the TPO still stands meaning that when it does turn its roots up they'll have to bring in someone who is suitably qualified?

The (so-called) 'tree surgeon' did not appear in the programme, nor did it appear that the council ever found out who he was or spoke to him, in the piece the owner who requested some work (though, he claimed, not all the work that was carried out) said that the guy said "Hire me a set of ladders and a chainsaw and I'll do the work" (sic) It was the aftermath that suggested an absence of skill or training.

Did you see the council just let them off? And even refer to whoever inflicted the damage as a 'tree surgeon' Makes you wonder how bad it has to be to prosecute.

Long may it be healthy

I like trees buttresses

I like trees buttmunch

Haven't tried any Helly tops so can't offer a comparison but I have used both man made Regatta X-ert and Smartwool merino, merinos obviously quite a bit dearer but warmer, much better cut and fit with nice long arms, just wear and air, doesn't need washing anywhere near as much as man made stuff and it doesn't stink! (May recoup the cost from not having to wash every time I wear!) But unlike the Smartwool I won't be too fussed if I wreck one of the Regatta ones and they do a fairly good job for the cost. The merino's really good, but IME from cycling it does need to be able to wick, if you're working hard and have a shell (even Gore Tex) on top it will hold moisture, in which case its good to have a change.

Here are a couple of pics, any ideas?

Too easy. (Serves me right for having a hidden agenda - trying to draw back the crowds drawn to the competition thread - and bumping it up without a better challenge ) Having been looking at the fungi competition thread and seeing the geotropic Laetiporus sulphureus on the fallen wood I thought I'd post a couple of pics I took today. Am trying to find out as much as I can about Ih on ash as there is an issue close to home, but haven't found too much so far (any pointers welcome). I suspect (or perhaps hope!) that this branch may have been dropped as a result of brittle fracture - have seen loads of ash with Ih brackets, massive dieback and a few straggly dead limbs but this is the closest I've come to seeing a brittle fracture. Pics taken on camera phone so are of usual poor quality, but hopefully of some use. Fracture shows total loss of mechanical strength in infected wood (core) but surrounding wood (particularly lower part where joined stem) shows tearing and structural integrity and strength of wood. (Is geotrophic as bracket appears to have re-oriented itself since the branch hit the deck.)

An old bracket here, pic taken today - any guesses?