This is fascinating stuff. So much information and without all that nasty,
dirty digging! <smile>
Linda Derry
-----Original Message-----
From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Harding
Polk
Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2011 12:43 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Vegetation and Historic Sites
Linda,
Many red cedars started out as fence posts. I think when they were cut to
be used as a fence post they were not cured properly or long enough and they
end up resprouting. The best example I saw of that was at Ft. Eustis,
Virginia back around the mid 1980s. It became a military base ca. 1914
taking over a number of farms on Mulberry Island. During survey one day I
saw a nice long line of mature red cedar trees (ca. 1-2 ft. diameter) which
caught my eye. At the end of the row was a much larger red cedar with the
outer end of a beautiful hand-forged gate hinge projecting out of it. The
tree over the course of at least 70 years had grown over the hinge portion
of the gate hinge. After that day's survey I was able to confirm the
presence of a driveway to a farmhouse in that location on beautifully
prepared maps drawn up when the base was founded. And yes we also found
lots of daffodils and other exotics in the location of the house.
On the same survey we saw some portions of the base where long-leaf pine was
being thinned/logged. I counted the rings on a few stumps and they
conformed with the military takeover of the island, about 70 years old and
also reflecting the succession from agricultural fields (shown on the maps)
to an coastal artillary practice range for World War I which allowed species
which thrive in disturbed soils to take over. Poison ivy was ubiquitous
across the island with some big hairy vines as big as my arm growing up the
50-60 foot height of the pines. Ahhhh, very scary! As suggested the poison
ivy probably came out with the succession.
Harding Polk II
Archaeologist
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Albuquerque, NM
-----Original Message-----
From: Linda Stine <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Thu, Mar 24, 2011 10:10 am
Subject: Re: Vegetation and Historic Sites
Thanks everyone for the info! I see the same patterns and can add that
ater farmsteads often have small yellow daffodils that come out really
arly, also "cotton tuffs" that are an early version of spirea I think which
re white or pink flowered bushes, and the obligatory row of "tiger lilies"
n bright orange up the path or drive. I also see a lot of nut and fruit
rees. Anyone really know why cemeteries seem to always have red cedars?
oil conditions? Deliberate planting? LFS
On Thu, Mar 24, 2011 at 11:21 AM, Webb, Paul (Chapel Hill,NC-US) <
[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Re this discussion, some of you might find this brochure by the Reviving
Americas Food Traditions of interest:
http://jeweloftheblueridge.com/Images/AppalachiaPlace-BasedFoods.pdf
Paul
-----Original Message-----
From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Linda
Derry
Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2011 11:20 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Vegetation and Historic Sites
Joe, how about giving us the first and last letter. I'm dying to know.
Linda Derry
-----Original Message-----
From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Joe
Dent
Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2011 9:22 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Vegetation and Historic Sites
Same but different trees (aside from black walnut) and plants in
Appalachia. Day Lilly is especially prevalent around former home lots,
particularly in vicinity of former privy. Locals still today in fact have
special name for them in that context (propriety prevents me from repeating
regional colloquial label for such).
Joe Dent
American University
----- Original Message -----
From: "Smoke" <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2011 10:11:06 AM
Subject: Re: Vegetation and Historic Sites
In Arkansas, we can often tell we are approching an historic site by
the vegetation long before we actuall reach the site. Large Walnut
trees (food and shade), large White Oak shade trees, Persimmon,
Catalba, Pecan, large Mullberry, Yucca, Jonquils, Day Lillies, Iris,
Forscythia, Gooseberries, and Golden Rod are the most common.
On Wed, Mar 23, 2011 at 5:20 PM, Brad Laffitte <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:
> All:
>
> I am having trouble finding resources discussing vegetation commonly
associated with historic sites in the Louisiana area or the southeast U.S.
I've seen resources briefly discussing vegetation patterning (e.g., rows
of
live oaks or non-native planted trees/shrubs may equal a homestead), but
nothing with respect to specific vegetation types that can be tied or
potentially tied to historic sites.
>
> If anyone is aware of anything on this subject please let me know. My
email is [log in to unmask] Thanks.
>
--
Smoke Pfeiffer
Laws do not represent either reason or justice.
They represent force.
--
r. Linda France Stine, RPA
36-256-1098
36 Graham Building
|
