Please help me identify this tree branch

[fishyman8]

Hey,
I was hiking in Rhode Island and found this interesting branch. It's a deciduous tree so the leaves have already fallen off. The best I can describe it is a very soft wood. Softer then pine but not sure what it is harder than. Can't really decribe the bark. Here are some pictures below. Hope they came out ok. Thanks for the help!


 

 

 

[WDH]

Cut the end flush and take a razor knife and make a clean slice on the end grain and take a close-up pic of the growth ring structure. 

[Texas Ranger]

location?

[Don P]

The brash break (short, cross grain, no splintering) says rot, which is why its soft.

[fishyman8]

location?

This was in North Eastern Rhode Island

[fishyman8]

Cut the end flush and take a razor knife and make a clean slice on the end grain and take a close-up pic of the growth ring structure.

Not sure what you mean (kind of a beginner). From what I am gathering is that you are asking about the rings of the inner wood. Not exactly sure. Could you give me an example please? 

[WDH]

Crosscut the end so that it is a round circle and not a jagged end.  The cut end will still be a bit rough from the saw marks.  Take a razor knife and slice/whittle clean the end so that the growth rings are easily visible and not obscured by the saw marks.  Then take a close-up pic so that we can cleanly see the growth rings on the cut end. 

[bluthum]

If you can come up with a living twig with the tip intact you should be able to key it out. The rotten branch is a tough one.