I'm looking for tree book(s) that have every tree in it. I'd like one that shows the tree/bark etc...and one that discusses the type of wood and what it could be used for.
I know the book is out there! Someone has to know the name of it
Name of them, no one book I know of can cover them all.
Can you names the one(s) close to what I'm looking for ?
Thanks
Start with one for your area.
I have set of 3 good reference books here on NZ trees. One is Natives, 2nd is introduced softwoods, and introduced hardwoods. But they would be useless to you, as there are only a handful of trees from your area in the "Introduced" book.
But there is bound to be a book called "Common Trees of Illinois" or similar, that will get you 99% of your species. Once you ID what it is, then there is a good web page called https://www.wood-database.com/ (https://www.wood-database.com/black-walnut/) that has entries for pretty much every common wood in the world. It's properties and common uses.
Because I'm often sawing unusual and imported species I use that page a lot. Today we were cutting Tasmanian Blackwood. You can read all about it here.
https://www.wood-database.com/australian-blackwood/ (https://www.wood-database.com/australian-blackwood/)
I have a book that I got from the state of Maine forestry dept. Has all the trees in Maine. That would be a good book to have,if IL has something like that.
all of my dendrology books are 50 plus years old, but, your state forestry school text books should be on line, or at the college book store. The trees have not changed, but the publishing has improved. The USDA has numerous books on trees. https://www.depauw.edu/files/resources/trees_at_the_Nature_Park.pdf, etc.
I'm looking for a book with all of this information that's on this website
Forest:Tree Guide (http://www.museum.state.il.us/muslink/forest/htmls/trees.html)
Thanks for all the information guys. I did order one book already. I'm going to email a few places but what I'm looking for is what this link explains. It has each tree and has all the details about it and what the lumber is usually used for etc...
Thanks again everyone
You could download the website, and make your own book. A page at a time wouldn't be /too/ bad, but you could automate it with something like wget.
I'll echo Texas Rangers suggestions. Visit any large college town where they have a good forestry program and there should be a good selection of such books. I still have my plant keys from Systematic Botany classes at AU from 45 years ago and they still work fine. I have bought other field guides and such with better pictures and more details. Check the used book stores in the area of the college and you may even find one at a good discount.
If you are really into a subject you may need to collect books [written many years apart] about it. Many years ago, before our time, people where interested in what the tree was good for; like edible fruit, roots, lumber, etc. To day the focus is beauty. Books written 100 years apart will give different information about the same tree. Identifying by the bark alone takes time to learn because of the age of the tree, not the size and I don't think you can learn this in a book.
Thanks again everyone
Depending on where you live I'd recommend Native Trees Of Canada and Canadian Woods.
Quote from: thecfarm on March 17, 2019, 09:07:51 AM
I have a book that I got from the state of Maine forestry dept. Has all the trees in Maine. That would be a good book to have,if IL has something like that.
Found the book doing an unrelated search...
Forest Trees of Maine: Handbooks & Guides: Publications: Division of Forestry: Maine ACF (https://www.maine.gov/dacf/mfs/publications/handbooks_guides/forest_trees/index.html)
PDF download link is on the right(~90mb)
Looks like a very good book for those on the east coast; probably mid Atlantic and north. There'll be a lot of common trees, even if not all are applicable.
If you could find a more topical example of copy of Vascular Flora of the Carolinas you'd have a definitive biologist guide but that is overkill to many.
Look for a book called Knowing Your Trees by Collingwood and Brush. I've used mine for 30 years. I believe it has every native North American tree and some introduced.