Will's Tree Challenge: Question #3

[Anonymous User]

(For those of you reading this for the first time, don't scroll down and read the answers given, instead reply first and see if you were correct, before confirming it.)


What species of tree, native to North America, is used to make the transparent windows in business envelopes?



Hint:
It's roots were used by Native Americans to sew together the edges of birch bark canoes and its wood was used to make dogsled runners, snowshoes, and drums.


Good luck!




__________________________________________________________________
Other Tree Challenges:

Question #1
Question #2
Question #3
Question #4
Question #5
Question #6
Question #7
Question#8
.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I have no clue about the windows in envelopes, and initially I was thinking willow, and then basswood (or linden), but now I think it has to be spruce

So I am going to guess black or red spruce...

...but I have to admit I cheated and did some research. This did NOT spring from some hidden extensive knowledge of trees I look forward to hearing the REAL answer Picea may have come from the Latin "Pix" which means "pitch" for the sappy nature of the tree. Pitch had many uses in the years before petroleum (though I struggle with how you can turn pitch or sap into envelope windows... but maybe )

 

[agraham]

Cottonwood...farmed for the production of cellophane.I'll just guess that it could be used for the other purposes.

andy

 

[candyjshirey]

Hmmmmm, Cottonwood (southern tree) seemed like a good guess until Will's hint included dogsleds and snowshoes - which indicates a northern tree to me.

Western hemlock - Tsuga heterophylla is my guess.

(...and strictly speaking, I did a google on hemlock. - a cheat)

 

[Anonymous User]

Cheating is perfectly acceptable, the object after all is to become more knowledgable about the history behind North America's trees. All is fair in the pursuit of knowledge!



WIll

 

[anttal63]

drums make me think of either birch or maple but hey definately a wild guess from down under.

 

[irene_b]

The Birch Tree.
Irene

 

[agraham]

The cottonwood is not exactly a southern tree.That being said....I also did some googling and I think my first guess might be(probably is) not the one Will was looking for.Based on the "root" hint I would guess.......

But on the other hand.....the question was..."What species of tree, native to North America, is used to make the transparent windows in business envelopes?"Assuming Will means cellophane(which is no longer the primary material used for window envelopes),cottonwood is a correct answer although not the one he was looking for.The hints are meaningless and are relevant to the question only as hints pointing to Will's preferred answer.They were not set forth as qualifiers.

andy

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Assuming Will means cellophane(which is no longer the primary material used for window envelopes),cottonwood is a correct answer although not the one he was looking for.

Well, the first assumption is that Will means cellophane. You also have to consider that cottonwood is not the only source of cellulose for cellophane production.

 

[Anonymous User]

The hints are meaningless and are relevant to the question only as hints pointing to Will's preferred answer.They were not set forth as qualifiers.

Yes they are hints pointing to the answer. They also disqualify other possible species as the correct answer. In these aspects, I believe they are not meaningless at all.

I apoligize if these questions somehow upset anyone.



Will

 

[agraham]

Ah, Mr. Nut,

The cellophane assumption is an educated guess.But it doesn't really matter whether Will meant cellophane or not.

If Will would have asked or stated "The tree I am thinking of is used to make the clear covering on business envelopes.What tree is it?",my answer would probably be incorrect but only because it is not the tree he was thinking of.Since the question was not worded in this or a similar manner, my answer is correct.The question simply asked what North American tree is used in the production of the window in business envelopes.Cellophane is one of the coverings and cottonwood trees(among others) are used in its production.

To take it further,not all window envelopes have a covering.The opening is the window,the covering is the pane.So,if one is willing to accept the absence of material as the window and the fact that without the envelope itself there would be no window,in fact, the surrounding paper creates the window,almost any tree used for the production of paper pulp could be a correct answer.

I am not an English teacher,nor an editor.....but I did stay in a Holiday Inn or some other cheap motel/hotel a couple of months ago .

I'm just funning with you guys.I learned something new about spruce trees yesterday.But then,almost anything with the exception of "blue spruce are my favorite Christmas trees" would be something new for me.

andy

 

[Anonymous User]

Bald Eagles often nest in the Tamarack, Larch, Eastern Larch (Larix laricina)

To prevent water loss by transpiration, which otherwise would occur all winter, the Larch drops all of its needles every fall.

Native Americans have used the larch for dogsled runners, boats, fish traps, toboggans, snowshoes, drums, paddles, duck and goose decoys, and the roots for sewing the edges of birch bark canoes together.

The Europeans used the Larch for ship building and this species is known as "violin wood" in Quebec due to its use in making musical instruments.

As a medicine it was used as a poultice for wounds and skin ailments, the gum was chewed to cure indigestion or kidney and liver problems.

Today it is used for pulp, paper, telephone poles, railroad ties, and as support timbers in mines.

It is also almost exclusively used to make a substance called "Glassine" of which one use is the transparent windows in business envelopes. The process leaves and highly translucent, completely recyclable, wood product that is also used for archival purposes.



Sources:

FEIS On-Line www.fs.fed.us
Bontanica North America - Marjorie Harris
Western Boreal - Johnson et al.

 

[Chris Johnston]

I never wanted to do this in the first place!
I... I wanted to be...

A LUMBERJACK!

(piano vamp)

Leaping from tree to tree! As they float down the mighty rivers of
British Columbia! With my best girl by my side!
The Larch!
The Pine!
The Giant Redwood tree!
The Sequoia!
The Little Whopping Rule Tree!
We'd sing! Sing! Sing!

Oh, I'm a lumberjack, and I'm okay,
I sleep all night and I work all day.
CHORUS: He's a lumberjack, and he's okay,
He sleeps all night and he works all day.

I cut down trees, I eat my lunch,
I go to the lavatory.
On Wednesdays I go shoppin'
And have buttered scones for tea.

Mounties: He cuts down trees, he eats his lunch,
He goes to the lavatory.
On Wednesdays he goes shoppin'
And has buttered scones for tea.

CHORUS

I cut down trees, I skip and jump,
I like to press wild flowers.
I put on women's clothing,
And hang around in bars.

Mounties: He cuts down trees, he skips and jumps,
He likes to press wild flowers.
He puts on women's clothing
And hangs around.... In bars???????

CHORUS

I chop down trees, I wear high heels,
Suspenders and a bra.
I wish I'd been a girlie
Just like my dear papa.

Mounties: He cuts down trees, he wears high heels
Suspenders and a .... a Bra????
(mounties break off song, and begin insulting lumberjack)

Girl: (crying) I thought you were so rugged!

 

[Chris Johnston]

THE LARCH

http://custardsurgery.com/azerbaijan/wp-content/250px-siberian-larch.jpg

 

[bonsaibaka]

Chris,

I'm glad I'm not the only Pythonhead who was thinking...

The LARCH

...when I read Will's post.

Cheers,
Mike