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hedge apple ash

updated mon 7 aug 00

 

LOWELL BAKER on fri 4 aug 00


Now that we are approaching fall, at least in some parts of the
country. Let me offer the following. The ash from the common
Hedge Apple (Bois d'arc, Osage Orange, Horse Apple, not road
apple) makes an astoundingly beautiful glaze. Simply place one
of these sometimes smelly fruit on or in a piece and fire to cone
ten.

I am not kidding about this, which may be hard for some of you to
believe. This is not the object found behind most Equines, but the
fruit from a real tree that grows in many parts of the US. Just try it.
It makes a sunburst of reds, golds and oranges.

If any of you know the fruit by other names you might add that to
the list. The wood of this tree is very hard and heavy. It has a
beautifully silky lusterous yellow color which turns to gold with age.

Lowell

Bill Aycock on fri 4 aug 00


Lowell- in Louisiana, the name is given as "Beau d'Arc", pronounced as
Bowdarc, and supposedly comes from the french for "good bow". I have seen
several bows of the traditional form made from this wood, MANY years ago.
THe FRench claimed it was superior (they would!) to the English Yew, for
bows. ( But- they lost the battles where this was put to the test.).

It is beautiful wood. Glad to know the glaze potential for the fruit.. They
are very slow growing trees, so -- Please -- use the "apples" not the wood.

Bill- Who has planted one (1) very small tree of this kind, just to the
southwest of the house on Persimmon Hill.

At 01:04 PM 8/4/00 CST6CDT, you wrote:
>Now that we are approaching fall, at least in some parts of the
>country. Let me offer the following. The ash from the common
>Hedge Apple (Bois d'arc, Osage Orange, Horse Apple, not road
>apple) makes an astoundingly beautiful glaze.
>
>Lowell
>
>___________________________________________________________________________
___
>
>
-
Bill Aycock --- Persimmon Hill
Woodville, Alabama, US 35776
(in the N.E. corner of the State)
W4BSG -- Grid EM64vr
baycock@HiWAAY.net
w4bsg@arrl.net

Paul Lewing on fri 4 aug 00


LOWELL BAKER wrote:
>
> Now that we are approaching fall, at least in some parts of the
> country. Let me offer the following. The ash from the common
> Hedge Apple (Bois d'arc, Osage Orange, Horse Apple, not road
> apple) makes an astoundingly beautiful glaze. Simply place one
> of these sometimes smelly fruit on or in a piece and fire to cone
> ten.
>
> I am not kidding about this, which may be hard for some of you to
> believe. This is not the object found behind most Equines, but the
> fruit from a real tree that grows in many parts of the US. Just try it.
> It makes a sunburst of reds, golds and oranges.

This is something that Dave Shaner used to do quite frequently back
about 20 years ago. He made these large unglazed plates, just a very
heavy thick square slab, really, did a little iron brushwork on them,
and strategically placed an osage orange. They almost looked like
landscapes with the sun going down. Gorgeous!
Paul Lewing, Seattle

Martin Howard on sat 5 aug 00


Can anyone give us Brits the Latin name of this plant?
Your names given so far are not known here, but we might have the plant
in hedges or even cultivated.

Martin Howard
Webb's Cottage Pottery
Woolpits Road, Great Saling
BRAINTREE, Essex CM7 5DZ
England
martin@webbscottage.co.uk

Millie Carpenter on sat 5 aug 00


Lowell,

one of the benefits of insomnia is that I find myself pursuing information that I
would never think to do. not being sure of what a hedge apple was, I went looking
for a picture, and found a number of sites. I think that you need to contact the
first one, facts and myths about the hedge apple and let the author know of this
new use, it is no more bizzare than some of its other suggested uses.

http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews/1997/10-10-1997/hedgeapple.html

the second site is for anyone who wants to try Lowell's idea out but don't have
access to a hedge apple, they sell the things, as Cockroach Repellent !!!

http://hedgeapple.com/

Millie in Md where it is still raining, and still humid, and I am fighting with
the cats about space in front of the air-conditioning ;-)

LOWELL BAKER wrote:

> Now that we are approaching fall, at least in some parts of the
> country. Let me offer the following. The ash from the common
> Hedge Apple (Bois d'arc, Osage Orange, Horse Apple, not road
> apple) makes an astoundingly beautiful glaze. Simply place one
> of these sometimes smelly fruit on or in a piece and fire to cone
> ten.
>

Peg Landham on sat 5 aug 00


Martin,

The hedge apple is a mulberry cousin, genus-species: Maclura pomifera. Happy
apple-hunting!

Peg Landham

Wesley C. Rolley on sat 5 aug 00


At 08:36 AM 8/5/00 +0100, you wrote:
>Can anyone give us Brits the Latin name of this plant?
>Your names given so far are not known here, but we might have the plant
>in hedges or even cultivated.

Martin,
It is Maclura pomifera. The wood is sold as a "USA exotic" at
http://woodworkerssource.woodmall.com/woodworkerssource/osageorange.html

I remember that, as a kid in rural Illinois, I would heave the sticky,
soft-ball sized fruit at any moving target I saw.

Wes Rolley

Dannon Rhudy on sat 5 aug 00


.... The ash from the common
>Hedge Apple (Bois d'arc, Osage Orange, Horse Apple. makes an astoundingly
beautiful glaze......

I second what Lowell has said. I've tried this, and it does
indeed make an astounding ash-type glaze. Brilliant on
porcelain, more subdued on stoneware, but beautiful in either
case.

I always knew that as "hedge apple" in the midwest. In Texas
it is known as Bois d'arc (bow dark, here). A woodworker at
the Appalachian Craft Center made a couple of tools for me
from Bois d'arc while I was there - beautiful.

regards

Dannon Rhudy




Simply place one
>of these sometimes smelly fruit on or in a piece and fire to cone
>ten.
>
>I am not kidding about this, which may be hard for some of you to
>believe. This is not the object found behind most Equines, but the
>fruit from a real tree that grows in many parts of the US. Just try it.
> It makes a sunburst of reds, golds and oranges.
>
>If any of you know the fruit by other names you might add that to
>the list. The wood of this tree is very hard and heavy. It has a
>beautifully silky lusterous yellow color which turns to gold with age.
>
>Lowell
>
>___________________________________________________________________________
___
>Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
>You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
>settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
>Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
>

JIMV062@AOL.COM on sat 5 aug 00


I think you are talking about a "Bois d'arc" tree. It has a large green
fruit that has a rough outer texture.. a lot like a orage peel affect..but
rougher. It is also called a Osage Orange, Horse apple, and Hedge apple...
If we are talking about the same tree, and i think we are, the latin name is
MACLURA POMIFERA. Hope this helps...

Jim in Dallas..... Dear
Lord please let it rain..not for me, but for my son.. i've seen rain, but he
is only seven.......!!

Janet Kaiser on sat 5 aug 00


Dear Martin

If it is what I think it is... A large fruit near the
size of a small melon with nobbly skin. It that right
Y'awl down south? The colour makes it look like some
sort of a citrus fruit with acne. Right? If I am right,
I do not believe that this fruit would grow in the UK
outside Kew Gardens. To my (limited) knowledge, it does
not even grow in the north of the USA or Canada.

Janet Kaiser
The Chapel of Art . Capel Celfyddyd
HOME OF THE INTERNATIONAL POTTERS' PATH
Criccieth LL52 0EA, GB-Wales Tel: (01766) 523570
E-mail: postbox@the-coa.org.uk
WEBSITE: http://www.the-coa.org.uk

----- Original Message -----
From: Martin Howard
To:
Sent: 05 August 2000 08:36
Subject: Re: Hedge Apple Ash


> Can anyone give us Brits the Latin name of this
plant?
> Your names given so far are not known here, but we
might have the plant
> in hedges or even cultivated.
>
> Martin Howard

Cheryl L Litman on sun 6 aug 00


Read once that this tree is found all across the US because it was
planted along wagon train routes. The wood is easily bent to form wheels
so the trees were seeded so repairs could be made en route.

Cheryl Litman ---------- Somerset, NJ --------- email:
cheryllitman@juno.com


On Sat, 5 Aug 2000 10:54:25 -0500 Dannon Rhudy
writes:
> .... The ash from the common
> >Hedge Apple (Bois d'arc, Osage Orange, Horse Apple. makes an
> astoundingly
> beautiful glaze......
>
> I second what Lowell has said. I've tried this, and it does
> indeed make an astounding ash-type glaze. Brilliant on
> porcelain, more subdued on stoneware, but beautiful in either
> case.
>
> I always knew that as "hedge apple" in the midwest. In Texas
> it is known as Bois d'arc (bow dark, here). A woodworker at
> the Appalachian Craft Center made a couple of tools for me
> from Bois d'arc while I was there - beautiful.
>
> regards
>
> Dannon Rhudy
>
>
>
>
> Simply place one
> >of these sometimes smelly fruit on or in a piece and fire to cone
> >ten.
> >
> >I am not kidding about this, which may be hard for some of you to
> >believe. This is not the object found behind most Equines, but the
> >fruit from a real tree that grows in many parts of the US. Just
> try it.
> > It makes a sunburst of reds, golds and oranges.
> >
> >If any of you know the fruit by other names you might add that to
> >the list. The wood of this tree is very hard and heavy. It has a
> >beautifully silky lusterous yellow color which turns to gold with
> age.
> >
> >Lowell
> >
>
>________________________________________________________________________
___
> ___
> >Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
> >
> >You may look at the archives for the list or change your
> subscription
> >settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
> >
> >Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
> melpots@pclink.com.
> >
>
>
_________________________________________________________________________
_____
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your
> subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
> melpots@pclink.com.

Cheryl Litman ---------- Somerset, NJ --------- email:
cheryllitman@juno.com