Tree Identification

[matt_aggie04]

When I am in the woods I spend alot of time looking at the plants and trees and wish I knew more about their names and how to ID them.  I found a leaf while hunting not long ago and after a little searching found out it was a Chestnut or Swamp Oak.  I found this link which I thought was good to help ID trees.  If such a thing interests you here ya go.....
http://texastreeplanting.tamu.edu/ViewAllTrees.aspx

[Wmwendler]

Matt.....That's a good one I did not know about.

 try plants.usda.gov . You can find out allot info about plants like, range by county, soil type preference ect.  Although the range is not always 100% accurate or comlete there are plants in spots that are not included in the range.  Just be sure when you search to change from the sceintific name to common name.

Waylon

[Bump]

You should have spent more time in the Animal Industries building. 

It was real fun learning how to key plants.   

[matt_aggie04]

I think if I were to go back today I would get my degree in something different then I did for sure.  Ag Systems Mngmt is not bad but I had a friend get a minor in rangland ecology and though all that memorization would have sucked back then it would be handy now.  I am just living vicariously through my cousin now, he got a degree in Ag Business and is at A&M Kingsville getting his masters in Ranch Mngmt.  His brother who is younger then me has his masters in mathmatics and will have his PHD in 2010.  I just stare at plants and wonder why I got the short end of the gene pool haha

[Bump]

I have a Rangeland Ecology and Management  degree.....in 2004.

Who is your friend?

[matt_aggie04]

Nathan Blackwelder, he was real good guy from the Liberty area and a triplet, him and his two other brothers all went to A&M at the same time (felt sorry for his folks  ).  Worked with him for the school and went to school with him for four years.  We worked for the Ag Engineering Dept and we spent most all of our time in the metal fabrication shop on West Campus building stuff for professors or running a tractor at the farm on HWY 60 and the Brazos River.  Those were some good times...

[Bump]

Name sounds familiar but dont guess I know him. Thought maybe we could have had some classes together.

[sfboarbuster]

Those scientific names can be a b###h. Im working on my turfgrass management degree and have to take a plant identification class, its a real pita.
It makes you sound smart though when you use the scientific names..HAHAHAHA

[matt_aggie04]

Part of my job in college was working for Dr. White on his tuf grass project and a guy by the name of Brandon McDonald.  It was Brandon's grad project, we studied the effects of using dairy manure as a fertilizer for the ever growing turf grass industry.  It was pretty interesting stuff.  A man with a hundred acres, a large water well and good tractor can make a pretty decent living just growing turf grass.

[sfboarbuster]

Well at least you could 5 years ago. I know of a couple turf farms that went under not too long ago. Even King Ranch Sod down here is having a real tough time.
But that is pretty much what i am trying to get into, I was in the golf course side of it for a while. Worked at some really high end golf courses down in palm beach but got tired of dealing with the old rich snowbird types