Peeling of Poplar: Cultivars and Forest Stations Effect on Veneer Quality

In order to assess the quality of some new cultivars of poplar introduced in France, ten cultivars (five well known by professional and five promising new ones) coming from 4 different types of forest stations have been sampled. Two logs have been harvested per station and per cultivar. Peeling tests have been then performed on eighty trees: forty peeled in 1.4 mm thick, forty in 3 mm thick. Veneer quality has been evaluated measuring curl-up, surface quality (roughness, woolly surfaces), thickness variation and lathe checking. These tests show that it is absolutely not necessary to adapt peeling parameters to the different cultivars and according their forest stations.