Jim, I was gone a bit to Oklahoma to buy a used truck outside our rust belt,
what a difference! I read the archives on timber and can only add from my
contact with high end woodworkers that pear is #1. But this is generally
European pear, and sometimes quite large. Perhaps there are old wild pear
groves in Europe somewhere? I'd be amazed if there is a walnut that could
produce worthwhile lumber in your climate in one persons' lifetime. The
prunus species produce some of the most colorfully decorative wood, but many
have a proclivity to a war between the sapwood and heartwood when drying.
But with the explosion in woodturning interest, small colorful trees have
good promise.
Oklahomans told me that when the area around Oklahoma City was settled lots
of orchards were planted, but nearly none now - because of the areas'
tendency to extreme temp swings, interesting.
Minus 20 a week ago here and water running everywhere today, Del