That wood is used a lot in traditional bow making!Monkey Brain!
Otherwise known as Osage Orange. My son searched them out to make traditional bow grips with the beautiful wood.
http://usfwspacific.tumblr.com/post/74220179371/history-and-mystery-of-the-monkey-brain-tree
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maclura_pomifera
Yup, Osage orange (aka bois’d’arc). It’s about the most rot resistant species that grows domestically. Hard to find large straight logs though. It usused to be planted a lot along fence lines to serve as a hedge.
No thorns on it.
Was it just planted in tight rows?
I may grab a few brains to attempt a 5 gallon bucket planting.
You sure about no thorns? We use it as hedge between fields. Can’t drive a truck in the area as the thorns on down branches will puncture the tires, tractor does well.