Gentle reminder that a discussion of fruit trees is not on topic for this thread. If someone wonders later 'where did we discuss apple orchards in Silm Film'? , they may not think to look in the thread on 'The Making of Paper.'
Horses among the Noldor in Silm Film have thus far been handled as in the published Silmarillion. For further discussion of that topic, go to the thread for talking about horses in Silm Film:
https://forums.signumuniversity.org/index.php?threads/horses.3189/#post-38697
Yes, it has been discussed on the podcast that we should show cultivated fields in Gondolin. It is okay to show them in other places as well. There are indeed cultivated fields shown in Dorthonion in the Season 6 Episode 1 script, when Barahir's band of outlaws rescues the thralls.
Correct, cows and oxen appear in Tolkien's stories. The wild kine of Araw appear in
Lord of the Rings as well, though these are more rightly the aurochs. Aurochs make an appearance in Season 5 of Silm Film, living in the river areas of Brethil. I am not aware of aurochs hide being used for parchment, though I suppose it could be. Still, probably not relevant to this discussion. The Noldor crossing the Helcaraxë have oxen with them in Silm Film.
Interesting. We never see elves do any chemistry in Tolkien, but if they do in our story, it would be nice to have the differences of their approach preserved.
We do, though.
Miruvor, the cordial of Imladris, is a liquor, and thus made by distillation (likely using honey mead as a starting ingredient).
How do you think you make an artificial gem? Fëanor created a new substance,
silima, to make the Silmarils. I am fine with that being alchemy and involving a good deal of magic, but in Tolkien's time, artificial gems were created by chemistry.
For further reading:
A synthetic gem material is one that is made in a laboratory, but which shares virtually all chemical, optical, and physical characteristics of its natural mineral counterpart, though in some cases, namely synthetic turquoise and synthetic opal, additional compounds can be present.
www.gia.edu
Fëanorian lamps likewise reveal some rather advanced material science in their components:
But little lanterns of lucent crystal
and silver cold with subtlest cunning
they strangely fashioned, and steadfast a flame
burnt unblinking there blue and pale,
unquenched for ever. The craft that lit them
was the jewel-makers' most jealous secret.
Not Morgoth's might, nor meed nor torment
them vowed, availed to reveal that lore;
yet lights and lamps of living radiance,
many and magical, they made for him.
No dark could dim them the deeps wandering;
whose lode they lit was lost seldom
in groundless grot, or gulfs far under.
—The Lay of the Children of Húrin, II. Beleg, vv. 787-799
So, yes, the Noldor at least are chemists in some fashion as depicted in the source material. They are certainly knowledgeable enough to make their own soaps, paper, and tanned hides.