48 TIMBER PINES OF THE SOUTHERN UNITED STATES. 



fashion, into long, narrow strips three-fourths of an inch thick, whicli are subsequently steamed 

 and rolled in small bundles to make a convenient package for shipment. The knots, limbs, roots — 

 particularly "fat," i. e., highly charged with resin— are used in the making of tar. 



Charcoal burninf/.—Wheia a market is found the trees left standing, after the removal of the 

 larger timber fit for sawlogs, are burned for charcoal. This industry is carried on to a greater or 

 less extent in the mineral regions to siipi)ly the blast furnaces operated for tlie manufacture of 

 charcoal iron. Large areas of the forests of the Loiigleaf, covering the hills in north Alabama, 

 have been entirely denuded of their tree (iovering to meet the demands for such purpose. 



Fuel ralite. — The airdry wood of the Longleaf Pine is much esteemed for fuel; containing but 

 asnuill percentage of ash — not ovcr0.1!5 per cent — with a small amount of water, ami a dense and 

 close fiber, as indicated by its high specific gravity, its fuel value is necessarily high. Being also 

 easily intiammalde, it is preferred where quick and intense beat is required, as, for instance, in 

 bakeries, brick kilns, potteries, etc., and in the raising of steam for stationary engines on steam- 

 boats and railroad locomotives throughout the pine region, where mineral coal can not be cheaply 

 obtained. 



liESlNorS PRODUCTS OF THE LONGLEAF PINE. 



It can safely be asserted that among the trees of the same order there is found no other 

 equally rich iu resin. The manufacture of naval stores from the resin of the Longleaf Pine forms 

 one of the most widely deveh)ped industries in the pine forests of the coast pine belt of the South- 

 ern States, and is scarcely less important than the manufacture of its lumber. A full account 

 of these industries will be found iu the accompanying appendix. Concerning the manufacture of 

 tar, pitch, tar oils, and other products of destructive distillation of the wood and of rosin oil, see 

 the Report of the Chief of Forestry, 18'.t2, page 350, etc. 



PItODUCTS OliTAINEI) FROM THE LEAVES OF LONGLEAF PINE. 



The green leaves of the tree furnish by distillation an essential oil of balsamic odor closely 

 resembling spirits of turpentine. The so-called ])ine wool is made from their cellular tissue, being 

 treated with a strong alkaline solution at boiling heat, the remaining fiber being cleaned and 

 carded. Tliis i)ine wool is used in upholstery, and is said to be of value as an antiseptic dressing 

 for wounds. Of late years it is manufactured into various kinds of textile fabrics. One fal)ric 

 is a carpet \vhu;h resembles cocoa matting somewhat, but is closely woven and is naturally of a 

 lich-brown color and very durable. This industry, only recently established, has already met 

 such success that the manufacturers have added twenty nine looms to their work. 



NOMENCLATURE AND CLASSIFICATION. 



This tree was first described by Miller in the year 1768 under the name of Pinus palustrin. 

 The younger Michanx substituted for it the more approi)rmte one of rinus (iitstralis, under which 

 name it was descril)ed by succeeding writers and generally known to botanists of recent date. 

 To satisfy the law of priority, the name given by Michaux h.is recently been dropi)ed and the old 

 one reinstated, iu the Catalogue of North American L\u-est Trees,' published in the ninth volume 

 of the census reports of 18S0. (See vernacular nomenclature in introduction.) 



BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION AND MOUPIIOLOGY. 



Leaves three, in a long light-colored sheath; commonly from 9 to l.S (sometimes 14 to 15) inches long; of a bright 

 green color and closely set in bnish-liko clusters at the ends of the stout branches. Cones largo, dark tan colored, l> to 

 sometimes S inches long and 2 to 2i inches in diameter when closed, .5 to (i inches when ()i)eu; scales abont 2 inches 

 long and one-half to 1 inch wide— ratlicr uniform in wi<lth — sonu'what thickeind at the ends, and bearing a rather 

 d(dicut<- incurved )irickh); sc<'il large, sliglitly triangular, threo-eiglLths to seven sixteenths of an inch long ami one- 

 fourth of an inch wide; often with two or three longituiliual ridges on oiu^ face; whitish, with few or ahuinlant 

 brown specks; wing H to 2 inches long and of a glossy l)r()wni8h to (leip ])ur|)le-brown color. 



The most conspicuous and distinguishing feature of this species is the silvery thick terminal 

 bud, or rather the bud like clusters of the young leaves inclosed in their finely fringed subtending 

 scales. Its branches -.nv rougii, covered with the bases of the imbricated leaf scales, the elongated 

 silvery fringes having fallen oif. 



'A catalogue of North .\merican Forest Trees, exclusive of Mexico, by C. S. Sargent. 



