56 TIMUER PINES OF THE SOUTHERN UNITED STATES. 



in tlie iiuncxed tables, exliibitiiig the rate of growtli ot the tree during its most active stage. 

 With tlie increasiiij,' accretion of wood the annual rings become sharply ddined. leaving no doubt 

 as to the age of the tree. 



To make sure as to the relation between the annual rings and the age of the tree, the age of 

 second growth was ascertained by close inquiries directed to settlers who knew the time that had 

 elapsed since this second growth made its api)earance in the abandoned fields or in the forest. 

 In every instance it was found that the number of rings accorded closely with the information 



elicited. 



To ascertain tlie ditVerc-nce in rate of growth and (niality of wood between trees grown upon 

 ground once turned by the plow and those sprung up in the orii^inal fcnest on the same soil, 

 several trees of nearly the same size were felled in what clearly appeared to be the remnant of 

 virgin forest, and in a grove grown up in a field abandoned years ago.' It was made evident 

 that trees in the original forest required almost doable the length of time to attain the same 

 dimension. 



A field covered with sai)lings quite uniform in growth and known to have been thrown out of 

 cultivation during the years 180.3 and 18(i4 afforded a good opportunity for these investigations. 

 A munber of trees, varying in diameter between l(>i and 11 inches, and in height between 45 and 

 .50 feet, showed from .30 to 35 rings of growth. The length of the spring shoots on the main stem 

 of these trees was fimnd (June 8j to be from 21 to 24 inches. 



In another fine grove, covering a field which was known to have been cultivated for the last 

 time during the years 18.35 and 1830, a number of trees were cut down for measurement. The 

 nund)cr of rings was found not to exceed 48. These trees also showed great unil'oniMty in size, 

 measuring near the base IH to 12 inches in diameter and from 08 to 72 feet in height. Thi; wood 

 was sa])py throughout and useless, except for fuel and tor making charcoal. For this jmrpose 

 th(5 land is rented at $4 to $5 per acre. In this grove, ranking as best pine-woods land, tlie soil 

 of wliich was nearly level, well drained, and with a light, loamy subsoil, 110 trees of the above 

 dimensions were counted on 1 a(;re. 



Among the trees taken from the forest for determining the difference between forest growth 

 and field trees, one measuring 12 inches in diameter and 70 feet in height sliowed 85 rings of 

 annual giiiwtli, with 0.] inches of heartwood. Two others, 14 and 15 inches in diameter and 70 

 and 71 feet high, showed 1)0 rings each. The shoots of the year (June 8) on the ]irinnir\ and 

 lateral axes of these trees were found to be but little over 1 inch in length. 



In a third grove, uiion poor, sandy, undulating ground, a nnml)er of trees below medium size 

 were found cut down to serv(^ for posts and logs. In 25 of thes(> trees the diameter varied between 

 7;,' and 8 inches, with a nearly uniform hciglit of 00 to 02 feet, the first lin b being 18 to 20 feet above 

 the ground. The nund)er of rings varied between 48 and 50. The forests in the same vicinity were 

 strijiped of their more valuable timber a number of years before. Tlie largest trees of the original 

 forest growth remaining were from 12 to 15 implies in diameter. Several were brought down for 

 measurement and I'ound to be 73 feet in height by 1 1 inclies in diameter, with 12(5 rings and inches 

 of heartwood; 73 feet in height by 13 inches in diameter, with 04 rings and inches of lieartwood; 

 and 89 feet in height by 14 inches in diameter, with 107 rings and 8 inches of heartwood. 



When the tree has reached its second decade it begins to ])roduce llowers and fruit. Having 

 during tlie course of the following ten to lif'teen years reached a length of from 10 to 45 fe<'t, with 

 tli(! main stem clear of limbs, tlie growth of branches does not ])roeeed with the same regularity; 

 consecinently, they are no longer arranged in regular whorls, but ai)pear irregularly, and thus the 

 symmetry of the tree is lost. 



' On the TolliDg pine uplamls near spring; Hill. Mobile County. 



