PERIOD OF SLOW GROWTH. 



59 



Table III. — Measiiremenis of Longleaf Pine — period of slowest growth from two hvndred to two It nndred and sixty-six years. 



The following table and diagram (fig. S) pre.seiit the average results of a detailed .study of over 

 sixty trees collected in ditferent localities. Since only the part of the sleni from stump upward is 

 repre.seiited, the seedling jieriod of slow growth liiids no expression. It will be observed tliat the 

 growth in height is a maximum between the age of ten and tliiity years, amounting; to It feet for 

 each decade; that it is but half of this at sixty and little over one-third at the age of one hundred 

 years. As plainly indicated in the tine, uniform grain of the wood, the growth in diameter is 

 remarkably uniform until the tree reaches the age of about one hundred years. From this on it 

 decreases ra])idly and is scarcely more than one-fourth as great at one liundrcd and eighty as it 

 is at one hundred. Tlie rate of growth in volume increases steadily up to the one luindredth year, 

 reaching a maximum of over 1.2 cubic feet per year, but decreases, though very slowly, from that 

 time forward, being only about one-half cubic foot per year when the tree reaches the age of one 

 hundred and eighty years. 



Half of groirth of LonijJeaf Pine. 



