108 TIMBER PINES OF THE SOUTHERN UNITED STATES. 



distribution of tliis tree in the Southwestern States, to the establishment of its western and 

 northern boundary lines, and to a more general appreciation of its economic iinportauce in its 

 eastern and western range. 



GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION AND ECONOMIC HISTORY. 



Tlie Loblolly Pine extends from the Delaware and Maryland peninsula through lower Virginia 

 to Cape Malabar, in Florida, and all over the Gulf states and southern Arkansas to the (Colorado 

 Eiver in Texas (see PI. XVIII). The northern limit of the Loblolly Pine cau be described by a 

 line drawn from the lower part of Newcastle County, Del., through the District of Columbia, to 

 Petersburg, Va., thence toward middle North Carolina, following in its western course nearly the 

 thirty fifth degree of north latitude to the southern boundary of Tennessee, through southern 

 Arkansas to the southeastern confines of the Indian Territory. Its most western station is an 

 isolated tract of small extent near Bastrop, Tex., the sole and last representative of the Atlantic 

 pines in the Southwest. 



Michaux the younger established the northern limit of the Loblolly I'iue near Predericks- 

 burg, Va., between the liappahannock and Potomac rivers; M. A. Curtis placed it in or close 

 to the District of Columbia. Its occunence in the District was, however, considered doubtful, or 

 merely accidental, until in 1888 it was confirmed by Dr. (ieorge Vasey, who discovered a group of 

 fullgrown trees in the woods near the Iteform School. Mr. William Canby states that he "found 

 in the lower part of Newcastle County, Del , a good many Loblolly Pines, and from the i>oint 

 mentioned it becomes more and more plentiful and widespread in the Delaware-^Iaryland 

 peninsula." 



On the Atlantic; Slope, near its northern limit, the Loblolly Pine occurs most frequently in the 

 flat laiuls of the tidewater districts, forming rarely continuous forests, more frequently less com- 

 pact bodies of timber, associated with the Shortleaf Pine, oaks, and other hard-wood trees. 



In Virginia this tree is not found beyond the northern limit of the Tertiary strata of the coast 

 i-(!gion, and is not met with west of Petersburg and liichmonil. 



In the lower part of this State, as in North Carolina, the Loblolly Pine was formerly found in 

 great perfection and abundance — broad forest belts of Loblolly alternating with forests of Shortleaf 

 ill Michaux's time. The original forests have, however, in a great measure disappeared, and their 

 progeny, of second or third growth, is now depended upcui as the princip;il source of liind)er. 

 On tlic lands exhausted by the earlier planters, and which have been abandoned lor several 

 generations, the timber of this Sap Pine, or Oldfield Pine, lias in many localities attained dimensions 

 and a degree of maturity fitting it lor all i)nrposes for which timber of the original grow Ih is 

 employed. This imi)ortaiit fact is confirmed by parties engaged in the lumber Inisiness in south- 

 eastern Virginia and in eastern North Carolina. 



From infiiiiiiation received it is evident that in these parts the second growth of Loblolly IMne 

 is chietly de[)end('(l upon for the manul'aetnre of lumber. It is, however, to be ]>resuiiied that the 

 Shortleaf Pine contributes not a small |)ait of the timber supply. Both of these trees are known 

 by tli(\ inhabitants as Shortleaf, or Sliortstraw, I'iiie, and their timber is sawn indiscriminately; the 

 juoport ions of the lumber of either reaching the markets can therefore not be determined. Mi'. 

 Joseph Allard, jr., of Itichmond, reports that most of the Virginia Pine is Loblolly Pine, and that 

 every fifty years will piodnce trees large enough for sawlogs, three to each tree, avei'aging K! feet 

 ill length. Mr. Sparrow, of Brooke, Stallbrd County, states that the pine of this eounty, and in 

 Caroline County, is almost entirely of the Oldfield IMne (Loblolly Pine), and that in the latter Irom 

 thirty to forty sawmills are cutting this pine. ^lessrs. .1. E. and Edward K'ogers, from Sutlolk 

 County, each remark that "large <iuantities of lumber are manufactured from Oldliehl rine, which 

 is fast taking the place of Yellow Pine (Piiiiis ccIiiiMta), the latter having been used np by the 

 sawmills in this section.'' The young timber is, according to the same accounts, cut into Joists, 

 uprights, and other square stuff for framing; the best ([uality is selected for flooring, ceiling, and 

 other insid(! linisli, fli(^ lumber being sold under the name of Virginia Pine in tlie markets of 

 VN'ashington, Baltimore, and I'hiladeliphia. 



On the coast of southern Virginia the Loblolly I'ine Ibrms about 75 percent of the timber 

 standing. According to all accounts the original growth is rapidly disappearing, but the exceed- 



