EARLY GROWTH OF LOBLOLLY PINE. 



119 



the tree attains a height of 10 feet, and with the close of the first decade trees are found 12 to 16 

 feet high and from 'J-| to 3 inches in diameter. Some trees begin to mature their first cones by the 

 tentli year. 



The above measurements were made in 1890 in the vicinity of Cullman, Ala., on trees taken 

 indiscriminately from the midst and near the border of a dense pine thicket covering a field plowed 

 for tlie last time in 1882, and from an adjoining opening in the forest protected from fire and but 

 rarely used for pasture. 



According to a number of measurements made of trees in the southern Atlantic States, the 

 Gulf region, and southern Arkansas, the Loblolly Pine reaches at the tentli year, on the average, 

 a height of 20 feet, donbling this height during the sncceeding decade. During this period of 

 quickest growth the increase in height proceeds at the rate of 2 feet per annum, and trees twenty 

 years old average 44 inches in diameter breast high. At the age of fifty years the trees are from 

 05 to 7.") feet in height (average about 70 feet) and 15 inches in diameter breast high. The annual 

 increase for this ix-riod of thirty years is about 1 foot in height and 0.35 inch in diameter. From 

 numerous observatious it appears that the Loblolly Pine attains the fullness of its growth at the 

 age of one hundred years, with a height, on the average, of 110 feet aiul a diameter breast high 

 of 2 feet, the length of merchantable timber varyiug between 50 and 00 feet. The annual rate of 

 height growth during the second half century is about eight-tenths of a foot, and the diameter 

 growth eighteen one hundredths of an inch. Henceforth the growth in height remains almost 

 stati((nary. A dozen trees from one hundred to one hundred and fifty years old were found to 

 vary from 99 to 125 feet in height, with a length of trunk free from limbs of from (iO to 08 feet and 

 from 19 to 27 inches in diameter at breast height. 



From the annexed tabulated records of growth it becomes evident that under similar conditions 

 of soil and exposure the rate of increase for the various stages of growth show but slight differences 

 in localities widely distant from each other. 



Table I. — Growth from Jive to fifty years. 



No. of tree. 



No. of 

 rings. 



Diameter IHeight to Total 

 (breastliigh). first limb, height. 



Locality. 



Remarks. 



1... 

 2.. 

 3... 

 4... 

 5... 

 6... 

 7... 

 8... 

 9... 

 10. 

 224, 

 12- 

 13. 

 223 

 1H9 

 271 

 222 

 148 

 272 

 221 

 222 

 219 

 220 

 221 

 270 

 146 

 269 

 267 

 268, 

 187, 

 144 

 145, 

 266, 



143 

 14. 



10 

 11 

 12 

 12 

 12 

 13 

 13 

 14 

 14 

 14 

 15 

 16 

 17 

 18 

 20 

 21 

 26 

 22 

 22 

 24 

 24 

 32 

 32 

 35 



48 

 44 



16 

 15 



7.- 

 10 

 13 

 13 

 10 



8 



7 



12 

 13 

 16 

 17 

 28 

 22 

 28 

 32 

 25 

 17 

 30 

 38 

 36 

 51 



30 

 33 



Feet. 



5ft 



4 

 10 



7 



8f^ 

 10 

 12 

 13 r", 

 12 ft 

 18 

 23 

 20 

 24 

 21 

 19 

 20 

 25 

 21 

 21 

 35 

 30 

 39 

 43 

 33 

 15 

 33 

 43 

 55 

 39 

 47 

 55 

 56 

 77 



66 

 68 



) Cullman, Ala ., 



...-do 



-...do 



...do 



Wliiatler. A!a. 



Culliiiau, Ala . 



...do 



....do 



...do 



---.do 



....do 



...do 



....do 



Whistler, Ala. 



Gurdon, Ark. . 

 1 Eastm.an, Ga.. 

 j Whistler, Ala. 

 1 Ea.stnian, Ga. . 

 I Giirdon, Ark.. 



Whistler, Ala. 



do 



do 



do 



do 



Eastman. Ga. ., 



Gurdon, Ark. . 



Eastmau, Ga. ., 



do 



do 



Gurdon. Ark. . 



do 



do 



Eastman, Ga. .. 



Gurdon, Ark. . . 

 Stockton, Ala.. 



Clearing nuule for pasture in 1879; dense pine thicket. 



Do. 



Do. 



Do. 

 Edge of swampy hnmraock. 

 Clearing, dense pine thicket. 



Do. 



Do. 



Do. 



Do. 



Do. 



Do. 



Do. 

 Edge (»f hummock. 

 ( )peu forest ; exposure free. 



Do. 

 Edge of hummock; slightly oppressed; partially covered. 

 Opening in forest; un<ler cover; fresh soil. 

 Opening in forest; exposure free; d:imp soil. 

 On gentle decline ; opening in forest ; soil fresh. 



Do. 

 Natural opening near swamp; soil damp. 



Do. 

 Oppressed. 



Natural opening in forest; under cover. 

 Natural opening in forest; exposure free. 

 Natural opening in forest; suppressed. 

 Old field; fresh, deep loam; free. 

 Old field; oppressed. 

 In o])en forest; exjiosure free. 

 Open forest; exposure free. 



Do. 

 Old Held ; deep, rich loam ; fresh, young forest trees of similar 



size. 

 Open forest ; soil damp. 



Flat near banks of Tensas Kiver; openforest; exposure free ; 

 March 16, 1888, just past flowering. 



