THE FOREST FROM A SILVIOULTURAL STANDPOINT. 



19 



The following table shows the composition of the forest: 



Table No. 6. — Average number of trees per acre, percentage in mixture, and average 

 diameters fcr the most important species, for trees 12 inches and over in diameter. 



PINE RIDGE. 



[Average of 1,516 acres.] 



Name of species. 



Shortleaf Pine 



Loblolly Pine 



White Oak 



Post Oak 



Gum 



Spanish Oak 



Black Oak 



Hickory 



Other species 



All species 



All species except pine. 



Pine 



Pine forms a little more than 50 per cent of the total stand, and 

 Shortleaf is more than twice as abundant as Loblolly. 



In this type of forest the pines, both Shortleaf and Loblolly, occur 

 either in very small groups or scattered about by single trees; more 

 commonly the latter. They tower high above the crowns of the hard- 

 woods, forming a kind of second story over the oaks, gums, hickories, 

 etc., which occur by single trees, quite evenly distributed. Under the 

 old hardwoods is a growth of hardwood saplings and poles, intermixed 

 with Shortleaf and Loblolly Pine. This undergrowth is found both in 

 large and small groups and scattered openly and irregularly, while 

 over large areas it is entirely absent, leaving the ground clear and bare 

 under the mature trees. Shortleaf and Loblolly Pine seedlings are 

 exceedingly scarce in this type of forest, owing principally to the 

 frequent ground fires, and also to the fact that they will not flourish 

 under too great a shade from the hardwoods. 



When a forest is lumbered for all merchantable pine down to 14 

 inches in diameter at the stump very few hardwoods are cut, and the 

 hardwood forest remains practically intact upon the lumbered area. 

 The forest then consists Of a few mature pines which were too unsound 

 to cut, the original stand of young and middle-aged pine under L4 inches 

 in diameter, and an open growth of mature and middle-aged hardwoods. 

 Scattered groups of hardwood saplings mixed with pine form the 

 undergrowth, generally much injured by the logging. The removal 

 of the mature pine has admitted light to the ground and fitted it for 

 the germination of seed, while the seed-bearing capacity of the remain- 

 ing trees is increased by the addition of light and room. 



