34 WORKING PLAN FOR FOREST LANDS NEAR PINE BLUFF, ARK. 



that under certain conditions it can tolerate a greater amount of shade 

 during youth: where the soil conditions are favorable. Loblolly seed- 

 lings will come up under an amount of shade from the hardwoods 

 which Shortleaf seedlings would not be able to withstand. Neverthe- 

 less, the Loblolly, like the Shortleaf, develops to best advantage under 

 direct, open sunlight. 



When 25 or 3(> years of age this species begins to produce seed 

 abundantly, and. when conditions are favorable, the reproduction is 

 equal if not superior to that of the Shortleaf. Here, again, the young 

 growth flourishes best in old fields, and the thickets and pole forests 

 of Loblolly on such ground are similar in every respect to those 

 described for Shortleaf Pine. The question as to whether Loblolly or 

 Shortleaf will predominate on old fields depends largely on which 

 species the locality is best adapted to. When conditions of soil arc 

 equally favorable to both species the Loblolly will generally win on 

 account of its faster growth. But on very poor, dry ridge land the 

 Shortleaf has the best of it. Very rarely indeed do the two species 

 grow up into a forest where each is equally represented; one or the 

 other will generally predominate largely in the end. 



In the forest the best reproduction of Loblolly Pine is on the pine 

 flats, because on them the mature trees are much more numerous. 

 Here the young growth is usually found in large or small groups. 

 always making for the open spaces, where there are any. The repro- 

 duction is in o-eneral much better than that of Shortleaf. on account of 

 the greater tolerance of the Loblolly, and because of the smaller per- 

 centage of hardwoods in mixture where the reproduction of this species 

 occurs. As might be expected from its greater tolerance, Loblolly 

 gradually gains the upper hand over Shortleaf where the former has 

 an equal chance. It must be remembered, however, that the number 

 of seed-bearing Shortleaf Pine is far greater than that of the Loblolly, 

 and hence the latter species is at a great disadvantage. Nevertheless, 

 the percentage of Loblolly is gradually increasing. 



Ocewrrence. — Loblolly occurs mostly in large groups, although 

 occurrence by single trees is not at all uncommon. These large groups 

 often have the appearance of miniature pure forests, as the percentage 

 of hardwoods in mixture is small. If fire is kept out, the forest of the 

 future should consist of much larger groups, and it can even be 

 expected that over considerable areas the Loblolly will completely 

 supplant the hardwoods and form very valuable stands of pure pine. 



Development. — Lender favorable conditions this species produces a 

 long, straight bole, free from branches to a height of 50 or 60 feet 

 from the ground, and has a thin and irregular crown. Its percentage 

 of sapwood is greater than that of the latter species, as the table 

 following shows. 



