SILVICULTURAL NOTES. 37 



of affording; the largest returns in the future should be favored in every 

 way possible. 



The only advantage which the Shortleaf possesses over the Loblolly 

 Pine is that at the present time Shortleaf Pine lumber commands a 

 slightly higher price than Loblolly, owing principally to the greater 

 amount of sapwood in the Loblolly. On the other hand, the Loblolly 

 has the following great advantages over the Shortleaf: 



(1) The reproduction is easier to obtain, because Loblolly endures 

 more shade during extreme youth and so has a better chance in the 

 struggle with the hardwoods. 



(2) The rate of growth of Loblolly is much more rapid than that 

 of Shortleaf; hence it produces a given amount of timber in a much 

 shorter time. 



(3) Wherever Loblolly becomes firmly established the forest growth 

 tends to be more dense and more nearly" a pure pine forest than with 

 Shortleaf. The stand per acre is therefore greater. 



These advantages of the Loblolly outweigh the slight superiority 

 in the wood of the Shortleaf, and it would be advisable, therefore, to 

 favor the former species in every possible way. This can be done by 

 using care in the selection of trees to be left standing for seed pur- 

 poses. Wherever feasible, Loblolly should be left in preference to 

 Shortleaf. Great care is necessary, however, in selecting the trees to 

 be left, as much depends upon the nature of the locality. In some 

 situations the Shortleaf would develop to much better advantage than 

 the Loblolly. In such cases Loblolly should not be favored. 



Cow Oak {Quercus michauxii Nutt.). 



Sit nut io„. — This species occurs only in the hardwood bottom type. 

 In these bottom lands the important point is whether the various spe- 

 cies occupy the lower or the higher levels, the moist or wet, or the 

 relatively dryer soils. Cow Oak always occurs on the slight eleva- 

 tions and invariably shuns the depressions, showing that it is not 

 suited to an excess of moisture in the soil. 



Soil.— Ho variation exists in the composition of the soil of these 

 bottom lands, and all the species flourish alike on the deep, fresh or 

 moist compact loam. 



Tolerance and reproduction. — In common with the other oaks, the 

 Cow Oak is very intolerant of shade and requires full light for devel- 

 opment during its entire life. Reproduction of this species is exceed- 

 ingly scanty, and not likely to be increased by lumbering, for in spite 

 of the favorable conditions of light which would be created it is 

 improbable that the seedlings could withstand the dense growth of 

 cane and the frequent floods. 



Occurrence. Cow Oak is one of the most common as well as the 

 most valuable species of the bottoms,' and occurs by single tree- evenly 



