Slash Pine Characteristics 579 



Rapid Spread in Second-Growth Forests 

 Briefly, Slash pine is the predominating tree in the young forest 

 growth over large areas formerly occupied by Longleaf pine. The 

 region extends from southern South Carolina over the lower 

 third of Georgia, extreme southern Alabama and Mississippi, 

 southeast Louisiana, and extensively over Florida. It consists 

 chiefly of poorly drained, sandy flatlands, but continues into the 

 rolling hills of southern Georgia for a distance of 125 miles from 

 salt water. Localities of high, relatively dry hill land, especially 

 a portion of Florida about Tallahassee and the Florida National 

 Forest, form well marked exceptions in the general spread of Slash 

 pine. Because of the uneven distribution of seed trees and the 

 occurrence of annual fires, the stand of young Slash pine is by no 

 means regular or continuous. 



Loblolly, present chiefly only in botanical importance, is 

 generally confined closely to alluvial soils along stream courses. 

 The Suwanee River is perhaps its locality of greatest abundance in 

 northern Florida. Commercially, Slash and Loblolly meet in a 

 comparatively well defined line. Botanists^ have at various times 

 called attention to the widespread advance of Slash pine, yet the 

 fact has remained generally unknown, 



Silvicultural Qualities 



The silvicultiu*al characteristics of Slash pine which make it a 

 species of high value for forest production under management 

 have been well stated by Dr. Mohr } 



"In its dependence on light it is less exacting than either the 

 Longleaf pine or the Loblolly pine. It appears to thrive, from the 

 earliest stage of its development, as well when partially shaded in 

 the open, in this respect resembling the Southern Spruce pine. It 

 is due to these facts, combined with the rapid progress of its growth 

 from the earliest stage, that the Cuban (Slash) pine is gaining the 

 upper hand over the offspring of the light-requiring Longleaf pine, 

 which, on the damp soil of the coast plain, is soon outstripped and 



* Engelmann, George, "Revision of the Genus Pinus and Description of 

 Pinus Eliottii," Transactions of the St. Louis Academy of Science, Vol. IV, 

 1880. 



Sargent, C. A. "Manual of Trees of North America," under Pinus cart- 

 baea, p. 19. 



* Forest Division, Bulletin No. 13, "Timber Pines of Southern United 

 States." 



