Slash Pine Characteristics 



583 



This is doubtless due to the ability of Slash to tolerate 

 very poor, sandy soils, and also highly acid swamp conditions. 

 The general view concerning the rate of gro-^th of Southern 

 pine forests is based mostly upon that of its most abundant 

 tree, the slow-growing Longleaf pine. While in early life Long- 

 leaf grows fairly rapidly in open second-growth stands, it falls 

 markedly below Slash pine in stock density and in both diam- 

 eter and height growth during a period of 50 years, the probable 

 maximvmi rotation of future stands imder management. 



The Wood 



The structure of the wood, shown in cross section herewith 

 is such as to give it very high commercial value. Even when 



yotmg and fast growing, the tree produces a proportionately wide 

 band of stimmer wood, very dense and resinous, and sharply 

 demarcated from the spring wood of the same season's growth. 

 The disk here shown — the breasthigh section of a 17-year-old 

 tree, 10.7 inches d. b. h. and 61.5 feet high, is composed of 63 per 

 cent of summer wood — a striking amoimt for a tree of such rapid 



