Slash Pine Characteristics 587 



profit of over 8 per cent compound interest on the investment of 

 $5 per acre in land. Thus it appears that Slash pine stands, even 

 though imderstocked from the standpoint of turpentine cups per 

 acre (as in this case) and given complete fire protection, yield very- 

 satisfactory returns in less than 20 years. 



Young stands should be operated under methods which con- 

 serve their productive capacity for crude turpentine, such for 

 example as those used by the French. In this manner they can 

 be profitably worked from the time they reach the age of 15 to 20 

 years, during a period of 30 to 50 years or more. Under such 

 management the density would be regiilated for the development 

 of medium sized trees with thrifty crowns, and necessary thinnings 

 would be brought about by means of heavy and profitable cupping 

 before cutting the timber product. This advantage can hardly 

 be overemphasized in considering the profitableness of growing 

 Slash pine under forest management. 



It is very doubtful if any other North American conifer com- 

 bines silvicultural and economic qualities of an equal value. In 

 addition to prolific seed production, high tolerance, very rapid 

 growth, and adaptability for utilizing the poorest, sandy soils and 

 very poorly drained lands, Slash pine holds the distinction of pro- 

 ducing the heaviest and strongest coniferous wood in the country 

 and a larger yield and better grade of crude turpentine than Long- 

 leaf pine. Released from its original confinement, iinder the 

 newly created favorable conditions, the species has spread widely 

 over adjacent lands, showing its inherent ability to adapt itself 

 to a wide range of environment. In the course of the general 

 economic development well under way, several Southern States, 

 particularly Georgia and Florida, have a splendid opportunity 

 for profitably utilizing their hundreds of thousands of acres 

 of poor sandy "barren" lands by acquiring and handling them for 

 turpentine products and timber from second-growth Slash pine 

 stands. The facts acquired thus far point strongly to the profitable- 

 ness for private capital of this form of investment on low-priced 

 lands. 



