188 THE FORESTS OF ST. MARY'S COUNTY 



(c) The piu-e jDine t3'pe is found invariabh' on the higher situations 

 and on land which has been cleared for fanning purposes. In the cen- 

 tral and northern part of the county, these pure pine forests consist 

 mainly of scrub pine with a mixture of some loblolly in moist situations, 

 while near the Bay shore and in the southern part of the county the 

 loblolly pine occurs in pure stands in old fields and on cut-over land. 



Valuable Commercial Trees. 



Pted Gum. — This species is confined chiefly to moist situations along 

 streams and ponds. It is associated with yellow poplar, willow oak, 

 black ash, beech, and oaks. The less important associates are iron- 

 wood, sour gum, chestnut, and loblolly pine. In a few places it forms 

 pure stands of an acre or more. 



Eed gum is sought largely for veneer and fruit baskets. Several 

 mills in St. Mary's County have been cutting red gum exclusively for 

 some time. The bulk of red gum timber has, however, been harvested, 

 and the demand is such that the timber is cut at a diameter of 8 inches 

 on the stump. 



In the meadows or in open places in the forest, where the underbrush 

 is sparse or lacking, seedlings of red gum come up in pure stands. It 

 requires abundant light in early youth, and considerable soil moisture, 

 but with the necessary light and moisture it thrives equally well on sandy 

 loam or clay. 



Yellow Poplar. — The general soil and moisture requirements of the 

 yellow poplar are very similar to those of red ginn, with which it is 

 commonly associated. This species was the first to be cut for building 

 purposes, and at the present time there is very little mature yellow 

 poplar remaining. The demand for this wood for paper pulp is con- 

 stantly increasing. Along the streams there is some reproduction, but 

 the less important species crowd it out. The young seedlings cannot en- 

 dure shade, and, therefore, cannot grow up in locations where the ground 

 is covered with a dense growth of weed trees. Sprouts grow from the 

 stump but they very seldom become trees. Seeds are produced every 

 year, but only a small percentage of them are fertile. Young trees 



