190 THE FORESTS OF ST. MARY'S COUXTY 



any other species except red juniper. It is also frequently' sawn into 

 staves for tobacco hogsheads. A few sawmills convert chestnut timber 

 into shingles. It is also used to some extent for fuel, but brings a 

 lower price than oak. There is very litle of this timber remaining in 

 the forest suitable for telephone and telegraph poles, for whicli it was 

 formerly very largely used, and for which there is a good demand. 



LohJolhj Pine. — In St. Mary's County, loblolly pine is most abundant 

 on the sandy clay soil near the Bay shores, though it occurs frequently 

 in the interior and on elevated slopes, mixed in with scrub pine and 

 hardwoods. It appears to be rather tolerant of shade in this range, 

 seldom coming up in the dense forest. In old fields, however, where 

 there is no competition with other species, it does form dense stands. 

 The best examples of pure growth are found in the southern part of 

 the county near Point Lookout. Here it forms long, clear boles with 

 small crowns, and is eagerly sought for piles, telephone and telegraph 

 poles. 



Eeproduction is very good in all locations with suitalile soil and suffi- 

 cient light. Loblolly pine produces seed every j-ear. Cones mature 

 the second year and slowly discharge their seed during tlie autumn 

 and winter, and usually remain on the branches until the end of another 

 year. Open places in the forest where conditions are not too unfavorable 

 are seeded up in the course of two or three years. The scrub pine is 

 more prolific in its production of seed, and is more tolerant of shade than 

 the loblolly pine, but the latter grows faster in its early youth and 

 soon overtops the scrub pine. From the good reproduction of loblolly 

 pine in southern St. Mary's County and that of scrub pine in the central 

 and northern part, it is evident that these two species will furnish tlie 

 bulk of the future timber supply. 



Scrub Pine. — The scrub pine is less exacting than lol)lolly pine in 

 its requirements of soil and moisture. It generally occurs unmixed 

 with other species in old fields and in other open places. ITntil recently, 

 this pine had no special use except for firewood, and was considered 

 a weed. Now, however, the wood is used for various purposes, the most 

 important one being for the manufacture of paper pulp. Large quan- 



