24 LOBLOLLY OE NORTH CAROLINA PINE. 



tice to cut some of the best hardwoods, the proportion of pine in the 

 restocking has again increased. 



Table 5 shows the composition of a loblolly pine stand in a virgin 

 hardwood swamp. This area shows a larger proportion of pine by 

 volume in boanl feet than occurs in most such swamps, but the distri- 

 bution of the tliamoter classes is typical. Young pine is not abundant. 



Loblolly pine in these swamps attains a height of from 135 to 165 

 feet, a maximum stump diameter inside bark of 54 inches, and an age of 

 over i'40 years. The height of the associated broadleaf trees is from 100 

 to 130 feet, pines overtopping most of them, except possibly yellow 

 poplar and sweet gum. (Plate V, B.) The rate of growth of the pine 

 is rapid. For several years the rate of height growth of dominant 

 trees exceeds four feet a year, and even in old trees an excellent rate of 

 height growth is well maintained. The rate of diameter growth of 

 young trees is not rapid since the crowns of young trees are for many 

 years crowded by the surrounding hardwoods, and receive light only 

 from above. The rate of diameter growth, however, is sustained and 

 a large annual volume increment is produced by many of the oldest trees. 

 (Tables 14 and 18, column 1.) On account of the rapid height growth 

 and the small crowns, the stems are slender with clear boles from 80 to 

 110 feet in length. 



The wood is of the best quality, soft and even-grained. Even in the 

 center of the butt logs, the summer bands are comparatively narrow. 

 (Plate IX, B.) It consequently resembles in quality that of the short- 

 leaf pine of the Piedmont, the so-called rosemary or forest pine. It is 

 rich orange in color and rather more pitchy than that growing in other 

 situations. The sapwood is comparatively thin for the species though 

 it forms in trees even two hundred years old one-half of the total volume 

 of the stem. Large trees often yield several logs of Grade 1, and cut 

 60 to 65 per cent of No. 1 and No. 2 lumber. (Plate XII, C.) 



LOBLOLLY PINE WITH POCOSON PINE ON SAVANNAS. 



This type occurs on poorly drained sites saturated with water during 

 most of the year. The stand for the most part is open. It consists of 

 loblolly pines mixed with pocoson pines, occasional stunted longleaf 

 pines, black gums, and white bays. Formerly there was a larger pro- 

 portion of longleaf pine. There is usually a scant undergrowth of fet- 

 terbush and other ericaceous shrubs, and a dense mat of grass, which 

 withers in the autumn and consequently burns with a hot fire during 

 winter and spring. (Plate V, A.) Probably one-thirtieth of the lob- 

 lolly forest land of North Carolina belongs to this type. Its producing 

 capacity, however, is low and it yields a relatively small amount of 

 timber. 



The loblolly pine occurs in even-aged groups of a few trees, or 

 singly, all ages being represented on a small area. Trees 150 years old 

 are between 75 and 105 feet in height, 20 to 25 inches in diameter, and 



