SPRUCE PINE (Cedar Pine) 



{Pinus glabra Walt.) 

 THE bottoms and river swamps in the southern 

 part of the State are characterized by the pres- 

 ence of this pine which may be easily recognized by 

 its dark almost smootli bark unlike that of any other 

 kind of tree found within its range. It is nowhere 

 abundant, but is scattered among the hardwoods 

 that predominate in such places. It is a large tree 



SPRUCE PINE 

 Two-thirds natural Bize. 



for it reaches a height of 80 to 120 feet and a diam- 

 eter of 2 to over 3 feet. It has comparatively small 

 horizontal branches which form a narrow open 

 crown. This pine resembles considerably the true 

 white pine of the mountains for which it is not un- 

 commonly mistaken. 



The leaves occur in clusters of two and arc soft, 

 slender, dark green and mostly from 2 to 3 inches 

 long. They fall at the end of their second year. The 

 cones are single or in clusters of 2 or 3 on short stout 

 stalks. They are Vo to 2 inches long, reddish brown 

 in color and rather lustrous, with thin scales armed 

 with small weak prickles. They soon open and shed 

 their seeds but remain on the tree for several years. 

 The bark on young trees and on the upper part of 

 the trunks is smooth pale gray, becoming noticeably 

 dark on the lower part of the older trees, and slightly 

 and irregularly divided by shallow fissures into tiat 

 connected ridges. 



The wood is light, soft, brittle, close-grained, and 

 not very strong. When sawed into lumber, the wood 

 warps easily. It is rarely used for any purpose 

 except firewood, but is well adapted for use in 

 making paper pulp. With the growing scarcity of 

 timber and closer utilization of our forest trees, this 

 pine will likely be of more value in the future be- 

 cause of its large size and easy accessibility. 



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