LOBLOLLY OK NORTH CAROLINA PINE. 19 



Loblolly pine attains on the upland old field sites a height of from 

 60 to 80 feet, a range of diameters of from 12 to 22 inches, and an age 

 of 75 years. The rate of growth is extremely rapid for several decades, 

 far more rapid than on similar uncultivated soils, after which there is 

 an abrupt decline in the rate of height as well as diameter growth. 

 (Table 14, Column 4, and Table 18, Column 4.) The total volume of 

 the stand culminates between the fortieth and sixtieth years, according 

 to the site. At the time of culmination not only has the growth in 

 height practically ceased and the rate of diameter growth declined to 

 about an inch a decade, but the stand has begun to disintegrate by the 

 lying of the dominant trees. The growth of such a stand may be 

 Quality I for the first two decades; Quality II for the third decade; 

 jifter which it may decline to Quality III. (See p. 57.) 



On account of the open crown cover, oaks and other upland hard- 

 woods gradually enter the stand. In stands more than 40 years old 

 these species often form a moderately dense lower story beneath the 

 pines. When the loblolly pine is cut, they partly replace the loblolly 

 pine, being supplemented either by longleaf or shortleaf pine. These 

 species largely form the succeeding stands unless special means are taken 

 to secure loblolly pine. The forest thus tends to revert to the original 

 or permanent types. 



On account of the rapid thinning out of the stand, the trees are short 

 bodied and scrubby. (Plate III, A.) The trees yield two or three logs 

 mostly of third and fourth grades. The wood is coarse grained and 

 knotty, making largely box lumber. (Plate XII.) Unthinned stands 

 will seldom yield more than 20 per cent lumber of No. 3 grade and 

 better. 



(For description of log grades, see page 98; of lumber grades, page 

 100.) 



LOBLOLLY PINE IN PURE STANDS ON POROUS LOAMS AND PEATY SOILS. 



This type comprises a very large portion of the productive loblolly 

 pine forests of North Carolina. It occurs on small flats or basins which 

 are comparatively well-drained and seldom flooded for a long period 

 or for more than a few inches, or it occupies extensive areas of upland 

 which are mostly near the coast. The soils are largely sandy loams, 

 clayey, or silty (Portsmouth soil series), or they are peaty, humified, 

 with some silt or clay intermixed, or with marl subsoil. The water table 

 seldom sinks below twelve feet. These are the so-called "permanent, 

 natural or reproducing" pine lands. These sites furnish the optimum 

 conditions for the development of pure stands. There is situated within 

 this type a large area of poorly drained old fields on which loblolly pine 

 has the same rate of growth as on forest soils of the same class. A great 

 portion of the soil occupied by this type of forest has been placed under 

 cultivation, and such areas as are suitable for tillage are still being 

 drained and cleared as rapidly as they are logged. It is best suited to 

 the growing of corn. 



