20 



LOBLOLLY OR NORTH CAROLINA PINE. 



In their typical condition the forests on these lands are in pure even- 

 aged stands or groups, or the pine is associated with occasional gums, 

 water oaks, and yellow poplars, but it is always the predominating spe- 

 cies in the stand. Although the hurnus is deep the soil is sufficiently 

 moist for young groAvth to come up freely and young trees appear in large 

 even-aged groups where old trees have died or have heen cut. Beneath 

 the pine there is generally a dense undergrowth of gall berries and 

 ericaceous -shrubs. The age of the pine seldom exceeds 200 years and 

 individual trees are not so large as in the hardwood swamps. The 

 height of mature trees ranges from 115 to 130 feet and the diameter 

 from 24 to 36 inches. The wood is moderately fine and even-grained. 

 The logs largely grade I and II. The best yield is obtained in this type. 

 It is believed that by thinning stands an increment of from 900 to 1,000 

 board feet a year can be obtained, including thinnings. Even in old 

 groups the crown cover maintains a complete canopy. The rate of 

 growth is excellent and stands can generally be classed in Quality I. 



Table 3 shows the composition of this type on peaty soil, measured 

 in a stand two miles northeast of Leechville', !N~. C. The average age of 

 the trees is about 100 years, the height of the dominant trees is from 

 110 to 120 feet. The stand consists of about 120 merchantable trees 

 per acre and will yield about 30,000 feet, B. M. of pine. 



TABLE 3. COMPOSITION OF A PURE LOBLOLLY PINE STAND ON PEATY SOIL, HUMIFIED, NEAR 

 LEECHVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA. 



After lumbering the land normally comes up to heavy young growth 

 of pine seedlings. Areas cut over ten or twenty years ago are now 

 covered with a dense stand of young pines. Interspersed among the 

 young trees are the old suppressed trees which were left when the 

 mature stand was cut and which have now recuperated, and many small 

 hardwoods which have been overtopped. 



