LOBLOLLY OR NORTH CAROLINA PINE. 



23 



scattered among the hardwoods. While it constitutes less than five per 

 rent of the number of trees in the virgin stand it may form 25 per cent 

 of the merchantable saw timber. The old pine trees grow on low 

 mounds or hummocks, 5 to 10 feet wide and two or three feet high, 

 which are largely formed by the trees themselves, by the gradual accu- 

 mulation of bark, cones and leaves, which are yearly deposited about 

 their bases. (Plate I.) 



Since the pine is very intolerant of shade it comes up only in open- 

 ings. Consequently, young pines as a rule are infrequent except in 

 windfalls or where the oaks were cut for staves. Such cuttings made 

 often as long as 100 years ago, were favorable for the increase of the 

 pine. 



TABLE 5. COMPOSITION OF LOBLOLLY PINE WITH HARDWOODS IN SWAMP, BEECHGROVE, BEAUFORT 



COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA. 



The first general logging of the pine began about 1880 ; for a period 

 of 15 or 20 years, up to 1900, the pine was cut but the hardwoods were 

 generally left. This has resulted in reducing the proportion of pine 

 in many of the stands. In later cuttings when it has become the prac- 



