58 LOBLOLLY OR NORTH CAROLINA PINE. 



Since loblolly pine normally grows in a large part of its range in pure 

 even-aged stands or groups, there is given not only the rate of growth of 

 trees as individual specimens but also the growth and development of the 

 average tree in even-aged stands, and the growth of the average tree of 

 each of the different crown classes, dominant, intermediate, and sup- 

 pressed.* 



GROWTH IN HEIGHT. 



Loblolly pine attains on an average a height of about only two feet 

 during the first two to four years. After that it at once begins to grow 

 rapidly in height. The stage of rapid growth lasts until the thirtieth or 

 fortieth year on best sites and until the fiftieth or even sixtieth year on 

 inferior sites. Table 13 gives the heights of the different crown classes 

 in fully stocked unthinned stands at different ages on different quality 

 sites and the periodic annual growth. The periodic annual growth 

 which is the annual growth during five-year periods shows that after 

 the fiftieth year the growth in height is less than one foot a year. 



'The dominant trees in a stand are such as overtop, even slightly, all others and whose large crowns 

 are in full sunlight; intermediate trees are lower in height than the dominant and have slender stems 

 and narrow, compressed crowns which receive only a scant amount of direct sunlight; suppressed trees 

 are entirely overtopped and receive only such sunlight as filters through the foliage of the taller trees. 

 Dominant trees are making most rapid growth both in height and diameter; intermediate trees are 

 yet making rapid height growth, but their diameter growth has fallen behind; suppressed trees are 

 making very little growth either in height or diameter. 



