Handbook of Trees of the Northern States and Canada. 



The Pitcli Pine does 7iot often attain a 

 greater height than 70 or .SO ft. or a greater 

 diameter of trunk than 2 or :{ ft. W'lien grow- 

 ing in the open fields it (ic\cl()|)s an irreguLir 

 wide pyramidal or roundnl hcid, its rough 

 branches usually bristling with old tardily d ■- 

 ciduous cones. Its trunk is vested in thick 

 dark brown bark fissured into large plates 

 which exfoliate in irregular friable scales. It 

 is an abundant tree in many localities of the 

 northern states on sandy uplands which are 

 too sterile for the support for most other trees. 



The wood of the Pitch Pine is of medium 



weight and hardness, with coarse conspicuous 



grain, resinous and of a brownish red color 



with abundant lighter sap- wood. i It is used 



for coarse lumber, flooring, sills, etc., and to 



some extent for fuel and charcoal. A cubic 



foot, when seasoned, weighs 32.10 lbs. It is 



said tliat considerable tar, turpentine and 



lampblack have been derived from this tree, 



though the principal source of supply now is 



in other species. 



Leaves in clusters of ?,, with persistent sheaths. 

 riffid, 3-.5 in. Inntr. dark sreen, with stomata on 

 three faces, i-esin-fliicts witliin tlie pari'ticliyma. 

 and 2 fibro-vascular Imndli's. I'hnrrrs : staniinafe 

 numerous. yellow (rarely inu'iile); pistillate 

 lateral, usually in whorls of 2 or more, reddish 

 green, with short stout stems. Cones l-o in. lono.-. 

 lateral, often in whorls of several, ovoid, nearly 

 sessile, with scales thickened at apex and pro- 

 vided with curved rigid prickle ; s"eds about % 

 in. long, triangular with rounded sides and ample 

 wing broadest below the middle. 



1. A. W., II, 50. 



