CHARACTERISTICS OP THE WOOD. 71 



lii Alabama and Mississippi it forms the larger part of the interior upland forest, in some 

 sections becoming the prevailing tree, especially in the Warrior coal fields and in the northern 

 part of the, central drift belt to northeastern Mississippi, while it is more sparsely scattered through 

 the growth of the upper coast pine belt. 



Mnt its best development evidently lies west of the Mississippi, occurring in greatest abundance 

 and perfection in northeastern Texas, northwestern Louisiana, and southern Arkansas. In Texas, 

 east of the Trinity River, it forms dense forests almost entirely by itself. 



North of the Arkansas River it is found in smaller or larger areas, scattered through tbc 

 upland regions to central Missouri. It is the pine of the Indian Territory, when; large bodies 

 occur, and of southwestern Missouri, and occurs also in Kansas as far north as the Osage River. 



It is less frequent in Kentucky and Tennessee, being more confined to the eastern portions 

 of those States. Only a single station is reported from southern Illinois, and its occurrence in 

 the other parts of the tield of distribution is mainly of botanical interest. 



Since this tree occurs mainly in mixtures of different degree with other timbers, it is impos- 

 sible to state yield per acre in general. In its western range, where it predominates, a cut of 

 3,500 to 4,000 feet M. M. per acre may be assumed. On the Atlantic coast supplies are largely 

 reduced. 



A rough guess places the possible standing timber of this species at 100,000,000,000 feet B. M. 



LOBLOLLY PINE. 



This pine is found in all the Southern States excepting Kentucky and Missouri, with its 

 northernmost limit on the banks of the Kappahanuock, below Washington, D. G. On the Atlantic 

 slope it occupies the Hat lauds of the tide water districts, either mixed with other species or 

 forming compact bodies of timber. In Virginia it forms about 75 per cent of the timber standing 

 east of the Richmond-Petersburg line, rapidly taking possession of abandoned fields. In North 

 Carolina it associates with the longleaf pine, and is especially well developed in the low rich soil 

 of the swamp borders, but here largely exhausted. Farther south in the pine barrens the longleaf 

 pine prevails, and the loblolly is found only on the low borders of swamps and streams. In the 

 Carolina* and Georgia it is also found inland to the foot of the mountains. In Florida it is rare, 

 except in the northern part, being replaced southward by the Florida old-field pine (P. clm/xn). 



About one-half of the pine timber on the flat, badly drained table-lands of the Warrior coal 

 field iu north Alabama consists of this pine, forming compact bodies of heavy timber or associated 

 with hard woods. It abounds in Louisiana and southern Texas, in the flat woods bordering the 

 coast marshes, and in the latter State an area of fully 6,800 square miles, south of the shortleaf 

 pine uplands and west of the longleaf area, is covered by an almost continuous forest of the 

 loblolly, of excellent growth, yielding from 4,500 to 5,000 feet per acre on the average. 



CHARACTERISTICS OP THE WOOD. 



No more difficult task could be set than to describe on paper the wood of these pines, or to 

 give the distinctive features so that the kinds can be distinguished and recognized by the 

 uninitiated. Only the combined simultaneous impressions upon all the senses permit the expert to 

 make sure of distinguishing these woods without being able to analyze in detail the characters by 

 which he so distinguishes them. While in many cases there would be no hesitation in referring a 

 given stick to one or the other species, others may be found in which the resemblance to more 

 than one species is so close as to make them hardly distinguishable. The following attempt to 

 diagnose these woods must, therefore, be taken only as an imperfect general guide. So far, even 

 microscopic examination has not furnished unfailing signs. Color is so variable that it can hardly 

 serve as a distinguishing feature. The direction of the cut, roughness of surface, exudation 

 of resin, condition of health, width of grain, moisture condition, even the mode of drying, 

 exposure, etc., all have their share in giving color to the wood. Bearing in mind this great 

 complication of color effects, it will be granted that descriptions of the same, disturbed by 

 peculiarities of each separate observer, will aid but little in identifying the woods. 



The sapwood of all the pines looks very nearly alike, and so does the heartwood. The color 

 of the spring wood in the sap is a light yellowish with a shade of brown; the summer wood 

 contains more brown, variable with the density of the cells and appearing darker when the bauds 



