125 



where it has plenty of room, the crown is broad, with many limbs growing 

 to within fifteen or twenty feet of the ground, and under these conditions 

 the tree never grows very tall.. The lumberman likes best 

 of all the tall, straight trees of the forests, for these 

 will yield fine, straight-grained lumber with few knots. 



The white pine can be distinguished from the other 

 pines of this State by the needles, which grow in clusters 

 of five. Examine the foliage of a pine tree; you will see 

 that the needles, instead of growing singly, grow in 

 bunches, or clusters. In the white pine there are always 

 five needles in a cluster. The individual needles are two 

 and one half to five inches long, slender, flexible, bluish 

 green, with a fine white streak. Let us now look for some 

 cones. We may find some growing on the tree, or we can 

 examine those that have fallen from the tree and are 

 now lying on the ground. The white pine cone is about 

 five inches in length, is usually slightly curved, and is 

 slender, rarely exceeding an inch in thickness. Let us 

 look a little more closely and see whether there are any 



ten pine needle -, , 



cluster spines, or prickles, on 



the cone. If we have 

 )icked up a dry cone the seeds have 

 loubtless been shed and scattered, 

 f we can find a fresh cone with 

 eeds in it, we can see how each seed 

 3 provided with a thin wing, which 

 nables the wind to blow it for long 

 listances. 



Now let us consider the pitch pine, 



/hich is probably the next most com- 



lon pine tree of this State. It is 



enerally found growing on very poor 



oils, where only the hardiest trees 



r shrubs will thrive. This tree can 



row in these poor situations because 



f its thick bark (often two inches 



lick at the base of the tree) and 



I Because it can resist fire much better 



jlian can the white pine. It is not 



l| early so neat in appearance as the 



fttiiM*. 



'Pitch pine 



] hite pine; its branches are irregular, the trunk is not so tall and 

 Straight, and the old cones frequently hang on the tree for years. The 



