Issued January 10, 1007. 



United States Department of Agriculture. 



FOREST SERVICE Circular 60. 



GIFFORD PINCHOT, Forester. 



FOREST PLANTING LEAFLET. 



RED PINE (Finns resinosa). 



FORM AND SIZE. 



The red, or Norway, pine generally attains a height of between TO 

 and 90 feet, and a diameter of 2 or rarely 3 feet. When grown in the 

 open, the tree is relatively short, and branched close to the ground. 

 In the forest the stem is commonly clear for 40 to 60 feet, and the 

 crown is short and open, but broad-spreading. 



The distinguishing features of red pine are its thin, scaly, reddish- 

 brown bark, and its slender and flexible leaves 5 to 6 inches long in 

 clusters of two. 



RANGE. 



The natural range of the red pine is along the northern border of the 

 United States as far west as Minnesota, and southward through the 

 Northern States to eastern Massachusetts, the mountains of Pennsyl- 

 vania and northeastern Ohio. It reaches its best development in the 

 northern portion of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. 



The red pine is adapted for planting throughout most of the north- 

 eastern part of the United States. It will not do well where droughts 

 are frequent or severe. 



SILVICAL QUALITIES. 



The red pine grows best on sandy loam soil, well drained and of 

 moderate fertility, but it also thrives on poor sands when other condi- 

 tions are favorable. The tree is very intolerant of shade at all ages 

 and therefore suitable for pure plantations only, or for mixtures in 

 which the other species are distinctly slower growing. Its rate of 

 growth is fairly rapid. Measurements made in several New England 

 plantations show an average height of 35 feet and diameter of 6 

 inches at 30 years of age. 



Red pine suffers little from insects or disease. It is moderately 

 fire-resistant and quite free from destructive fungi. When young, 

 the tree is sometimes injured by a white grub which feeds on the 

 tender roots, but the mature tree has few enemies. 



16765 No. 6007 M 



