PLANTING RANGE, 



The natural range of loblolly pine is largely restricted to the coastal 

 plain region of the Southern States. It is suitable for planting 

 from southern New Jersey through the coastal plain and Piedmont 

 plateau region to western Tennessee, southeastern Kansas, and east- 

 ern Oklahoma, and as far west as the line of the ninety-sixth merid- 

 ian in Texas. It is not advisable to plant this species above an alti- 

 tude of 1,200 feet. 



SOIL REQUIREMENTS. 



Loblolly pine adapts itself to both wet and dry soils. It is not 

 exacting in regard to texture, and grows well on coarse sands and 

 compact clays. Its best growth, however, is made on moist, sandy 

 soils. 



GROWTH IN PLANTATIONS. 



The rate of growth of loblolly pine in plantations will vary with 

 the soil and drainage, but on soils of good quality it is one of the most 

 rapid-growing trees, especially in its youth. Dominant trees fre- 

 quently make annual height growths of 3 feet for several years dur- 

 ing the first and second decades of life; and the annual diameter 

 increase may amount to one-half inch during the same period. 



The larger trees in stands in old fields on good soil have about the 

 height, diameter, and yield shown in the following table : 

 Height, diameter, and yields of larger trees in old fields. 



Plantations on good soils should yield as heavily as old-field stands. 

 On very sandy soils or heavy red clays, or in very swampy or very dry 

 situations, the growth would be slower and the yield lower than that 

 given in the table. 



VALUE OF WOOD GROWN IN PLANTATIONS. 



The wood of loblolly pine grown in plantations will be of the same 

 quality and suitable for the same uses as that grown in old-field 

 stands. It is coarse-grained, knotty, and largely sapwood. Heart - 

 wood seldom forms in trees less than 1 foot in diameter. It is only 

 moderately resinous and holds paint well. The thick sapwood is 

 fairly uniform in color, and, when free from knots, is desirable for 

 interior woodwork of all kinds. The knotty lumber is used for 

 framing, railroad ties, car stock, boxes, and slack cooperage stock. 



[Cir. 183] 



