48 TIMBER PINES OP THE SOUTHERN UNITED STATES. 



fashion, into long, narrow strips three fourths of an inch thick, which are subsequently steamed 

 ami rolled in small bundles to make a convenient package for shipment. The knots, limbs, roots 

 particularly "fat," i. e., highly charged with resin are used in the making of tar. 



Charcoal liurnint/. Where a market is found the trees left standing, after the removal of the 

 larger timber fit for sawlogs, are burned for charcoal. This industry is carried on to a greater or 

 less extent in the mineral regions to supply the blast furnaces operated for the manufacture of 

 charcoal iron. Large areas of the forests of the Longleaf, covering the hills in north Alabama, 

 have been entirely denuded of their tree covering to meet the demands for such purpose. 



Fui'l ralue. The air-dry wood of the Longleaf Pine is much esteemed for fuel; containing but 

 a small percentage of ash not over O.U5 per cent with a small amount of water, and a dense and 

 close fiber, as indicated by its high specific gravity, its fuel value is necessarily high. Being also 

 easily inflammable, it is preferred where quick and intense heat is required, as, for instance, in 

 bakeries, brick kilns, potteries, etc., and in the raising of steam for stationary engines on steam- 

 boats and railroad locomotives throughout the pine region, where mineral coal can not be cheaply 

 obtained. 



RESINOUS PRODUCTS OK THK LONGLEAK PINE. 



It can safely be asserted that among the trees of the same order there is found no other 

 equally rich in resin. The manufacture of naval stores from the resin of the Longleaf Pine forms 

 one of the most widely developed industries in the pine forests of the coast pine belt of the South- 

 ern States, and is scarcely less important than the manufacture of its lumber. A full account 

 of these industries will be found in the accompanying appendix. Concerning the manufacture of 

 tar, pitch, tar oils, and other products of destructive distillation of the wood and of rosin oil, see 

 the Report of the Chief of Forestry, 1892, page 356, etc. 



PRODUCTS OBTAINED PROM THE LEAVES OF LONGLEAF PINE. 



The green leaves of the tree furnish by distillation an essential oil of balsamic odor closely 

 resembling spirits of turpentine. The so-called pine wool is made from their cellular tissue, being 

 treated with a strong alkaline solution at boiling heat, the remaining fiber being cleaned and 

 carded. This pine wool is used in upholstery, and is said to be of value as an antiseptic dressing 

 for wounds.' Of late years it is manufactured into various kinds of textile fabrics. One fabric 

 is a carpet which resembles cocoa matting somewhat, but is closely woven and is naturally of a 

 rich-brown color and very durable. This industry, only recently established, has already met 

 such success that the manufacturers have added twenty nine looms to their work. 



NOMENCLATURE AND CLASSIFICATION. 



This tree was first described by Miller in the year 1768 under the name of Pinus palustris. 

 The younger Michaux substituted for it the more appropriate one of Finns <i nut rails, under which 

 name it was described by succeeding writers and generally known to botanists of recent date. 

 To satisfy the law of priority, the name given by Michaux h;is recently been dropped and the old 

 one reinstated, in the Catalogue of North American Forest Trees, 1 published in the ninth volume 

 of the census reports of 1880. (See vernacular nomenclature in introduction.) 



BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION AKD MORPHOLOGY. 



Leaves three, in a long light-colored sheath ; commonly from 9 to 13 (sometimes 14 to 15) inches long; of a bright 

 green color and closely set in brush-like clusters at the ends of the stout branches. Cones large, dark tan colored, ti to 

 sometimes 8 inches long and 2 to J.l inches in diameter when closed, 5 to ti inches when open; scales about 2 inches 

 long and one-half to 1 inch wide rather uniform in width somewhat thickened at the ends, and bearing a rather 

 delicate incurved prickle; seed large, slightly triangular, three-eighths to seven-sixteenths of an inch long and one- 

 fourth of an inch wide; often with two or three longitudinal ridges on one face; whitish, with few or abundant 

 brown specks; wing 1^ to 2 inches long and of a glossy brownish to deep purple-brown color. 



The most conspicuous and distinguishing feature of this species is the silvery thick terminal 

 bud, or rather the bud-like clusters of the young leaves inclosed in their finely fringed subtending 

 scales. Its branches are rough, covered with the bases of the imbricated leaf scales, the elongated 

 silvery fringes having fallen off. 



1 A catalogue of North American Forest Trees, exclusive of Mexico, by C. S. Sargent. 



