170 TIMBER PINES OF THE SOUTHERN UNITED STATES. 



is much modified in shape; becomes elongated, often interrupted, and "straggly." In general, the 

 identification is not difficult where it involves merely a separation of this pine from its common 

 associates. 



BOTANICAL, DESCRIPTION. 



Botanically, the Pond Pine is described by Mr. Sud worth as follows: 



Leaves three in a sheath and commonly 6 to 7 (exceptionally 8 to 10) inches long. Cones 

 very persistent, often remaining on the branches four to six or more years. Fresh, mature ones 

 are a rich russet-brown, but with exposure they become ashy gray. Many cones remain 

 permanently closed (serotinous) after maturing, while others open freely. Closed cones ovate or 

 sometimes rather sharply conical, 2 to 3 inches long and 1 to If inches in diameter. Open cones 

 with strongly reflexed scale and very characteristic in their low, broadly pyramidal outline, the 

 breadth of the cone usually equaling (sometimes exceeding) the height. Seeds small, with a 

 narrow, tawny wing (about -fa inch wide and three-fourths to seven-eighths of an inch long); 

 black or black-brown, with rough and turbercled surface, and two to three indistinct longitudinal 

 ridges. 



PEOGEESS OF DEVELOPMENT. 



In its manner of growth the Pond Pine resembles Loblolly in every respect. Like that 

 species, it is quite bushy when young; shoots up rapidly; makes fine poles; clears itself well if 

 crowded; forms an ample, usually elongated crown of medium size; and branches with numerous 

 rather fine twigs. Even when stunted it rarely takes on the flat-topped form so often met in 

 scrubby Longleaf woods. 



The following examples illustrate its rate of growth : 



An abandoned field in Georgetown County, S. C., a few miles from the salt marshes, was 

 covered with Loblolly and Pond Pine. Both grew with equal thrift, but on account of too open 

 a stand formed rather large-crowned, short-bodied timber. The best tree of Pond Pine measured 

 28 and 30 inches diameter on the stump 2 feet from the ground and had 62 rings, indicating for 

 this tree an age of only about sixty-five years. Most of the trees measured over 12, more than 

 half of them over 15 inches diameter, while their ages were generally under sixty years. In 

 Bertie County, N. 0., numerous trees were observed one hundred and twenty-five to one hundred 

 apd fifty years old, 20 to 30 inches diameter, and 90 to 110 feet high, furnishing three to four logs 

 per tree. 



In keeping with this rapid growth, the sapwood is wide and, as in Loblolly of the same 

 localities, forms usually over 60 per cent of the volume of the merchantable logs. This accounts 

 for the fact that, outside of North Carolina and a few places of South Carolina where this tree is 

 cut into boards, the wood of Pond Pine shares the general prejudice against "Sap Pine," common 

 throughout the lower South. 



Pond Pine is often claimed to be more defective than Loblolly; but as far as this could be 

 ascertained the difference is not great, and compared with White Pine, for instance, both must be 

 pronounced very sound timber. 



The Pond Pine reproduces itself quite readily and, like Loblolly, eagerly seizes on abandoned 

 fields, wherever sufficient soil moisture exists. Though the older trees are commonly loaded with 

 cones and thereby make the impression of luxuriant seed production, it is doubtful if this pine 

 equals Loblolly in this respect. As far as observed the young trees are slower to bear, and entire 

 groves of saplings 10 to 15 feet high are often without fruit. 



In this connection it is of interest that this pine not only sends out vigorous and persistent 

 shoots from the older parts of its trunk while standing, but that even logs if left on the ground 

 continue to sprout, 5 to 10 shoots often breaking through the bark on a space of a few square 

 inches, and still mor,e that the stumps of small trees (1 to 2 inches diameter), whether cut or 

 burned, send out 20 to 30 vigorous shoots during one season. Generally one or two of these take 

 the lead and the rest die off. Whether these surviving shoots ever grow into trees of any size is 

 not known, the tallest trees of which this origin could be clearly demonstrated being only about 

 15 feet high. 



