PITCH PINE 



Anatomical Characters. Very similar to those of the Pines 

 generally (see No. 242). Transverse section much darker than 

 the vertical sections, unusually so. 



Pores. Present as resin-canals, rather small, size 4, but visible 

 to the naked eye : chiefly in the Summer or middle zone of the 

 ring : often in threes : appear white against the reddish colour 

 of the wood (when cleanly cut). 



Rays. Just visible, size 5 or rather less : numerous, 9-14 per 

 mm. : denser than the ground : tough and separable as threads 

 from a thin section : white, rarely brown. 



Rings. Little contrast between the Spring and Autumn zones, 

 the latter not very resinous, if at all, and not much darker in 

 colour : contour well rounded. The ring-boundaries are barely 

 perceptible on a Radial, and even less so on a Tangential, section. 



Pith. From 1-3 mm. wide : red, grey or brown : soft : of 

 " fine, thin-walled cells " (86). 



Type specimens from commercial sources ; also authenticated 

 by Hough. 



Wiesner makes the following distinction between this wood and 

 that of Pinus sylvestris : the contour of the inner side of the 

 thickened cell-walls of the rays is even or gently undulating, 

 while that of the Pine is ragged or toothed. 



No. 244. PITCH PINE. Pinus palustris. Mill. 

 PLATE XVI. FIG. 138. 



Natural Order. Coniferas. 



Synonyms. Pinus australis, Mich., not of Dun. or Hort. 



Sources of Supply. The southern parts of the United States 

 of America, chiefly upon the " Pine barrens " (49). Introduced 

 elsewhere, and attains a considerable size in England. 



Alternative Names. Long-leaved Pine, Long-leaved Yellow 

 Pine, Yellow Pine, Broom Pine, Southern Pine, Hard Pine, 

 Georgia Pine (49). Red Pine, Brown Pine, Swamp Pine. Pensa- 

 cola Pitch Pine and similar names derived from the port 

 from whence it is shipped. Turpentine tree of the South (60). 

 Pek Den at the Cape of Good Hope (51). Gelb-kiefer (131). 



Physical Characters, etc. Recorded dry-weight 37-43$ Ibs. per 

 cu. ft. Hardness Grade 3, compare Blackthorn. Smell terebin- 

 thine, often strong. Taste strong, terebinthine, even vinous. 

 Burns well with a lively, noisy, smoky flame and resinous smell : 

 heat expels resin : embers glow in still air : ash brown. Solu- 

 tion colourless, but smells of the wood. 



Grain. Fine, smooth, even : pores all filled : compact. Sur- 

 face resinous rather than bright : rays dull : ground-tissue dully 

 crystalline* 



275 



