22 USES OF COMMERCIAL WOODS OF THE UNITED STATES. 



the nineteenth century the majority of the houses were of pine, which 

 shows that if the wood was not originally abundant in the interior 

 it spread there at an early date. Loblolly pine was cut by charcoal 

 burners in large quantities, and was highly satisfactory for that 

 purpose. 1 



EARLY USES. 



There was an early trade in masts of rosemary pine cut in Virginia 

 and North Carolina, and sticks of large dimensions were bought and 

 sold. Rosemary pine was mature, well-grown loblolly, just as pump- 

 kin pine in New England was white pine of large size and with ex- 

 ceptionally fine wood. The rosemary pine, as it was known and un- 

 derstood in early times, is very rare now. The regions producing it 

 were long ago lumbered and the best timber culled out. 



MANUFACTURE AND PRODUCTS. 



As late as 1856 timbers of loblolly pine, which clearly belonged to 

 the best class and were cut from the original forests, were hewed in 

 North Carolina and sent through the Dismal Swamp Canal to Nor- 

 folk, whence they were shipped to New York. One cargo that was 

 deemed worthy of special record was made up of squared timbers, 

 with little or no sapwood and with solid contents ranging from 347 

 to 537 cubic feet each. 



The wood parts of nearly all the buildings erected for the New 

 Orleans World's Exposition were of loblolly pine cut in the Gulf 

 region. 



The use of this wood was greatly extended and its value increased 

 when the custom of seasoning it in dry kilns became common. Prior 

 to that time loblolly lumber frequently went to market green or im- 

 perfectly seasoned. It is largely sapwood, especially in medium-sized 

 trees, and the water in it made it susceptible to attack by fungus, 

 which gave a blue color to the wood and not only marred its appear- 

 ance but induced deterioration. Thorough drying in well-con- 

 structed kilns removed the cause for that objection, and loblolly 

 speedily won its way on its merits. Its range of uses is wide; it is 

 sold in all* the eastern and central parts of the United States and is 

 exported to Europe and Central America. 



A report of the woods used in Maryland for manufacturing pur- 

 poses in 1909 gave first place to loblolly pine. In quantity it ex- 

 ceeded any two other woods, and in value was much above any other. 

 Its nearest competitor in value was w r hite oak. It exceeded all other 



1 In Robert Beverlye's History of Virginia, written 200 years ago, he referred to the 

 promptness with which timber spread into open ground. There is little doubt that he 

 had loblolly pine in mind when he said, " Wood grows at every man's door so fast that 

 after it has been cut down it will, in 7 years' time, grow up again from seed to sub- 

 stantial firewood, and in 18 or 20 years it will come to be very good board timber." 



