NORWAY PINE, 55 



settlement of the region. It was not found in extensive pure forests, 

 as white pine was, and though its range covered 1,500 miles east and 

 west and 300 or 400 north and south, the total quantity of Norway 

 pine in the original forests was comparatively small. The supply 

 now comes largely from Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, and 

 Chicago is the central market. Exports which formerly found their 

 way to England, but which are small now, went from Canada and 

 Maine. 



Norway pine grows with fair rapidity and is not exacting in its 

 soil requirements. It insists, however, upon an abundance of light, 

 and for that reason it is unable to force its way into areas where 

 vigorous trees have a footing or to hold its own place successfully 

 against trees which crowd it. This has, apparently, relegated it to 

 poor, dry land, where competing species grow slowly or not at all. 

 Experiments have demonstrated that Norway pine can be success- 

 fully grown in plantations. In rate of growth and form of bole it 

 compares favorably with white pine in similar situations. It pro- 

 duces enormous numbers of very small seed. In spite of this fact it 

 has not held its ground in regions where it was formerly abundant, 

 and it is not counted upon to figure largely in the country's future 

 supply of lumber. 



The fact that Norway pine occupied the region with white pine, 

 and was cut with it, and the lumber of the two species went to market 

 together, and usually as one, resulted in relegating Norway pine to 

 an obscure place far below its worth. White pine was the predomi- 

 nant timber of the region and attracted most of the attention of the 

 buyers, sellers, operators, and all persons who were interested in the 

 softwoods of the Lake States and the pine regions farther east. 

 Nevertheless, Norway pine was an important source of timber. It was 

 not used for all the purposes for which white pine was employed, but 

 was for many of them. In presenting a list of its uses, the white 

 pine list will answer with slight change, but with the provision that 

 Norway pine fell very far below it in total quantity. In high-grade 

 wood white pine was likewise ahead of it, but in the great middle 

 and lower field of usefulness the two pines did service side by side. 



SHIPBUILDING. 



This wood has been put to use for various parts in shipbuilding in 

 this country and in England, but the quantity used seems to have been 

 moderate. A century ago it was much more common in the London 

 market and in the dock yards on the west coast of England than it is 

 now. Decking planks, occasionally 40 feet in length, were cut in 

 Maine, Canada, or from timbers shipped across the Atlantic. Wide 

 planks were impossible, because the Norway pine is small, and ship- 

 builders insisted on heart with no sapwood. This was necessary, 



