558 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



Mexico to Central Missis- 

 sippi. It extends over the 

 entire State of Alabama, 

 all of Eastern Mississippi, 

 and a part of Central and 

 Western Tennessee. There 

 are also large areas of it in 

 Texas, Louisiana, Arkan- 

 sas, and Indian Territory. 

 Over vast areas west of the 

 Mississippi this tree forms 

 extensive pure stands, and 

 there the trees attain a 

 large size and develop a 

 good form. Locally, in the 

 eastern and northern part 

 of its range, pure stands 

 are also found, especially 

 where they have developed 

 in abandoned fields and 

 other vacated places. Un- 

 der favorable conditions, 

 with plenty of overhead 

 light, the Loblolly Pine de- 

 velops a long straight 

 trunk, free from branches 

 for 50 to 75 feet from 

 the ground, and reaches a 

 diameter o f 

 from 15 to 24 

 Inches, breast- 

 high. Excep- 

 tional speci- 

 mens some- 

 times reach a 

 height of 120 

 feet, and a di- 

 ameter of 3 

 feet. The 

 Loblolly Pine 

 is not fastid- 

 ious in its soil 

 r e q uirements. 

 for it will grow- 

 on a great va- 

 riety of sites. 

 In fact, it is 

 adapted to a > 

 wider range of 

 soil conditions 

 than any other 

 pine with 

 which it is as- 

 sociated. 1 1 

 grows best on 

 deep, moist, 

 well - drained, 

 porous soil, but 



A STAND OF OLD FIELD LOBLOLLY 



This has attained merchantable size and it is said that the fu- 

 ture of Loblolly is extremely promising, as there is a keen de- 

 mand for the wood that it produces. Its rapid growth rate and 

 adaptability to soil unsuited for agriculture assure it a place of 

 its own in the development of forestry in the South. 



AN UNEVEN-AGED STAND OF LOBLOLLY PINE IN MARYLAND 



One of the common names of this species is "old field pine" and it is most appropriate for 

 this tree is quite common in old, abandoned fields. The South owes a debt to the Loblolly 

 Pine for after the Civil War it reforested vast areas of abandoned lands. 



also makes a satisfactory 

 growth on dry and rather 

 sterile situations. It is the 

 intermediate soil which it 

 prefers, and for its best 

 development it needs plenty 

 of light. One of the best 

 features of the Loblolly 

 Pine is its thick bark. Trees 

 from 12 to 14 inches in 

 diameter at breast-high 

 may be covered with a bark 

 1 to 2 inches thick. This 

 unusually thick bark makes 

 it the most fire-resistant 

 of the southern pines, and 

 gives it a place along side 

 of the fire-resistant Pitch 

 Pine of the Northeast. 

 This fire-resistant quality 

 recommends it highly for 

 general forestry purposes. 

 It also possesses other val- 

 uable features which make 

 it highly important, wher- 

 ever possible, to put forth 

 special efforts to perpetu- 

 ate it as an economic forest 

 tree. The rate 

 of growth of 

 Loblolly Pine 

 varies consid- 

 erably with the 

 condition and 

 composition of 

 the soil. On 

 the. average 

 soil it makes a 

 very satisfac- 

 tory growth. 

 .\s a rule, it 

 throws more 

 rapidly than 

 t h e Longleaf 

 i'ine or the 

 ."^hortieaf Pine. 

 Its wood is 

 coarser and 

 less durable 

 than that of 

 the other pines 

 with which it 

 i s commonly 

 associated, yet 

 there are many 

 uses to which 

 it is being put, 

 and present 



