COMMERCIAL USES OF LONGLEAF PINE 



899 



Courtesy The American Lumberman. 



TYPICAL LONGLEAF PINE STAND 



The trees reach a height of one hundred to one hundred and twenty feet and a diameter of from twQ to three feet. Tlie larger ones in this picture 

 have reached their full growth and are doubtless one hundred and seventy-tive years or more old. The stem of the longleaf is straight and 

 free from branches for more than half way to the top. 



North Carolina led the world as a producer of naval 

 stores. The close connection between the North Caro- 

 lineans and this industry was the probable cause of their 

 receiving the well-known appellation of "Tarheels." Up 

 to 1820 most of the turpentine and resin was used in this 

 country only tar and pitch being extensively exported. 

 But a few years later the increased use of turpentine as 

 an illuminant and in the arts caused a greater demand. 

 Soon the North Carolina forests could no longer supply 



the demand, and other virgin pineries were sought. In 

 ]H50 the industry entered Georgia which in 1880 became 

 the leading state in production, and in a few years later 

 Savannah became the leading naval stores center of the 

 world, which position it still holds. Between 1900 and 

 H)10, Georgia lost first place to Florida. Alabama, Mis- 

 sissippi and Louisiana are now important producers, but 

 the virgin pineries of western Louisiana and eastern 

 Texas have not yet been extensively invaded. Bruns- 



