236 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



May 



pine grew 1.32 feet. On the other 

 hand, the individual red pine has a 

 faster height and diameter growth 

 than white pine. The following re- 

 sults were shown by measurements 

 taken in New England on plantations : 



*Better growth due to richer soil. 



It may be stated that during the first 

 50 years the jack pine grows fastest, 

 the red pine second, and the white pine 

 last. White and red pine live to about 

 equal age, 280 to 310 years, while the 

 jack pine rarely exceeds 90 years of 

 age. 



The following figures on the rela- 

 tive yield of red and white pine were 

 secured in northern Minnesota : 



On the whole, the white pine is no 

 match for the red pine as far as 

 growth is concerned. 



The red pine may be said to have 

 no serious enemies, it is peculiarly free 

 from the attacks of fungi, and resists 

 fire to a marked degree. When young, 

 however, it is sometimes injured by a 

 white grub which feeds on the tender 

 roots. There is apparently no cli- 

 mate too cold either for the young 

 seedlings or for the mature trees. 



ECONOMIC USES. 



The red pine is usually cut into di- 

 mension stuff and sells for 15 to 20 

 per cent, less in the open market than 

 does the virgin white pine. It is 



stronger than white pine, is hard, and 

 takes a high polish. In Canada the 

 timber is put to a greater variety of 

 uses and is of more importance than 

 in the United States, forming one of 

 their chief export timbers. The qual- 

 ity of the timber may be graded be- 

 tween the longleaf and the western 

 yellow pine. 



METHODS OF PROPAGATION. 



The red pine as a rule is propagated 

 from seed. The seeds, produced in 

 comparatively scanty crops, are shed 

 with the ripening of the cones. They 

 fall the same year that they mature 

 and are followed by the cones which 

 are not persistent. There seems to be 

 some question as to just the length 

 of time between seed crops. How- 

 ever, the most authentic reports state 

 that the seed is borne at intervals of 

 2 to 4 years. The seed is difficult to 

 obtain, both on account of the low 

 production and the ravages of squir- 

 rels. Squirrels are especially destruc- 

 tive of the seeds. The cones are free 

 from resinous sap and are not armed 

 with sharp hooks or points. The trees 

 begin bearing seed at a much later 

 age than the jack pine, producing seed 

 somewhat larger than jack but small- 

 er than white pine. 



The red pine cannot compete with 

 the jack pine in naturally reforesting 

 burned-over areas. Many of the jack 

 pine cones do not open ordinarly until 

 the tree is scorched or killed by fire. 

 A crop of cones is produced every year 

 on the jack pine, and a large surplus 

 is thus provided against this contin- 

 gency. The seeds, shed from the open 

 cones in the ashes of a fire, have the 

 first and best chance for soil space, 

 while the red pine, although it may be 

 abundant in the vicinity, often shows 

 not a single seedling. One pound of 

 red pine seed contains about 40,000 

 seeds, of which about 80 per cent, will 

 germinate under favorable circum- 

 stances. The amount of seed to sow 

 under average conditions is given be- 

 low : 



