356 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



August 



bus). When growing in close order, 

 the stems are long, straight and fairly 

 cylindrical, with but little root swell- 

 ing, often free of branches for more 

 than fifty feet. 



The species is less tolerant than the 

 white pine and mature stands having 

 grown in open order rarely have clear 

 lengths exceeding two-thirds the tree 

 height. The taper in the clear length 

 is very gradual, but decreases in di- 

 ameter rapidly in the crown. The 

 maximum diameter is attained in the 

 shorter boled trees where the stand is 

 more open, but rarely exceeds 56 

 inches at breast high. 



Two types of bark are readily dis- 

 cernible, seemingly irrespective of 

 health or age the one decidedly poly- 

 gonal scaled, as of Pimts ponderosa; 

 the other vertically, furrowed similar 

 to Pinus strobus. 



The Benguet pine, being decidedly 

 intolerant, forms an open spreading 

 crown, with needled branches well to- 

 wards the interior and consequently 

 receives a great amount of light. From 

 the seedling stage, its light-demanding 

 nature is apparent, and reproduction 

 is rarely effected under shade. It is 

 a rapid grower and abundant and reg- 

 ular seeder, being well adapted to the 

 locality. From this fact we may infer 

 that had it not been subjected since 

 remote times to injury from fire, we 

 would find to-day a vast unbroken for- 

 est, of close order, covering the na- 

 tural range of the species. 



The following table, showing diame- 

 ter growth, was derived from a series 

 of stump analyses. While we cannot 

 be sure (owing to the irregularity of 

 seasonal growth in tropical species) 

 that each ring represents a year's 

 growth, yet we know that at least one 

 ring is formed annually, and the age 

 in relation to diameter, therefore, is 

 not underestimated. 



DIAMETER, BREAST HIGH. 



Typical Benguet Pine (Pinus insular!*) 



Inches. 



15 

 16 



17 

 18 



19 

 20 



21 



22 



23 



24 



25 

 26 

 27 

 28 

 29 



30 

 31 

 32 

 33 

 34 



Years. 



37 

 38 



39 

 40 



42 



43 



45 

 47 

 48 



50 



52 



54 



57 

 60 



64 

 72 

 82 



95 

 120 



145 



