48 TIMBliR PINES OF THE SOUTHERN UNITED STATES. 



fasliion, into long, narrow strips threefourtbs of an inch thick, which are subsequently steamed 

 and rolled iu small bundles to make a convenient i)ackage for shipment. The knots, limbs, roots — 

 particularly "fat," i. e., highly charged with resin — are used in the making of tar. , 



Charcoal burning. — Where a market is found the trees lefc standing, after the removal of the 

 larger timber lit for sawlogs, are burned for charcoal. This industry is carried on to a greater or 

 less extent iu the mineral regions to supply the blast furnaces operated for the manufacture of 

 charcoal iron. Large areas of the forests of the Longleaf, covering the hills in north Alabama, 

 have been entirely denuded of their tree covering to meet the demands for such i>uri)ose. 



Fuel value. — The air-dry wood of the Longleaf Pine is much esteemed for fuel; containing but 

 a small percentage of ash — not over 0.25 per cent — with a small amount of water, and a dense and 

 close liber, as indicated by its high specific gravity, its fuel value is necessarily high. Being also 

 easily inflammable, it is preferred where quick and intense heat is required, as, for instance, in 

 bakeries, brick kilns, potteries, etc., and in the raising of steam for stationary engines on steam- 

 boats and railroad locomotives throughout the pine region, where mineral coal can not be cheaply 

 obtained. 



It can safely be asserted that among the trees of the same order there is found -no other 

 eipially rich in resin. The manufacture of naval stores from the resin of the Longleaf Pine forms 

 one of the most widely developed industries in the pine forests of the coast pine belt of the South- 

 ern States, and is scarcely less important than the manufacture of its lumber. A full account of 

 these industries will be found iu the accompanying appendix. Concerning the manufacture of 

 tar, i)itch, tar oils, and other products of destructive distillation of the wood and of rosin oil, see 

 the Peport of the Chief of Forestry, 1892, page 356, etc. 



I'HODUCTS OBTAINKU KliOM THK LEAVES OI'' LONGLEAF PINE. 



The green leaves of the tree furnish by distillation an essential oil of balsamic odor closely 

 resembling spirits of turpentine. The so-called j)ine wool is made from their cellular tissue, being 

 treated with a strong alkaline solution at boiling heat, the remaining fiber being cleaned and 

 carded. This pine wool is used in upholstery, and is said to be of value as an antiseptic dressing 

 for wounds. Of late years it is manufactured into various kinds of textile fabrics. One fabric 

 is a carpet which resembles cocoa matting somewhat, but is closely woven and is naturally of a 

 rich brown color and very durable. This industry, only recently established, has already met 

 such success that the manufacturers have added twenty-nine looms to their work. 



No:HEN('LATrRi: AND CLASSIFICATION. 



This tree was first described by Miller in the year 1768 under the name of Pinu.f 2>nl>i>>iris. 

 The younger Michaux substituted for it the more appropi-iate one of J'inu.s aiistraluj under which 

 name it was described by succeeding writers and generally known to botanists of recent date. 

 To satisfy the law of priority, the name given by Michaux has recently been dropped and the ok? 

 one reinstated, iu the Catalogue of Xorth American Forest Trees,' published in the ninth volume 

 of the census reports of 1880. (See vernacular nomenclature in introduction.) 



UOTANICAL DESCRIPTION AND MOUl'Mc il.i m . V . 



Leaves three, iu a long light-colored sheath; coiiiiiionly I'rom 9 to 13 (somel;imes 11 to l.j) inches long; of a bright 

 green color and closely set iu brush-like clusters at the cuds of the stout branches. Cones large, dark tan colored, 6 to 

 souietiuus 8 inches long and 2 to 2i inches iu diameter when closed, 5 to (i inclijes when open; scales about 2 inches 

 long and one-half to 1 inch wide— rather uniform iu width— somewhat thickened at the ends, and bearing a rather 

 delicate iucurved prickle; seed large, slightly triangular, three-eighths to seven-sixteenths of an inch long and one- 

 fourth of an inch wide; often with two or three longitudin.al ridges on one face; whitish, with few or abundant 

 brown specks; wing IJ to 2 indies long and of a glossy brownish to deep purple-brown cidor. 



The most cousjiicuous and distinguishing featui-e of this species is the silvery ihU-k terminal 

 bud, or rather the bud-like clusters of the young leaves inclosed in their finely iringcd subtending 

 scales. Its branches are rough, covered with tiie bases of the imbricated leaf scales, the elongated 

 silvery fringes having fallen off. 



'A catalogue of Norih American Forest Trees, exclusive of Mexico, by C. S. Sargent. 



