108 TIMBER PINES OF THE SOUTHERN UNITED STATES. 



retentive of luoisture. That a purely sandy and highly porous soil is not favorable to this tree 

 is shown by thi^ stunted growth of the waifs sometimes found in the openings of the forests of 

 Longleaf Pine on the sandy, arid uplands in the lower part of the coast pine belt. 



Distributed in its range over 10 degrees of latitude and exposed to wide differences of 

 temperature, it shows almost the same thrift of growth near its northern limits under the isotherm 

 of 50^ F., and in regions where the thermometer falls to near 20^ below zero, as in lower latitudes 

 with a mean annual temperature of 04° F. It can, therefore, endure a considerable range of 

 temperature. 



The conditions of atmospheric moisture evidently exercise a much more decided influence 

 over its distribution, and, without doubt, upon its individual development. The tree is found in 

 greatest abundance and of best growth where, within the limits of its ilistribution, the annual 

 rainfall varies between 48 to 52 inches, it is less frequent in the districts where the precipitation 

 exceeds 50 inches, still scarcer where the annual rainfall averages below 44 inches, and entii-ely 

 wanting where this is less than 40 inches. Hence it is found best developed in the upper part of 

 the Gulf States and west of the Mississippi River in adjacent northern districts from the interior 

 of Georgia to northeastern Texas, where the most favorable conditions in regard to atmospheric 

 l>recipitation iirevail. The tree seems to avoid the humid air of the coast along the Gulf, as well 

 as along the seashore of the Southern Atlantic States, nor does it ascend the mountains in these 

 States above an altitude of 2,500 feet. 



RELATION TO LIGHT AND ASSOCIATED SPECIES. 



The Shortleaf Pine, like most pines, is a light-needing species, being, howeser, less sensitive 

 to a deficiency in this direction than the Longleaf and Cuban pines, which latter succumb in 

 competition with the Shortleaf Pine. Originally the Shortleaf Pine is found more or less asso- 

 ciated with various oaks (Spanish Oak, Blackjack, Scarlet Oak, Post Oak, and Black Oak), the 

 Mockernut and the Pignut Hickorj^, and more rarely with the Chestnut, the Mountain Oak, and 

 the Scrub Pine. All of these species prefer* the warm, lighter soils of the uplands. These 

 companions of the Shortleaf Pine are joined in the lower Southern States by the Loblolly and 

 Longleaf Pine. Wherever in these upland forests an opening is made the Shortleaf Pine gains 

 over its associates, finding its only successful rival in the Loblolly Pine. It is in the Southern 

 States proverbial that in the upland forests "the pine is crowding out the hard- wood timber," 

 a fact earlj^ observed. The displacement is effected either gradually in the course of time, or 

 instantly when the removal of the original timber growth has been sudden. In the upper part 

 of the maritime pine belt, where it is associated with the Longleaf Pine, the latter is sure to be 

 replaced by the Shortleaf species, often joined in the course of such invasion by the Loblolly Pine. 



Little is known of the fungoid parasites and of the insects endangering the life of the 

 Shortleaf Pine. From my own observation, it seems that this tree is less affected by the former 

 than the other ijines of the same region. In the lumbering districts of Alabama a disease called 

 redheart or redrot, caused by the mycelium of a large species of Polyporus, which is so highly 

 destructive to the Longleaf Pine, is in this species almost unknown. In northeastern Texas this 

 disease was found to affect the superannuated timber trees, which were over two hundred years 

 old. According to A. S. Packard ' the hosts of insects affecting this pine seriously are scarcely less 

 in number than those infesting the Longleaf Pine; its enemies belong to the same or very uetu'ly 

 related kinds. Among the borers the Monohammiis co7ifusor a,ud other species of the same geaus 

 dig burrows in the timber to the heart; the larv;e of numerous i>H^res^irfrt', Ceramhycida; ind 

 CurculionkJa' burrow under the bark, and the Tomicus caUiyrdphiis, cacoyruphus, ccelatus, and 

 other species of Scohitida', at certain seasons are in immense numbers carrying on their wo.-k of 

 destruction in the cambium layer, leaving in wonderful delineation on the inside of the bar;c the 

 marks of their pernicious activity and causing the si)eedy death of the tree. 



Mr. E. A. Schwarz, of the Division of Entomology, Department of Agriculture, remarks ni tliis 

 connection that of more than usual interest is the remarkable and disastrous invasion of one of 



'A. S. Packard: Insects iujurious to forest aud shade trees. 



