EARLY GROWTH OF LOBLOLLY PINE. 



127 



the tree attains a height of 10 feet, and with the close of the first decade trees are fouud 12 to 16 

 feet high aud from -f to 3 inches in diameter. Some trees begin to mature their first cones by the 

 tenth year. 



Tlie above measureinents were made in 1890 in the vicinity of Cullman, Ala., on trees taken 

 indiscriminately from the midst and near the border of a dense pine thicket covering a field xjlowed 

 for the last time in 188:3, and from an adjoining opening in the forest protected from fire aud but 

 rarely used for pasture. 



According to a number of measurements made of trees in the southern Atlantic States, the 

 Gulf region, and southern Arkansas, the Loblolly Pine reaches at the tenth year, on the average, 

 a height of 20 feet, doubling this height during the succeeding decade. During this period of 

 quickest growth the increase in height proceeds at the rate of 2 feet per annum, and trees twenty 

 years old average 4§ inches in diameter breast high. At the age of fifty years the trees are from 

 05 to 75 feet in height (average about 70 feet) and 1.5 inches in diameter breast high. The annual 

 increase for this period of thirty years is about 1 foot in height and 0.35 inch in diameter. From 

 numerous observations it appears that the Loblolly Pine attains the fullness of its growth at the 

 age of one hundred years, with a height, on the average, of 110 feet aud a diameter breast high 

 of 2 feet, the length of merchantable timber varying between 50 and CO feet. The annual rate of 

 height growth during the second half century is about eight-tenths of a foot, and the diameter 

 growth eighteen one hundredths of an inch. Henceforth the growth in height remains almost 

 stationary. A dozen trees from one hundred to one hundred aud fifty years old were found to 

 vary from 99 to 125 feet in height, with a length of trunk free from limbs of from GO to G8 feet and 

 from 19 to 27 inches in diameter at breast height. 



From the annexed tabulated records of growth it becomes evident that under similar conditions 

 of soil and exposure the rate of increase for the various stages of growth show but slight differences 

 in localities widely distant from each other. 



Table I.—Cronlh fromjive tofiftijijnirs. 



