WESTERN WHITE PINE 145 



close to the ground and these take on a drooping habit and 

 will remain alive a long time, if the tree is not grown in 

 close quarters. When young its crown assumes an up- 

 right conical form, somewhat like the Spruces and Firs, 

 but as it approaches maturity in the forests the crown be- 

 comes quite flattened. There is no reason to think it may 

 not clean itself of limbs by proper treatment, although it 

 generally retains many until quite mature. Like the Eastern 

 White Pine it is long-lived, frequently reaching an age of 

 four hundred years, but it does not grow as rapidly. 



The wood is generally darker colored than that of the 

 Eastern species, being a light reddish-brown, with lighter 

 colored sap wood. It is light, soft, easily worked, not strong 

 or very durable, close- and straight-grained and easily split. 

 There is little difference between spring and summer wood, 

 and the medullary rays are small and inconspicuous. It can 

 be used for practically all purposes to which any of the Soft 

 Pines are devoted. When shipped East it is sold as White 

 Pine and takes about the same rank as the Eastern species, 

 few being able to distinguish them, although the wood is 

 a trifle harder. 



No information can be obtained concerning its propaga- 

 tion except that which has been experienced in attempting 

 to grow it for ornamental purposes in the eastern United 

 States, which has not been very successful. No effort to 

 grow it as a forest tree is known to have been undertaken 

 anywhere. Professor C. S. Sargent 1 says: "Occasionally 

 [planted] in the eastern United States, where it grows more 

 vigorously than any other Pine-tree of western America." 

 This, however, does not necessarily indicate that it would 

 be a profitable tree to plant away from its natural home, 

 for very few of the Western conifers thrive east of the Rocky 

 Mountains. This one simply does better than any other. 

 But there is enough to encourage experimenting with it on 

 our highest wind-swept mountains of the East where only 

 the Hard Pitch Pines now grow. 



1 Manual of the Trees of North America, page 5. 



