158 THE PINES 



rapid growth, especially when young, coupled with the 

 many good qualities of the lumber cut from it, place it 

 high in the list of Hard Pines in economic importance. 

 Taking everything into consideration it will probably play 

 a more important part in the future lumber supply of this 

 country than will either or both of the Longleaf Pines, 

 notwithstanding that the lumber cut from them is of better 

 quality. 



Its natural range extends from western Connecticut 

 southward along the eastern slope of the Appalachian 

 Mountains to the coast of northern Florida, and from the 

 southern end of the Appalachians to the Gulf Coast, thence 

 westward to eastern Texas and western Arkansas, north 

 to Missouri, from there eastward across Tennessee to the 

 western side of the Appalachians, and thence northward 

 along both sides of the Alleghany Mountains to southern 

 New York. Although never abundant north of Maryland, 

 some fine isolated specimens can still be found in northern 

 Pennsylvania. By far the best development is west of the 

 Mississippi River, in northeastern Texas, western Arkan- 

 sas, and southern Missouri, and also in northern Mississippi 

 and Georgia, although very excellent stands have been 

 found throughout most of its entire range. In the southern 

 localities named it covers more or less of the entire ground 

 with a pure stand. In other localities it is associated with 

 other conifers and broadleaved trees. 



The tree sometimes reaches a height of one hundred and 

 twenty feet, with a diameter of four feet, but these dimen- 

 sions are not common. It seldom rises above ninety feet or 

 has a diameter over thirty inches. It is less uniform in size 

 and growth, and also in character of lumber, than some 

 species, because of its great range, embracing varied con- 

 ditions of soil, climate, and exposure. All this should be 

 carefully observed before any attempt is made to propagate 

 it artificially. The trunk is slightly tapering and in its 

 mature years the tree shows a round top with large limbs 

 about midway in the height of the crown, and smaller ones 



