SHORTLEAF PINE 159 



both above and below, the latter gradually dying ; but it 

 throws out limbs between the annual whorls more frequently 

 than any other Pine, thus making it difficult to determine 

 its age by counting the latter. The crown is not much given 

 to branching. It is fairly tolerant of shade and not so ex- 

 acting as some Hard Pines. It grows rapidly when young, 

 and hence can suppress its slow-growing neighbors when 

 starting out in life on an even footing. Consequently, when 

 associated with Longleaf Pine it practically supplants that 

 tree. It will frequently grow more feet in height during the 

 first six or eight years of its life than the Longleaf can in 

 inches. Its demand for light is strong enough, however, to 

 cause its lower limbs to die and drop off when crowded, 

 giving a straight, clean stem, free from knots and limbs, 

 for a large part of its height. 



The tree does not seem to have fully determined on the 

 number of leaves it should have in a cluster, as it frequently 

 shows two and three on the same tree. Some of these begin 

 to fall at the end of the second season, while others con- 

 tinue to drop for four or five years. They are from three 

 to four inches long, this gives the tree its appropriate 

 name of Shortleaf , slender, soft and dark bluish-green 

 when mature. The cones seldom exceed two inches in length, 

 and hang on the tree for years. They are borne in great 

 abundance nearly every year and the seeds have a high per- 

 centage of fertility. As with all other pines the seeds have 

 wings, but they are the smallest borne by any of the timber 

 Pines and consequently are blown to a great distance. There 

 are nearly twice as many seeds in a pound as there are of 

 White Pine, while the wings are proportionally larger than 

 those attached to that seed. Their light weight, compara- 

 tively large wing, and great abundance have much to do 

 with the tree's extended range, causing it to cover the 

 ground completely with a new growth when the old one is 

 cut away and seed trees are left. 



The wood is light, soft for a Hard Pine, close-grained, 

 not strong, with light brown heartwood, and nearly white but 



