THE STORY OF WHITE PINE 



41 



refer to the actual hardness and softness against them. In the western part of 

 of the woods. A rapidly-growing tree in its range this pine grew southward to 

 good soil may produce soft wood, while the lower end of Lake Michigan and 

 a tree of the same species in poor, dry took possession of some of the sandy 

 soil will likely yield wood much harder, tracts in northern Indiana, where its 

 The difference is due principally to the progress ended; but in the East it fol- 

 rate of growth, but not wholly so. lowed the Appalachian mountians south- 

 Shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata) 

 is usually and properly classed 

 with the hard pines; yet, owing 

 doubtless to a favorable com- 

 bination of soil and climate, 

 an area in southern Arkansas 

 and northern Louisiana pro- 

 duces this pine of so soft a 

 grade that it is actually said 

 to sell sometimes as white 

 pine. Another example, 

 though it is on a small scale, 

 will serve to emphasize further 

 the influence of soil and situa- 

 tion on the texture of wood. 

 The table mountain pine {Pi- 

 nus pungens) usually produces 

 wood fairly soft. Yet, on the 

 precipitous crest of a bleak 

 and lofty spur of the Alle- 

 ghany Mountains in West 

 Virginia there is a clump of 

 these pines so stunted and 

 of such slow growth that the 

 wood will turn the edge of a 

 pocket knife as lignum-vitae 

 might do it, and its texture 

 resembles that of horn. In- 

 stances of this kind are valu- 

 able for the light they throw 

 on the soils' influence on the 

 texture of growing wood. 



The habitat of white pine 

 extends east and west 1,800 

 miles, from Newfoundland to 

 Manitoba. Approximately half 

 of its range lies in Canada 

 and half in the United States. 

 Toward the northern border 

 of its range the soil is thin and 

 the climate cold, consequently 

 the average size of the trees 

 is small. The limit of < the 

 species in that direction is set 

 by climatic conditions, but 

 such is not the case toward the southern 

 limits. 



There the white pine came in contact 

 with many, kinds of hardwoods on good 

 soil and was unable'^to make headway 



Nearly Out of Business. 



the refuse burners at the big white pine mills no longer con- 

 sume much material. slabs are worked (nto lath, molding 

 and other small articles, the sawdust goes to stables as 

 horse bedding, the chips and splin i ! rs i i i loaded in cars in 

 be hauled to the towns for fuel, and very little finds its 

 way to the waste heap. the picture represents a scene at 

 the mill of the northern lumber company at colquet. minn. 



ward to Georgia. The tree's extreme 

 range east and west extends 1,800 miles, 

 and 1,200 north and south. 



No man knows what quantity of 

 white pine was on the stump at the 



