22 FOREST RESOURCES OF TEXAS. 



or well-established drainage basins. In either case they offer soil con- 

 ditions which permit hardwoods to penetrate into the longleaf forest. 



CHARACTER OP THE FOREST. 



Longleaf pine is characteristically found in heavy forest over large 

 tracts with a practically pure stand. Especially is this true on sandy 

 uplands, or the true pine barrens. This purity of stand, combined 

 with the good quality of the timber, makes the longleaf forest both 

 the most valuable and the most easily marketed timber resource of 

 the State. The trees make a large and perfect growth, yielding logs 

 of a maximum diameter of from 36 to 40 inches, with a clear length 

 of 60 feet. From the high percentage of merchantable trees, lumber- 

 ing, if conducted without restriction to secure a future supply, is 

 likely to leave standing what would form, even if uninjured at the 

 time of operations and properly protected subsequently, but a scanty 

 basis for a perpetuation of the forest. In point of fact, along neither 

 of these lines has it ordinarily received any care at all. 



That longleaf tends to grow by itself is due, primarily, to the fact 

 that it can flourish where most species can not live. On the dry sands 

 it finds a refuge from the competition which is generally too much for 

 it on moister and better soils. In spite of its adaptation for seeking 

 water far below the surface, it is a reasonably safe conclusion, in 

 view of all the facts, that it grows where it does rather from necessity 

 than preference. It is probable that if it were free to occup} 7 better 

 ground without having to fight for it the result would be either finer 

 or faster grown timber, or both, than that which the tree now makes. 

 But the first demand of the longleaf is for sunlight. With its long, 

 clear stems, thin tops, and scanty undergrowth, its typical form is an 

 open forest, and it can reproduce in no other. Such a tree has no 

 choice but to withdraw to situations which other- -species do not care 

 for. The result is that, after lumbering, the thickets of hardwoods 

 (except for scrub oaks) which are so aggressive on cleared lobloll} 7 and 

 shortleaf lands, are conspicuously absent. It is true that hardwood 

 species do ultimately encroach on cleared longleaf lands, but the 

 encroachment is very slow; for, as a rule, the new growth has to bring 

 its own soil with it, by developing a humus to grow in. 



Under present conditions the longleaf does absolutely nothing 

 toward building up a humus soil, because of the recurrent fires which 

 prevent any accumulation of leaf litter. Naturally a longleaf forest 

 creates an excellent humus; but, growing as it does on sandy, well- 

 drained soil, when the fires which always become frequent with the 

 appearance of man begin, the organic material in the forest floor is 

 soon lost. The result is to accentuate the condition which originally 



