36 



SHORTLEAF PINE IN VIRGINIA 



After ordinary culling, such as is practiced for farm use, or in 

 clear cutting stands of pine for lumber or for fuel, hardwoods 

 generally form the main part of the young stand. The reasons 

 for this are explained under the heading "Permanency of Old- 

 Field Pine Stands." To obtain reproduction of pine, it is neces- 

 sary: (1) To cut nearly clean, that there may be abundant light; 

 (2) To leave seed-bearing pine trees scattered over the area or 

 standing nearby; (3) To cut out the large trees of such hard- 

 woods as dogwood, post oak, hickory, persimmon, etc., which have 

 sprung up beneath the pines, and which would suppress many 

 pine seedlings by their shade; (4) To bring as much of the min- 

 eral soil to the surface as possible. The hardwoods should be cut 

 in September, when their sprouting capacity is lowest. 



Two methods of cutting are suggested. One method, leaving 

 isolated seed trees, is for use where the entire stand must be cut 

 at one time. The other, cutting in strips, or groups, can be applied 

 when there is a steady market for saAv logs, as when there is a 

 nearby permanent sawmill, or logs can be shipped to such a mill, 

 and when it is possible to make two or more cuttings, not less 

 than five years apart, in a stand, always having in view, however. 

 the development of the valuable long-bodied and clean-stemmed 

 trees (table 16) which are to form the mature stand. 



Isolated Seed Trees. When the saw-timber must be removed 

 at one cutting it is advisable to prepare for the final cutting at the 

 time of the last thinning by developing seed trees. At forty-five 

 years of age, the production of seed by shortleaf pine is still ex- 

 tremely light, particularly in dense stands. If there are no old 

 forest pines which will serve for seed trees within 100 yards of 

 the tract, one object of the last thinning should be to select and 

 develop trees for seed trees. 



Vigorous, lasge-crowned trees should be selected for this pur- 

 pose. They should be not less than four to the acre, and should 

 be evenly distributed or else located on the tops of hills or knolls. 

 Their crowns should be entirely freed by heavy thinnings on all 

 sides. This should lead to the production of a heavy crop of cones 

 and fertile seed within five years. If the crowns again crowd be- 

 fore lumbering, they should again be freed by further thinning. 



When lumbering takes place, all merchantable trees should be 

 cut except these seed trees, which should be able to produce enough 

 seed in a few years to restock the land. (Plate V). If the seed 

 trees are windfirm they can go over until the next stand is cut; 



