THE PINE INVESTIGATION. 



273 



and its stiff, dark, yellowish-green leaves, 4 to 5 inches long, 

 and growing three in a bundle. The cones are 2 to 3-fc 

 inches long, often occurring in clusters. This pine grows 

 to a large tree, 60 to 75 feet high, and from H to 2 t<eet in 

 diameter. It is widely distributed over the State, forming 

 forests on some of the mountains in 

 Hampshire, Hardy and Pendleton coun- 

 ties, and occuring at high altitudes in 

 Preston near Oranesville. 



The Scrub or Virginia Pine 1 comes 

 next in importance ; not so much on ac- 

 count of its value as a timber tree, as to 

 its common occurrence and wide distri- 

 bution over all of the areas of the State 

 upon which the pine occurs. It is easily 

 recognized by its scrubby growth, its 

 thin, flaky bark, and its short, fine, yel- 

 lowish-green leaves, 1 to 3 inches long 

 and growing two in a bundle. The cones 

 are 2 to 3 inches long, growing single 

 and in clusters, and usually abundant on 

 old trees. This species seldom grows 

 large enough to be profitably worked 

 into lumber ; being a medium sized tree, 

 20 to 30 feet high, and 6 to 12 

 inches in diameter, rarely exceeding the 

 latter, although I have seen trees of this pine that measured 

 over 18 inches at the base. It grows where the other pines 

 will not thrive; on poor; southern, or western slopes, and 

 in old fields. It is of little value except for feul and mine 

 props, for both of which it is extensively used in certain local- 

 ities. 



Ihe Table Mountain Pine. 2 This is a larger tree than the 

 scrub pine, with coarse bark, short, stiff, yellowish-green leaves, 

 1 to 2 inches long, growing two in a bundle. This pine can 

 be readily distinguished from all of the other native pines by 



1 Pinus Virginiana, Mill. 2 Pinus pungens, Michx. 



Fig. XXXIV. Trunk of yel- 

 low pine. 



