UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



BULLETIN No. 1061 



Contribution from the Forest Service 

 WILLIAM B. GREELEY, Forester 



Washington, D. C. 



July 29, 1922 



LONGLEAF PINE. 



By Wilbur R. Mattoon, Forest Examiner. 



CONTENTS. 



Page. 



Range and importance 2 



Rate of growth 6 



Production of timber 13 



Production of turpentine and rosin_ 22 



Cutting 34 



Reforestation 36 



Protection 44 



Timber and live stock 49 



Longleaf pine is a southern forest tree of great economic im- 

 portance. It is one of our best timber trees, and from it is derived 

 the bulk of the turpentine and rosin produced in this country. With 

 the rapid disappearance of old-growth timber, the increasing use of 

 low-grade lumber, and the rising values of all forest products, second- 

 growth pine is coming to be an asset of increasing importance. 



Large areas of cut-over lands are being handled in connection with 

 the farming and grazing industries. On account of the natural wide 

 spacing of longleaf pine trees, the grazing of live stock can be suc- 

 cessfully carried on along with the growing of timber, without in- 

 jury to either industry, as a double source of return from the land. 

 Almost daily new uses and new values are being found for forest 

 products formerly considered valueless. Questions on how to get 

 the most profit from second-growth pine are being frequently asked. 

 To the owner of large timber holdings, as well as to the farmer, 

 the importance and value of second-growth pine are coming to be 

 matters of increasing consideration. 



The common belief that longleaf pine is slow growing applies only 

 to old-growth or mature timber, and to that growing on unfavorable 

 situations, such, for example, as the very dry sand hills and the flat- 

 wood:-. It is likewise true of stands that are burned frequently, and 

 of those that are overcrowded and in need of thinning. The seed 

 germinates quickly — usually in two to four weeks after it matures 

 in the fall. ( lontrary to the popular belief, when sufficient seed tree 

 are left, young longleaf comes in extensively on cut-over lands, but 

 the greal hulk of it is killed by fires and hogs. 



Longleaf pine is, however, remarkably resistant to fire. Millions 

 of young tree- not over 25 years of age have undoubtedly passed 

 86927'— 22 1 



