LONGLEAF pine. 7 



Coastal Plain longleaf saplings at 5 years of age reach heights of 

 2 to 3 feet and at 7 years of 5 to 8 feet. The occurrence of fires 

 at frequent intervals, usually of about 2 years, in different sections 

 over practically the entire longleaf pine belt, and the accompanying- 

 marked effect in checking growth should not be overlooked in any 

 consideration of the rate of growth. 



Since the purpose here is chiefly to consider growth after the 

 youngest or seedling stage, the germination of the seed and the 

 early seedling development will be discussed under " Reforestation " 

 in connection with getting young stands started. 



The period of vigorous growth, during which the longleaf sap- 

 lings " shoot " up rapidly, begins at an age of about 5 years and 

 continues to about 20 to 25 years. At about 1 years, the height of 

 saplings sometimes increases 3 to 4 feet during a single year. A 

 growth of 2 feet a year in well-stocked stands is common over large 

 areas (fig. 2 and PI. V.), and open-grown trees on average good 

 situations not uncommonly grow from 2 to 3 feet yearly. At the 

 same time, the young trees grow to a diameter (at the ground) of 

 about 2 inches during the 2 to 4 years following the early prepara- 

 tory stage. Varying widely, longleaf saplings require 6 to 8 years 

 on an average to reach breast height, or 4|. feet above the ground. 

 After the maximum rate of height growth, at an age prior to 20 

 years, the rate gradually diminishes. It should, however, be clearly 

 understood that young longleaf pine trees, subjected to hot fires, 

 •do not grow at the rates indicated. On protected old fields in the 

 flatwoods of eastern North Carolina, measurements of longleaf pines 

 show that in 35 to 50 years the average trees produce saw logs 14 

 •to 20 inches at the butt and 20 feet in length.* The usefulness of 

 these pine trees, however, would begin a little earlier if they were 

 turpentined, and the thinning out of the foliage would also en- 

 courage the incoming of the tender grasses which are valuable for 

 pasturage. This may be considered as about the average of the bet- 

 ter growth to be expected throughout the longleaf pine region. The 

 -oil conditions on old fields are favorable, probably because of 

 changes taking place in the hardpan layer. 1 



The most useful information regarding the rate of growth is 

 obtained by measuring the amount of growth actually taking place 

 in stands approximately even-aged and fairly well stocked. The 

 trees in such stands grow tall, straight, and clean of branches, but 

 relatively slow in diameter (PI. IV). At any given age, therefore, 

 the average trees in well-stocked stands will be considerably smaller 



•By w. W, Ah.-, formerly in charge <>f Investigations,, Nortb Carollmi Geo 

 'Siinii.-- by ,i. i). v.ui.ii, Bureau of Boils, U. s. Department of agriculture, 



