2 BULLETIN 139, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



which was easier to procure, though the tree itself had no advantages. 

 With better methods of seed collection and storage, this drawback in 

 the case of Norway pine can be overcome. This bulletin describes 

 the life history of the tree, its requirements upon soil, moisture, and 

 climate, its rate of growth and yield, and the best methods for its 

 management. 



BOTANICAL AND COMMERCIAL RANGE. 



Norway pine is confined to the Northeastern and Lake States and to 

 southern Canada. Economically, it is most important in the Lake 

 States and in Ontario. It occurs, however, as far south as south- 

 eastern Pennsylvania and as far east as Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, 

 and eastern Maine. Its western limit is in Minnesota and its northern 

 at the fifty-first parallel in Manitoba. 



In Minnesota its commercial range extends from Lake of the Woods 

 to the mouth of Pigeon River, and south to Lake Pepin. In Wiscon- 

 sin it occurs in 27 counties, but is abundant only in the more sandy 

 districts. In Michigan it closely follows the range of white pine. 



The supply of Norway pine in the Northeastern States is now pretty 

 well exhausted. It was heavily logged in Maine during colonial 

 times, and has been lumbered also in Pennsylvania and New York. In 

 Canada it is commercially important in the Provinces of Ontario and 

 Quebec. 



Figure 1 shows its botanical and commercial range. 



CLIMATE, TOPOGRAPHY, AND SOIL. 



In the Lake States and Ontario, where Norway pine reaches its 

 best development, the climate is cold in Winter and rather hot and 

 dry in summer. The annual rainfall within this region varies from 

 20 to 45 inches, with from 51 to 65 per cent of sunshine. In the tree's 

 optimum range the rainfall does not exceed 36 inches, with 60 per 

 cent of sunshine. In Wisconsin the average annual precipitation of 

 31.5 inches is distributed as follows: Summer, 11.2 inches; spring, 8.3 

 inches ; autumn, 8.1 inches, and winter, 3.9 inches. Norway pine with- 

 stands a temperature of — 50° F. in winter and one of 105° F. in sum- 

 mer. In some parts of the Lake States where it grows there are frosts 

 every month of the year. The last killing frost, however, usually 

 occurs by May 15, and the first by September 15. The foliage of the 

 mature tree is immune to cold, though seed production is affected. 

 Seedlings are often damaged by periodic droughts. 



Throughout its range Norway pine is forced by its associates to 

 seek the dry, sandy, or gravelly soils. It is found on dry, coarse, sand, 

 but produces better timber on a moderately fine, fresh sand. The tree 

 is certainly not exacting in its soil requirements, however, since a 

 pure, fine-grained, moderately dry sand supports some of the finest 



