LIFE HISTORY OF SHORTLEAF PINE. 13 



ROOT SYSTEM. 



Having strongly developed taproot and laterals, the tree is seldom 

 thrown by wind except in the case of tornadoes. This root system 

 also enables the tree to thrive in relatively dry situations. Taproots 

 14 feet deep have been found on 8-year-old saplings, which shows 

 the ability of the tree to search for moisture. (PL I.) This root 

 habit may account, in part at least, for the wide geographical dis- 

 tribution of shortleaf pine, and, within much of its range, its suprem- 

 acy over all other conifers, except red juniper, in successfully occupy- 

 ing the driest upland soils and exposed ridges. It is significant that 

 shortleaf pine, which maintains throughout life a higher tree density 

 in pure stands than any other eastern or southern commercial pine, 

 possesses inherently both a narrow crown and deep root system. 

 The distribution of loblolly pine over the tideland districts and 

 along watercourses and the absence there of shortleaf pine is 

 undoubtedly due to an ecological effect of root development and 

 inherent adaptation. 



DEMANDS UPON SOrL AND CLIMATE. 



SOIL. 



Shortleaf occurs on a wide variation of soil types, ranging from 

 the gravels and sands to stiff clays. In respect to soil moisture, 

 however, its requirements hi one particular are more exacting; namely, 

 under all conditions, shortleaf avoids very poorly drained or wet 

 situations. Its home is essentially on the better-drained soils. In 

 New Jersey it grows on the low ridges of gravelly loam, associated 

 with chestnut oak. Over the extreme lower portion of the Atlantic 

 coastal plain, from North Carolina through southern Georgia, Ala- 

 bama, and Mississippi, its occurrence is always on the well-drained 

 ridges and hummocks. The physiography and soil types of the Pied- 

 mont region, from the upper coastal plain well into the lower slopes 

 of the mountains, are favorable to its vigorous growth. The deep, 

 well-drained, gravelly or clayey loam soils of this region favor short- 

 leaf but discourage loblolly, which is much inferior in ability to 

 withstand drought. In the lower shortleaf range toward the south- 

 ern coasts the lighter grades of sandy soils are occupied by longleaf, 

 which possesses remarkable tolerance for deep and very dry soil 

 conditions. 



CLIMATE 



The broadness of the climatic conditions favorable to shortleaf 

 pine is clearly indicated by the tree's wide geographical range The 

 range of temperature is from the mean annual temperature of 48° 

 F. in northern New Jersey, through 60° in central Arkansas, to 

 70° in southeast Texas. Of greater significance is the difference be- 



