CHAPTER VIII 

 TREES AND THEIR VALUE FOR PLANTING 



White Pine (Pinus strobus). — The white pine is widely 

 distributed throughout the northeastern part of the country, 

 extending south to Pennsylvania and Iowa and along the 

 Appalachian Mountains to Georgia. It grows to large size, 

 often living 450 years and reaching 175 feet in height and 

 3 to 5 feet in diameter. It grows best on deep, light, moist 

 and sandy soils. It will, however, grow on nearly all situations 

 where there is sufficient moisture, from steep rocky slopes to 

 river bottoms that are well drained. The wood of white pine 

 is soft, light, straight grained and easily worked and will not 

 warp. It has been an important construction timber. More 

 lumber has been cut from white pine than from any other 

 species, and it was formerly used for more purposes than 

 any other wood. It is gradually becoming scarce and the 

 better grades are high in price. 



The seedlings of white pine for planting, as with other 

 conifers, are difficult to grow without constant care and atten- 

 tion during the first few weeks. It is best to purchase 2-year- 

 old seedlings from a commercial nursery. They can often be 

 purchased for as low as $2 or $3 a thousand. They will 

 be large enough to plant on favorable sites and for under- 

 planting open stands of timber. Where the conditions are not 

 favorable, as where the grass or weeds grow high, the seed- 

 lings should be grown in the farm nursery for a year or more 

 before planting. In starting plantings the seedlings are planted 

 in rows 6 to 8 feet apart and spaced the same distance apart 



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