124 TIMBER TREES OF NORTH CAROLINA. 



branches, and rough furrowed dark grayish-brown bark, reaching 

 a height of 170 and a diameter of 11 feet. (Plate XIV.) 



It occurs from Newfoundland to the Winnipeg river, south 

 through the northern states to Pennsylvania, Michigan, Illinois, 

 Iowa, and along the Appalachian mountains to Georgia; reach- 

 ing its best development in the region of the Great Lakes. 



In this State, where it attains an average height of 60 to 70 

 and an average diameter of 2i feet, it is confined to the mountains. 

 It grows for the most part at an elevation of 1,500 to 3,500 feet, 

 and is found along the Blue Ridge, and scatteringly in the coun- 

 ties west of it. (Fig. 33, p. 123.) 



The white pine bears seed at intervals of from 2 to 4 years. 

 Seedlings are common in open woods, and in old fields on dry 

 poor soil. It prefers a sandy loam, but is found on clay and on 

 sandy soil. It grows usually on rich land or on high dry stony 

 ridges, and often forms large patches of nearly pure forest. The 

 growth is slow for the first 4 to 7 years, then very rapid for 40 

 to 60 years, after which it again grows slowly. It is a long-lived 

 tree, sound specimens having been found 350 or 400 years old. 

 Specimens under 10 inches in diameter are sensitive to fire. 



In the northern states the grub of the pine borer or sawyer, 

 Monohamnus confusor, Kirby, attacks the sound timber, though 

 less frequently than that of decaying trees. The white pine 

 weevil, Pissodes strobi, Peck, causes a great deal of injury by 

 entering and destroying the leaders. This species is also subject 

 to the attack of the grubs of various bark beetles. 



The leaves are soft, slender, in fives. The male catkins are 

 oval, the female long-stalked and cylindrical ; the cones long, 

 narrow, slightly curved, aud tapering to a point. The seeds are 

 small, smooth, and ovate, with thin wings about 1 inch long. 

 The roots, which are remarkable for their durability, usually do 

 not penetrate deeply into the soil. 



The wood is light, soft, not strong, very close and straight- 

 grained, compact, easily worked ; light brown in color ; the sap- 

 wood nearly white. It is used for lumber, shingles, laths, build- 

 ing material, cabinetmaking, interior finish, matches, wooden- 

 ware, and domestic purposes, and is altogether one of the most 



