The bulk of the field work was done by the Southern Forest 

 Experiment Station which, however, received generous coopera- 

 tion from the State foresters of the Southern States. For this 

 cooperation grateful acknowledgment is made. 



Office computations and the preparation of all tables were in 

 the hands of the Forest Service under the general direction of 

 Donald Bruce. The text was prepared by R. D. Forbes and E. L. 

 Demmon, former and present directors, respectively, of the 

 Southern Forest Experiment Station. 



Special acknowledgment for services rendered in connection 

 with the study is due to Austin Gary and L. H. Reineke of the 

 Forest Service, to W. R. Hine, formerly of the Forest Service 

 and now superintendent of forestry in Louisiana, and to R. M. 

 Brown of the University of Minnesota, also a former member of 

 the Forest Service. In addition, it ma; 1 that without 



the hearty cooperation of a large number of individuals and 

 organizations widely scattered throughout the South and else- 

 where, which has been freely given, this publication would not 

 have been possible. 



The region covered by the growth study comprises pine forests 

 in 12 Southern States, from Virginia south to Florida, west to 

 Texas, and north into Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri. 

 Throughout this region extensive measurements were made of 

 individual trees and purr c •: id-growth 



loblolly pine (Pinua tacdtv, longleaf pine (P. palustris), short- 

 leaf pine (P. echinata), and slash pine [P. caribaea). Stands 

 originating after hurricai • r insect killings in the virgin 



forest, and essentially similar to those following clear cuttings 

 or abandonment of farm lands, were regarded as second-growth. 

 Scattered trees left in early cuttings, on the other hand, were not 

 included, since their form differs from that of true second-growth 

 trees. 



The present publication is intended primarily for the use of 

 foresters familiar with the terminology and the technic of forest 

 mensuration and will be of value mainly in the examination and 

 estimation of large tracts of forest land. Tables primarily 

 applicable to farm woodlands, detailed explanations of the appli- 

 cation of the tables, and elementary discussion of methods of 

 study have been omitted from this publication but may be found 

 in another bulletin of the Department of Agriculture now in 

 preparation. 1 



The methods used during the present study in both field work 

 and computations a: ntially those recommended by -a 



joint committee from the Society of American Foresters, the 



1 Forbes, R. D. and Bruce, D. second-growth southern pines: their eco- 

 nomic importance and rate of growth in full STANDS. [Unpublished manu- 

 script.] 



