F221424 



Figure 19. — Loblolly pine, shown here, is the predominant species 

 on more than a third of South Carolina 's forest area. This open, 

 old-field stand is 50 to 70 years old. 



The proportion of loblolly in the present stands is 

 probably considerably higher than it was in the origi- 

 nal forest. Much of the area now classed as loblolly 

 was originally in hardwoods with a pine intermixture. 

 Loblolly, because of its prolific seeding and its abil- 

 ity to thrive on poor soils, quickly established itself 

 on lands which were cleared, cultivated, and aban- 

 doned. The resulting even-aged stands were as a 

 rule almost pure loblolly (old-field pine); in many of 

 the present stands evidences of previous cultivation 

 (planting rows, old fence rows, and abandoned dwell- 

 ing sites) can still be seen, particularly on the upper 

 Coastal Plain and the piedmont. 



The proportion of hardwoods has increased, how- 

 ever, because of more effective protection from fire 

 and the present practice of cutting only the pine, 

 frequently to low diameter limits. Because the 

 hardwoods are usually of less value than the pines, 

 maintenance of a high proportion of pine is a desirable 

 objective of forest management and at the same time 

 a difficult silvicultural problem. 



Shordeaf Pine Type 



Shortleaf pine occupies over 2 million acres, or 19 

 percent of the State's forest area and S9 percent of 

 the forest area of the piedmont. 



Table 6. — Species composition of the principal forest types, 

 percent of net cubic volume for each type, 1936 i 



Softwoods: 

 Loblolly pi 



Shortle 

 Virgini 



Heml 



Cypn 



Hardwoods: 



Blaclcgum am 



tupelo 



Sweetgum 



Yellow-poplar_ 



Red oaks 



White oaks... 



Ash 



Hickory. 

 Other ha 



00.0 100.0 



hard- 



Percent 

 0.1 



.9 

 .3 



Cypr 



14.2 

 18.1 

 20.5 



12.9 

 12.8 



1 Net cubic volume outside bark of sound trees at least 5 

 inches d. b. h., tops and limbs of hardwoods omitted. The per- 

 cents are based upon the volumes in survey units where the type 

 predominates. 



Although stands of shortleaf pine are found on the 

 Coastal Plain, the species predominates on the mid- 

 dle and upper piedmont (fig. 20). It occurs there in 

 pure stands or intermingled with hardwoods, lob- 

 lolly or Virginia pine. Of the net cubic volume in 

 the type on the piedmont, 71 percent is shortleaf 

 pine, 2 percent Virginia pine, 6 percent other soft- 

 woods, and 21 percent hardwoods. The shortleaf, 

 like the loblolly, is predominantly of old-field origin, 

 and exhibits a similar tendency toward a large in- 

 crease in the proportion of hardwoods with each 

 succeeding generation. 



Virginia pine, as a type, covers only 4 percent of 

 the State's forest area and is included in the short- 

 leaf pine type. It is most abundant in a small 

 region (Pickens, Greenville, and Spartanburg Coun- 

 ties) in the intensively cultivated northwestern part 

 of South Carolina. 



Longleaf Pine Type 



The longleaf pine type is found on 1,762,100 acres 

 or 16 percent of South Carolina's forest area. This 

 type, too, was once much more abundant. Land 

 clearing, naval stores operations, and cutting have 

 depleted the original stands and the more prolific 

 and rapidly growing loblolly has taken over aban- 

 doned fields and clear-cut areas formerly in longleaf. 



20 



