42 WORKING PLAN, LANDS IN BERKELEY COUNTY, 8S. C. 
the drier parts of the tract and along the edges of the swamps, which 
should indicate that seed does not germinate well in the wet places. 
The thickets of black gum, no doubt, also retard reproduction. The 
outlook for a crop to take the place of the one now mature and on the 
decline is poor. 
The fungous disease commonly called ‘‘peck” is found in nearly 
every mature tree. It enters at some scar near the top and works 
down, making the affected parts worthless. Nearly all of the large 
trees have hollow butts. A 
While figures of growth could not be obtained for this species, the 
few trees the rings of which were counted showed very slow growth 
from early life to old age. 
The clear length and height growth of this tree cease very early. 
(See Table X XI.) After 13 inches in diameter is reached they prac- 
tically stop increasing. One great reason for this short period of 
height growth is doubtless the ‘‘ peck,” which causes the trees to 
become stagheaded. 
TaBLeE X X1.—Clear length and total height of cypress. 
Diameter | Diameter! Diameter 
breast- on | Height. || breast- ee | Height. breast- Sear Height. 
high. ott high. oe high. ee 
Inches. Feet. Feet. Inches. Feet. | Feet. || Inches. Feet. Feet. 
DAES oe Sp 16 sh! 56 79 21 58 88 
De ence Cece 28 12 OT 81 | oye 59 88 
eco NS eT 38 13 57 83 23 59 89 
iy ieee ene 47 14 57 84 24 59 89 
5 34 55 15 85 25 59 89 
6 43 62 16 58 86 26 59 89 
7 48 67 17 58 86 27 59 90 
8 52 71 18 58 87 28 59 90 
9 54 75 19 58 87 29 59 90 
10 55 Fle 20 58 88 30 59 90 
RED GUM. 
Red gum occurs throughout the tract, from the dry to the very wet 
lands. By preference, however, it avoids the two extremes and seeks 
the moist flat lands on the edges of swamps and along streams. It 
associates with all species from longleaf pine to cypress, but is most 
often found with loblolly pine and trees of the bottomlands. 
A fresh soil is necessary for the growth of red gums of any size, and 
a moist one is preferred. The tree reaches best development on moist 
loams where there is not standing water the year round. 
It is not uniformly a large tree. Three feet is the maximum diam- 
eter, and 80 to 90 feet the maximum height. Under favorable con- 
ditions it develops a good, clear bole, and has a long, irregular crown. 
It is often defective from hollow butts. 
A small amount of shade is endured throughout life, but large red 
gum trees seldom develop unless they enjoy full sunlight. 
Reproduction from seed is rare, but from sprouts it is very common, 
especially on the moist pine lands. 
