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Washington, D. C. 


LONGLEAF PINE 


By 


WILBUR R. MATTOON, Extension Forester, Forest Service 


CONTENTS 


Range and Importance 
Rate of Growth 


Production of Turpentine and Rosin 
Cutting 

Reforestation 

Protection 


WASHINGTON 
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 
1925 


Issued July 29, 1922 
Revised August, 1925 


UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 


© Issued July 29, 1922 
Washington, D. C. Vv Revised August, 1925 


LONGLEAF PINE 


By Wicspur R. Marroon, Lxtension Forester, Forest Service 


CONTENTS 

Page Page 
Range and importance___________. pas at GATT Penta dscns kee i ee dena Ian gs gb 39 
Rates Of = oO Withee ei Sa se 7) Reforestation, 2. 225225 ee eR ee 40 
Production Ofestimibers 2 les se eens 15 | Protection___ DE NG ME OY 54 
Production of turpentine and rosin- 26) Timber and livestock____________- 64 


Longleaf pine is a southern forest tree of great economic impor- 
tance. It is one of our best timber trees, and from it is derived the 
bulk of the turpentine and rosin produced in this country. With the 
rapid disappearance of old-growth timber, the increasing use of low- 
grade lumber, and the rising values of all forest products, second- 
crowth pine is coming to be an asset of increasing importance. 

Large areas of cut-over lands are being handled in connection with 
the farming and grazing industries. On account of the natural wide 
spacing of “longleaf pine trees, the grazing of livestock can be suc- 
cessfully carried on along with the ; erowing of timber, without in- 
jury to either industry, as a double source of return from the land. 
Almost daily, new uses and new values are being found for forest 
products formerly considered valueless. Questions on how to get 
the most profit from second-growth pine are being frequently asked. 
To the owner of large timber holdings, as well as to the farmer, 
the importance and value of second-growth pine are coming to be 
matters of increasing consideration. 

The common belief that longleaf pine is slow growing applies only 
to old-growth or mature timber, and to that growing on unfavorable 
situations, such, for example, as the very dry sand hills and the flat- 
woods. It is likewise true of stands that are burned frequently, and 
of those that are overcrowded and in need of thinning. The seed 
germinates quickly—usually in two to four weeks after it matures 
in the fall. Contrary to the popular belief, when sufficient seed trees 
are left, young longleaf comes in extensively on cut-over lands, but 
the great bulk of it. is killed by fires and hogs. 

Longleaf pine is, however, remarkably resistant to fire. Millions 
of young trees not over 25 years of age have undoubtedly passed 

33126°—25 f! 


2 BULLETIN 1061, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 


through as many as 10 fires. Each fire, however, takes its toll of 
living trees and injures and retards the growth of all the others. 
Of the trees which survive, large numbers are being bled for turpen- 
tine or cut for timber at much too early an age to get the best. money 
returns. Protection and forest management mean increased timber 
growth and increased profit. 

Destructive lumbering and destructive fires are every year creating 
in the southern pine region millions of acres of waste and barren 
lands. In these idle timberlands is an enormous potential wealth, 
and their productive power is not fully realized. Economically, this 
condition is an unsettling factor just as serious as the idleness of 
thousands of farms or of factories. Forest growth should be en- 
couraged on all waste or idle lands and on lands not now in de- 
mand for agricultural use and not likely to be during the next half 
century, whether on farms or large cut-over tracts. 

This bulletin deals not only with the forest conditions on the 
upper or higher portions of the coastal plain, where farming is 
relatively important, but it is also applicable to the flatwoods, where 
only 10 to 15 per cent of the land is in farms and the remainder 
mostly in the ownership of large lumber companies. Little atten- 
tion will be given to old-growth timber, which is rapidly passing. 
The aim is to present the more useful information pertaining to the 
growth and value of longleaf pine, the production of timber and 
turpentine, the methods of cutting, reforestation, and protection of 
second-growth longleaf pine, and the ways of making tracts of land 
profitable which will remain idle for many years unless they are 
devoted to growing crops of turpentine and timber. 


RANGE AND IMPORTANCE 


Longleaf pine is generally well known in the localities where it 
vrows and is commonly distinguished from other species with which 
it is associated. In earlier life, the erect, stout, central stem, densely 
covered with leaves (“straw”), is one of its well-known character- 
istics. Later and through life it has a straight, clean shaft or trunk. 
The leaves are from 8 to 18 inches in length, pendulous, and occur in 
crowded clusters of three leaves each, forming the familiar-looking 
tufts toward the ends of the branches (PI. I). The terminal buds 
are very large and almost white. The cones (“burrs”) vary in 
length from 6 to 10 inches—the longest of any of the southern 
pines—and, like all the pines, require two full seasons to reach 
maturity. The bark is orange-brown, and in mature trees separates 
on the surface into large, flat, irregular-shaped plates (Pl. IJ) 
made up of thin scales. Fully grown trees reach heights of 70 to 
150 feet, and diameters of 2 to 21% feet or occasionally 3. feet. The 
trunk is notably straight, slightly tapering, and usually clear of 
limbs for one-half to two-thirds of its length. 

The natural range of longleaf pine (fig. 1) extends from south- 
eastern Virginia southward over the Atlantic and Gulf coastal plain 
to Florida and westward to eastern Texas. Commercially the range 
is very much less extensive. As a result of lumbering and repeated 
fires there remains to-day probably less than one-fifth of the original 
stand of longleaf pine, estimated to have amounted originally to 
over 400,000,000,000 board feet. 


Bul. 1061, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture PLATE I 


Fic. 1.—A heavy crop of longleaf pine cones 
bearing seed occurs widely over the South 
at intervals of about seven years. The 
flowers ‘‘ set’? early in the spring; the seeds 
require two years to mature, and are usu- 
ally shed in September. Seed crops can thus 
be foretold more than a year ahead by ob- 
serving the small green cones on the trees in 
the summer and fall during their season 
of development 


Z21I6O2A 


Fic. 2.—Foliage and cones (‘‘burrs’’) of the longleaf pine 


PLATE I] 


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(ULL). UL, 


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THON, JNO BUOTPVIOS——"P Ly 


LONGLEAF PINE 5 


The largest remaining areas of old growth are found in the five 
States bordering on the Gulf of Mexico. Reports from mill opera- 
tors owning or controlling practically the entire remaining stand of 
eld-growth pine in the South indicate that it is very doubtful 
whether at the present rate of cutting the longleaf forests, which 
have always been the chief factor in the production of southern 
yellow pine, will last for many more years. 

The total annual cut of longleaf is not known. According to the 
best estimates, the lumber cut is roughly about one-half of the total 


7 TH CAR OLNAYY 
Te N NSESes EE ot SAQQAY 


—_—"_, 
° 


BOTANICAL RANGE OF 
FONGCERBAER-PINE 


(Pinus palustris Mil |) 


SCALE 
100 200 MILES 


Fic. 1.—-Outline map of the southern United States, the shaded part showing the 
botanical range of longleaf pine. This species of southern pine occurs widely dis- 
tributed over the coastal plain from southeastern, Virginia to eastern Texas. Ex- 
tensive areas of cut-over longleaf lands occur throughout practically the whole 
range. The bulk of the remaining old growth is located in parts of Florida, 
Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. Originally, longleaf pine composed 
the bulk of what was probably the world’s greatest pure yellow pine forest 


southern yellow pine lumber cut, which ranges yearly from 10 to 15 
billion board feet. In addition, considerable amounts are cut for 
crossties, piling, pulp wood, and fuel wood. The estimated total cut 
is, therefore, equivalent to 8 to 10 billion board feet. Continuous 
losses of merchantable timber are caused by windfall, turpentining, 
insects, fires, and diseases. 

Its habit of growth in pure stands over large areas, rather than as 
scattered trees in a mixture, and its ability to grow on poor, dry, and 
poorly drained soils mark longleaf as a pine of great potential value. 
Over its range, generally, longleaf pine is found growing on prac- 


6 BULLETIN 1061, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 


tically all soils except the very wet and the rich alluvial soils, which 
are variously occupied by cypress, mixed hardwoods, and slash, pond. 
or loblolly pines. Yellow pines have been and still are among the 
impor tant sources of wealth in the South. The original timber 
is going; but, with a recognition of the evil effects of fire and with a 
few essential precautions against it, this timber can be replaced with 
young growth, and the land will again come back in large measure to 
its former position of economic importance. 


SECOND-GROWTH TIMBER 


The value of second-growth pine is becoming increasingly recog- 
nized as the main body of old growth is cut. “Within the next 10 
to 15 years this value will doubtless be widely recognized. Exten- 
sive purchases of second growth by investors might be expected in 
view of the history of the prices that have been paid and are being 
paid for small and often inferior timber growth in New England 
and the Lake States. 

Second-growth pine has a distinct use and value (Pl. II). Lum- 
bermen, who have heretofore regarded themselves simply as manu- 
facturers of boards, are coming to have an interest in the question 
of a future supply of logs, and during the past few years operators 
in various sections of the South have bought large tracts of land 
for the perpetuation of their industry. The underlying idea is to 
operate continuously on the same tract. The more progressive lum- 
bermen regard favorably the buying of good stands of young timber 
because it affords a more profitable ‘investment than holding old tim- 
ber for 20 to 40 years. A relatively small amount of capital i is tied 
up in the combined young timber and cut-over land, and often a 
greater return on the ‘investment is possible. 

Growth in mature timber is very slow and is offset by losses caused 
by insects, fungous diseases, fire, wind, and lightning. Young tim- 
ber, on the other hand, is erowing at a good rate and untilizing the 
productive capacity of the land. Merchantable stands are coming 
to be taxed at an amount nearer their full value. In young stands 
the trees that need to be cut out, in order to allow the remaining 
trees ample room for growth, vield cordwood, ties. poles. or pulp 
wood. Under “ Cutting ” the subject of thinning is discussed. Oper- 
ators of turpentine have learned that second growth serves the 
purpose. Over considerable sections of the yellow pine region the 
lumber industry is now working on second growth. 

Extensive areas in the South will not be put to their best use until 
they are growing well-stocked stands of young timber. It is in- 
conceivable that a section of the country with ‘such a vast area of 

natural forest soil could continue for any length of time in a state 
of prosperity with timber growing largely eliminated. Any sound 
economical policy for the region calls for the right use of the present 
forest resources and also for the adoption of public measures which 
will insure an income from all lands and a permanent supply of the 
raw products so essential to the progress and prosperity of the 
people. Cut-over forest land can be made to produce another forest 
as good as or better than the original one. It thus follows that the 
use of timber and the reproduction of timber can go hand in hand, 


LONGLEAF PINE af 


provided, of course, that the right steps are taken in accordance 
with the natural laws of tree growth. 

Cut-over lands on which there are seed trees are worth more than 
denuded lands, for the reason that they are earning an income from 
the growth of the tr ees, which is accelerated by the increased supplv 
of light and soil moisture and from the constantly enhancing value 
of the young forest stands. It is claimed by some practical lumber- 
men that the value of such lands with young growth will be doubled 
within about five years after logging. These factors do not diminish 
the prospective value of these “lands for agriculture or interfere to 
an appreciable degree with the use of the land for erazing. Lands 
that contain some timber are more valuable for farms than are 


One sawmill, that cuts mostly longleaf pine, re- 
quires daily the timber from about 100 acres, or 
yearly that from about 25,000 acres. About 4,000,000 
acres of southern pine timber land, it is estimated, 
are cut in this country yearly, and about 1,000,000 
acres are left fire-swept and practically idle. Is it 
not time steps were taken to remedy this situation? 
It is not a question of decreasing the rate of cutting 
the timber, but rather of stopping fire devastation 

and putting the nonproducing acres to work. Mil- 
lions of acres of lands now denuded and nonproduc- 
tive should be growing trees of use and value. 


The supplies of coal, petroleum, and iron are lim- 
ited, but not so with wood. A forest is not a thing 
to be exploited and then abandoned, but a property 
that under right management can be made to yield 
fair annual dividends in perpetuity. 


Lumber should be among the cheapest of com- 
modities, since with adequate forethought and care 
the forest becomes, like the air, water, and soil, an 
inexhaustible resource. 


“skinned ” cut-over lands, because a supply of timber is available for 
sale and for home use, there is shade in the pastures, and the trees 
make the homes more attractive. 


RATE OF GROWTH 


During the first 30 to 60 years of its life—the period under special 
consideration in this bulletin—and on the better soils or situations 
where it occurs, longleaf pine grows at a moderate to rapid rate. 

The general rating “of longleaf. as a slow-growing species of pine 1s 
the result of the almost exclusive handling and consideration of old 
timber, which grows at a slow or very slow rate. 

The rate of growth shows wide variations, apparently related 
closely to differences in the depth and texture of the soil and its 


8 BULLETIN 1061, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 


supply of soil moisture. Because many of the longleaf pine soils 
are subject to periods of extreme dryness, the slow growth in many 
natural unthinned stands and the comparatively wide spacing found 
in older longleaf stands are often attributed to the competition of 
the roots for soil moisture rather than of the branches for light. An 
important determining factor in the rate of growth of the indi- 
vidual trees is their density, or the number of trees per acre in the 
stand, at any specified age. Growth in diameter is particularly 
influenced by this condition. 

During the first few years the growth of young seedlings con- 
sists chiefly in the development of a large root system. A very 
stout long taproot, accompanied by several large laterals and many 
smaller ones, underlies and supports a very ‘short stem, crowned 
with a dense tuft of long, drooping, gr asslike foliage. This period 
of apparently little activity 1s very deceptive and has been one cause 
of the general impression that longleaf is a very slow grower. Gen- 
erally from three to six years are required for longleaf to reach the 
height of 3 inches to a foot and develop the requisite root system 
for “making the rapid “shoot” upward which follows. Under pro- 
tection from fires, it is known that on loamy sand in the upper 
Coastal Plain longleaf saplings at 5 years of age reach heights of 
2 to 3 feet and at 7 years of 5 to 8 feet. The occurrence of fires 
at frequent intervals, usually of about two years, in different sections 
over practically the entire longleaf pine belt, and the accompanying 
marked effect in checking crowth, should not be overlooked in any 
consideration of the rate of. growth. 

Since the purpose here is chiefly to consider growth after the 
youngest or seedling stage, the germination of the seed and the 
early seedling development will be discussed under “ Reforestation ” 
in connection with getting young stands started. 

The period | of vigorous ‘erowth, during which the longleaf sap- 
lings “shoot.” up rapidly, begins at an age of about 5 years and 
continues to about 20 to 25 yo At about 7 years, the height of 
saplings sometimes increases 2 to 3 feet during a single year. A 
erowth of 2 feet a year in well-stocked stands is common over large 
areas (fig. 2 and Pl. III), and open-grown trees on average ood 
situations not uncommonly grow 8, and sometimes 4 feet yearly. At 
the same time, the young trees grow to a diameter (at the ground) 
of about 2 inches during the two to four years following the early 
preparatory stage. Protected from fire, longleaf saplings require 
six to eight years on an average to reach breastheight or 414 feet 
above the ground. After the maximum rate of height erowth, at 
an age prior to 20 years, the rate gradually diminishes. “It should, 
however, be clearly understood that young longleaf pine trees, sub- 
jected to hot fires, do not grow at the rates indicated. On protected 
old fields in the flatwoods: of eastern North Carolina, measurements 
of longleaf pines show that in 35 to 50 years the average trees pro- 
duce saw logs 14 to 20 inches at the butt and 20 feet in length.t The 
usefulness of these pine trees, however, would begin a little earlier 
if they were turpentined, and the thinning out of “the foliage would 
also encourage the incoming of the tender grasses which are valuable 


1 By W. W. Ashe, formerly in charge of investigations, North Carolina Geological Sur- 
vey. Under present methods probably from 10: to 15 feet more of the tree ‘would be 
utilized. 


Bul. 1061, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture PLATE III 


Fic. 1.—The growth of young pine is being observed and measured on the flat ‘‘ craw- 
fish’’ lands at the Coast Experiment Station (near Summerville, 8. C.), a branch 
of the Clemson Agricultural College. The trees are numbered, and observations 
furnish accurate information upon which to base predictions of future growth and 
forest management. Special measures are taken to protect the land from fires , 


Fic. 2.—Soon after the logging, cull trees, short butts, tops, and branches were cut 


a 


up into 5-foot lengths for pulp wood. his is good utilization. Along with this 


class of material, however, all small pole trees and saplings down to 4 inches 
in diameter unfortunately were taken. Some pulp mills in the South are using 
little else besides second-growth sap pine—-a practice that is ruinous to the future 
forests, and is coming to be realized as such. (Louisiana) 


33126°—25——2 9 


10 BULLETIN 1061, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 


for pasturage. This may be considered as about the average of the 
better growth to be expected throughout the longleaf pine region. 
The soil conditions on old fields are favorable, probably because of 
changes in soil structure due to working. 

The most useful information regarding the rate of growth is 
obtained by measuring the amount of growth actually taking place 
in stands approximately even-aged and fairly well stocked. The 


{GROWTH IN HEIGHT | 

AGE) HEIGHT | YEARLY| YEAR 
YEARS, INCHES |GROWTH 
| (INCHES) 


94| 93-5 — GROWTH UPTO JUNE -22 
6 Z 


3 BRANCHES (2) (Spring) 


9 68.5 RESERVE BUD (Late Summer) 
| | : 
MID-SEASONAL NODE 
27.6 
MID-SEASONAL NODE 
Sa ees — BRANCHES (2) (Spring) 
| 
9.6 
FALSE = BRANCH (Spring) 
ope IE BRANCH FROM RESERVE BUD - 
21-6 E 
3 
| i =a 
| 4 
x 
6} 9.5 
.5 |907-1913 + 
(SYEARS) [5 
| Fee ca Se 
| Pras. we ASS a SDE ies 
| | (4 STA le >: eras ? Sire) a Cl tayior 
Wee Ahi) << Pas ine MASS nS weet: 
Fig. 2.—Natural growth of longleaf pine for the past four seasons under fire protection ; 


nearly § feet tall in 914 years. Photographed in June during period of rapid upward 
growth. (Jasper County. 8. C.) 


trees in such stands grow tall, straight, and clean of branches, but 
relatively slow in diameter (Pl. II). At any given age, therefore, 
the average trees in well-stocked stands will be considerably smaller 
in diameter than those of similar age growing in the open. Like- 
wise, at relatively early ages—at 30 years for example—an acre that 
was half stocked might have trees of saw-timber size, whereas a fully 
stocked stand might not have any trees of merchantable saw-timber 
SIZeS. 


LONGLEAF PINE 11 


Table 1 shows, for different ages, the average height and diameter 
of longleaf pine ‘trees growing in well- stocked, even-aged stands, on 
three different grades of land or situations. These fivures, it is be- 
heved, are approximately representative of the rate of growth in 
stands of good density over the range of longleaf pine. “They are 
based upon the measurement of selected portions of 78 longleaf pine 
stands whose locations range from South Carolina to Texas. 


TABLE 1.— Average growth of trees in height and diameter, and number of 
trees per acre in well-stocked, even-aged longleaf pine stands on various 
qualities of land 


| Height Diameter ! (breast-high) Approxi- 
PANG © pag | Malu Se ia Aa al Oi Saskia eH mate 
of number 
stand Better | Medium] Poorer Better | Medium | Poorer | of trees 

land land land land land land per acre ? 

Years eet Leet eet Inches Inches Inches 

15 39 24 10 5.3 3. 6 1.9 550 
20 50 34 19 7.0 5. 0 3. 1 450 
25 58 42 27 8. 1 6. 0 4.0 393 
30 63 48 33 9.0 6.9 4.8 355 
35 68 54 39 9.7 7.6 5. 5 328 
40 72 58 43 10.4 8.3 6. 2 308 
45 AD 60 46 10.9 8.8 6.7 293 
50 78 64 49 11.4 9.3 Ue? 280 
55 80 66 52 11.8 9.6 Wao, 270 
60 82 68 54 ipsal 10. 0 7.8 264 
65 83 69 56 12.4 10. 2 8. 0 258 
70 84 | 70 57 PR Y/ 10. 4 8.2 254 


1 Diameters measured at breastheight, or 419 feet above the ground. 

2 The number of trees per acre varies considerably with age, but for any given age averages approximately 
the same on the better and poorer classes of land. Not only can the better lands support more trees of a 
given size, but the trees are much larger in size at any specified age than on unfavorable situations. 


On good-lands, or good situations, it will be seen, for example, 
than at 20 years longleaf pine reaches heights averaging about 50 
feet; on medium land, about 34 feet; and on poor land, about 19 
feet. The medium class of land, for instance, would include the 
loamy sands of the middle and upper coastal plains, and the last 
class the poorer parts of the flatwoods and the very deep, dry sands. 
The corresponding diameters, depending upon the situation, range 
from 7 inches down to a little over 3 inches. During the next 10 
years, the trees increase yearly in height at the rate of about 1.4 
feet (16.8 inches) and in diameter nearly 2 inches. The average 
diameter, as shown, usually represents an actual range of 4 to “6 
inches, or 2 to 3 inches greater and 2 to 3 inches less. Likewise, 
the average height would probably represent a range of 5 feet at 
20 years s and as much as 10 feet at 50 years. The average danni: 
at breastheight, for example, of trees in a 25-year-old ‘stand on a 
medium or Ale of soil is shown to be about 6 inches, and the trees 
in that particular stand probably ranged in diameter mostly from 

«bout 8 inches down to 4 inches. Table 1 shows that longleaf trees 
erowing in well-stock stands on medium situations (land), have 
an average yearly height growth of about 17 inches at 25 years, 12 
inches at 35, 6 inches at 50, and 4 inches at 60 years; and an increase 
in diameter at the rate of about 1 inch in 5 years at 25 years, in 7 
years at 35, in 12 years at 50, and in 16 years at the age of 60 (fig. 3). 

There should be no misapprehension regarding the time necessary 
to grow a crop of pines to a size that is merchantable for timber or 


iy BULLETIN 1061, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 


turpentine, or about the close relation existing between the number 
of trees per acre (tree density) and the rate of growth of the trees 
in the stand. The number of longleaf trees per acre for well-stocked 
stands does not seem to be widely variable at any given age for the 
different classes of situations, and those shown in Table 1 represent 
for the various ages about the average for all classes of land. The 
number of trees shown for successive ages indicates how tree popula- 
tion gradually decreases, because the more vigorous ones crowd out 
the others which are unable to keep up in the competition for light 
and root space. 


GROWTH ON CUT-OVER LAND 


Trees of longleaf pine left in logging on the better classes of soils 
usually show an accelerated rate “of erowth, sometimes to a very 


50 


yrs 


40 
yrs 


20 
yrs. 


— 


Average Diameter (At43 Ft): 5.Oin.__ 6:9ms> 83m = 9.3 in.....10.0in.....10.4in. 
Se ee ig ies ae e STi 2 46 He 58 f= 64 66 te Foe 
* Volume (R12 BM = 10 ee Oe ee 


"Yield per Acre(Ft B.M)..1500. 6000 .._10500 _14500_ _I8000 


Fig. 38.—Growth and yield of longleaf.pine on medium soil 


marked extent. On thin, poor, poorly drained soils, and on very 
deep, dry, sandy soils an absence of stimulated growth following 
logging has generally been reported. 

In central Louisiana (Winn and La Salle Parishes) acceleration 
in diameter growth as high as 200 to 300 per cent has been found. 
Trees, for example, that measured 10 inches in diameter when left 
in logging and had grown only 1.6 inches during the preceeding 10 
years, at the end of 10 years after the logging had increased 3 inches 
in diameter. This represents an actual increase in timber volume 
of about 200 per cent, or a final volume of three times the former 
volume—a rate which held generally true for trees up to 15 inches in 
diameter, but fell off considerably for larger trees. With the increase 
both in size and stumpage value in the 10 years the value of the 15- 
inch tree went from 23 cents to 72 cents, while the 10-inch tree in- 
creased its former value six times. 


LONGLEAF PINE 13 


Another example may be cited. On a tract logged “clean” in 
1903, about eight trees per acre were left as culls. They were spike- 
topped, crooked, and suppressed in growth, and averaged about 8 
inches in diameter breast-high. Within 2 years these trees had started 
a rapid growth and for the next 12 years increased at the rate of 1 
inch in every 4 years. The average diameter in 1917 was 12 inches. 
At the time the trees were left they contained 226 board feet per 
acre and in 1917 a total of 803 board feet per acre, or three and one- 
half times their former volume—a gain of 250 per cent in less than 
15 years. At $5 per thousand feet, 800 board feet would bring $4, a 
sum sufficient to cover, for the entire period of 15 years, the cost of 
fire protection at 10 cents per year, reckoned at 5 per cent compound 
interest, and give a return of 5 per cent compounded on an assessed 
land value of $2 per acre. Table 2 shows the growth which actually 
took place on the cull trees during a period of ‘15 years following the 
logging. 


TABLE 2.—Actual growth in volume of cull longleaf pine trees, left in logging, 
during the 15 years subsequent to the lumbering, on loamy sand in the 
interior coastal plain of central Louisiana * 


Volume of trees Growth in 15 years 


: (Seribner rule) (1902 to 1917) 
Diameter 
of trees | 
Leen Per cent 
1902 1902 1917 | Volume | (based on 
in 1902) 
Inches | Board feet) Board feet) Board feet) Per cent 
eae 104] 80 70° | 700 
8 20 | 95 75 375 
9 O2ee| 114 82 256 
10 | 45 134 89 198 
eed 62 157 95 153 
ies) 83 186 103 124 
See! 110 223 113 103 
14 | 142 264 122 86 
15) = 185 315 130 70 
16 | 235 | 371 136 58 
| 300 445 145 48 
18 | 375 528 153 41 


1Measurements by W W. Ashe, U.S. Forest Service. 


GROWTH UNDER FIRE PROTECTION 


Under repeated burning, growth is continually set back and 
finally most of the saplings are killed. This has, for many years, 
been occurring over practically the entire South (Pl LV). Whe 
yearly height growth of longleaf-pine saplings from 4 to 12 feet in 
height (mostly 6 to 8 feet) was ascertained simultaneously on a 
tract burned over yearly, and on an adjacent tract which, after 
having been protected for five years, was accidentally burned in Feb- 
ruary, 1917, and afterwards protected. ‘The average yearly growth 
in height of 100 saplings on each of the tracts duri ing a per riod of 
two seasons before and two after the burnings, furnishes good evi- 
dence of the effect of protection. (See Table 3 3) 


PLATE IV 


Bul. 1061, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture 


(SOABAT OYL OAOGR 1h 
OU} IV PNG PoPVsuOfo OY} Ul Woos SL STGL AoJ YIMoard 
Mot oY} puke “sT6p Jo surntds ApLmo wy. url User] 
SUM OLOUd) ‘“YpOop> o.IQA Jo sdrys Aq poyavurt wore 
SUJMOIS S.IVOL JO Spuyp “WOSvos 9) Suapimp soyour 
Of A[TUO Moats YL UV F[NSAr OT TILA SUMOYS oSvrpoy 
JO Jos Mot ofsurs of}, Uodn Afotou Puodop 07. prey 
UOSVOS WY} SULINp PUv ‘SoOABOL SIL JO TV YSoOL IL ‘LTGT 
‘AAVIAGO UL DIY BV LoIJW “AOAOMOTT “OTGE UL Soyour 
Sz put “eT GL Ul Soypul &% ‘FIGEL Ul soyour GL Mod 
ourd JVOLIUOL SITY} ‘oly Wor, wo190}01d .topuy—s “YT 


Wt 


T 


Cv ‘Ayun0D uormny) ‘ory Aq poly o10M syNo.1ds 
OT} UOYVZ SVM OANPOLA ST} jtofod Our, WOYS V Inq ‘oseq on} 
4B poynorids sey gf “souy AQ punoas oy} 0% poTpDy A[[Ruy pues 
poyUHys ATPoVodot “Yysoy UL Joos GZ “ourd Jeolsuop Ssunox—'p sow 


LONGLEAF PINE 15 


TABLE 3.—Growth in height of longleaf trees from 4 to 12 feet in height, on 
lands burned yearly and on protected lands. (Berkeley County, S. C.) 


Yearly growth in height. 
Growth on 
Year On land On pro- Coed 
burned tected repararel 
over or “‘rough”’ on asls.of 
7e9r ‘ l Jae 
yearly land unburned 
land 
Inches Inches Per cent 
LOT eae APSE o 11.8 19.6 60 
1OLG eee S ey har ae, 12.9 22a 58 
TAS D U7 es deeek erect we 15. 0 10. 2 147 
LOTS ese see 12.3 18. 1 68 
Movaliteso 52.0 70. 0 3 74 


1 Except for one flre in February, 1917. 
2 Four years. 
3 Average. 

Thus the two-year average growth of longleaf pine for 1915 and 
1916, on the land regularly burned over, was 12.4 inches as com- 
pared with 20.8 inches on the unburned land, or a growth on the 
burned land of only 59 per cent of normal. 


Because of the stimulus of increased light and soil 
moisture, a tree measuring 10.4 inches in diameter 
at the time of the logging grew during the next 18 
years: to a diameter of 18.2 inches, an average of 
nearly 1 inch in 2 years. The merchantable length 
increased from 48 to 56 feet; the merchantable vol- 
ume from 100 to 326 board feet, an average yearly, 
increase of 13 per cent and a total increase of 226 
per cent. The butt log, which at the time of logging 
would have furnished a 4 by 4 stick, now yielded a 
10 by 10 timber. The value of the standing tree at 
$1 per thousand was 10 cents when it was left in 
logging, and in 1920 at $8 per thousand it was $2.60. 
The value of the lumber product of the tree in- 
creased from $1.70 to $14.75. 


After the accidental fire on the protected land, the growth the 
following season averaged only 10.2 inches, or about one-half the 
usual amount under protection; and the second season after the fire 
the growth averaged 18.1 inches, still a little below the general 
average. 

PRODUCTION OF TIMBER 


Second-growth longleaf pine is increasingly used for lumber, cross- 
ties (to be given a preservative treatment), cooperage, boxes, crates, 
pulp wood, mining timber, and fuel wood. Similar new uses for 


small-sized timber with wide rings and coarse texture have been 


16 BULLETIN 1061, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 


successfully found in all the older timber-producing sections of the 
country. 

The wood of longleaf pine is classed as heavy, hard, and strong. 
It has been for many years the standard of the southern yellow 
pines, and by far the leading wood of all southern species in point 
of amount of production and total value. This applies, of course, 
mainly to old-growth timber. Second-growth longleaf timber has 
wider annual rings and contains a higher percentage of sapwood. 

The amounts of various products referred to in the following 
tables and discussion are based upon measurements of sample areas 
selected as being representative of the best or ideal condition in 
respect to the density or number of trees per acre. Such well- 
stocked stands have enough trees so that all the available space and 
soil moisture are fully utilized. Fully stocked stands do not occur 


Measurements of adjacent young longleaf stands, 
cne burned and the other unburned for a period of 
five years, showed an average yearly growth under 
protection of 18.4 inches, but of only 5.8 inches when 
burned over-every year. 

A tract of young longleaf saplings, under obser- 
vation at Urania, La., after being burned over yearly 
for five years, contained longleaf saplings mostly 
up to 1 foot and none over 2.8 feet in height, while 
in a similar tract protected against fires one-sixth 
of the trees were over 2 feet and others ranged up 
to 7 feet in height. The two tracts originally con- 
tained approximately the same number of longleaf 
seedlings and both plots had been continuously pro- 
tected against all kinds of grazing. 


continuously over large areas but are confined generally to tracts 
containing at most only a few acres, such as old fields or the paths cf 
tropical hurricanes. The figures of amounts per acre are conse- 
quently much. higher than those that would result from the cutting 
of ordinary stands. In the use of such ideal tables there is always 
great danger of overestimating the amount of timber that is pro- 
duced and may be cut from average stands as they are commonly 


‘ound. 
/ CROSSTIES AND CORDWOOD PRODUCTION 


The approximate numbers of crossties and cords of wood (with 
the bark and without the bark) produced in well-stocked stands at 
different ages are shown in Table 4. These figures should be consid- 
ered as only approximate, since various factors enter in to determine 
the rate of growth and production of merchantable timber. Three 
qualities of situation are shown under the headings of good, average, 
and poor land. The yields are based upon the number and sizes of 
trees as counted and measured in stands and upon the computed 


LONGLEAF PINE 17 
number of ties and cords that can be cut from trees of different 
sizes; the figures do not represent. amounts actually cut. 

The information contained in Tables 5 and 6 will be found useful 
in calculating the numbers and grades of ties that can be obtained 
from trees of different sizes. The sizes of the standard Ae of 
ties are: No. he 6 by 6 inches; No. 2, 6 by 7 inches; No. 3, 6 by 8 
inches: No. {6 by. 8 inches: No. 5, 7 by 9 inches. The ae 
lengths are 3 ‘and 814 feet. Table 6 shows the number of ties by 
grades that can be cut from trees of different sizes, no allowance 
being made for defects. For example, trees measuring 15 inches 
in diameter at bre astheight and 60 feet in height will, on the 
average, cut out three grade No. 2 ties, one grade No. 4 tie, and 
one grade No. 5 tie. Table 5 gives the total number of ties without 
specifying the grades. Copies of specifications for ties may be 
secured from the local railroad agent or may be found in Farmers’ 
Bulletin 1210, “ Measuring and Marketing Farm Timber.” 


TABLE 4.—Crossties and cordwood (pulp wood or fuel wood) produced per acre 
by well-stocked, even-aged stands of longleaf pine at different ages. (Ap- 
proximate ) 


Cordwood 
Crossties (No. 3, 6 in. by 
Age 8 in. by 8 ft.) Wood with bark (fuel Peeled wood (pulp 
of wood, etc.) wood, etc.) 
stand 
Better |Medium]} Poorer | Better |Medium| Poorer | Better |Medium] Poorer 
land land land land land land land land land 
Years Ties Ties Ties Cords Cords Cords Cords Cords Cords 
PRY YS | |S ISAS eS Dae il ee St 24 14 3 19 10 2 
30 230 3 Oat a ee ae 49 29 8 39 21 6 
40 440 245 50 61 39 17 51 31 13 
50 610 385 160 70 48 26 59 39 20 
| 60 750 | 510 270 78 55 33 66 45 26 
| 70 870 | 620 370 84 62 40 72 51 31 
| 


of crossties that can be cut from longleaf pine trees of 
different diameters and heights 


TABLE 5.—Number 


[For detailed information by grades of ties, see Table 4, 


| Height of tree—Feet 


Diame- 
ter of 40 | 50 60 70 80 | 90 100 
tree! 
Total number of ties per tree 
Inches 
110), 2 9) epee octet tl Le ea ae 1 1 Pio eee APR 2 [Soa = Mpa dl 
11 ib 2 2 2 DA iar oe Reel ee 
12 2 2 3 3 25 Oot Ss eee 
iL Sine [eae reece a nc eA 3 4 26 (Gi (SS Meare a 
AA Faies| See 2 A, eet ee 4 5 26 7 8 
TGS =| ERs Se Pea 5 6 26 i 8 
1am Meter 2 eel [eee iowa 5 6 8 8) 10 
ELS ( ie oel| Copa ck aes) ep ay sree al | ME cea 8 9 10 12 
Uke Sek jl sey Relig || Sorc ate rl (Dee reece 9 10 1 13 
TG Fe here ai, eer ety Ae | Lea Petipa 10 11 12 14 
22 () biome [Rete eu eect | eet ee | Nall 11 14 15 
| 


1 All diameters measured at breastheight, or 414 feet above the ground, and outside bark. 
2 See Table 4, which shows the way the ties were worked up into ties of different grades. 


33126°—25 =) 


18 BULLETIN 1061, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 


Large amounts of longleaf pine are used for pulp wood by the pulp 
and paper plants located in the range of the species (Pl. III). Such 
plants are located at Roanoke Rapids, N. C.; Bastrop, Bogalusa, 
Braithwaite, and Monroe, La.; Moss Point, Miss. ; ; and Orange, exe 
The sulphate process of manufacture is used, and a standard cord 
of air-dry longleaf pine, containing about 100 cubic feet of solid 
wood and weighing about 4,200 pounds when air-dry, will produce 
about 1,600 pounds of dry pulp. The weight of “green” wood as 
ordinarily handled is variable, depending upon the weather and the 
time elapsed since the felling of the tree. The southern- -pine region 
oifers a promising field for the future development of the paper 
business, particularly for the grade of “kraft,” or heavy wrapping 
paper, for which the wood of the yellow pines is well adapted. Re- 
cent tests, however, made at the forest products laboratory have 
shown the possibility, if proper cooking and bleaching processes 
are employed, of using the southern pines for the production of 
high-grade book and magazine paper. This kind of paper requires 
a Jong-fibered wood, s such as that of the pines, and a short-fibered 
wood, such as that of the red gum. Crossties from farm timber 
Jands constitute a product of much commercial value. Slack time 
during the cool season may often be profitably employed in getting 
out ties. In the winter of 1920-21 the cutting of crossties practically 
effected the financial salvation of many farmers in various portions 
of the South. Sap-pine ties, when treated, show good lasting quali- 
ties ¢ and are being used more and more as heart pine becomes scarcer 
und more valuable. As young timber grows, it requires more space 
for proper development, and the thinnings (see under “ Cutting”) 
required in well-stocked stands, at intervals of 5 to 10 years, may 
often be made to yield good money in crossties or pulpwood. 


TABLE 6.—Numober of crossties by grades that can be cut from longleaf pine 
trees of different diameters and heights } 


Diam- | Height of tree—Feet 
eter of | 
tree 
(breast- 
high) 
out- | 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 
side | 
bark | i 
| | 
| 
Inches | 
1i( Vaan] eee eas aa VE Tea ae i! 1! Ql. eee So Se eee 
11 1? 1112 111? 1112 QLD a es ee ee See os | a ee ee 
ie 1? 13 j1 13 111213 111213 11 22 13 14 QU 2 SES SS ae ee 
3 |S ae ere | eee 121314 112? | 11 12 231415 TE 12: 23a 45) 0S |e eee 
1. Bee | eens Seen S| eee oe 11131415 1113 1425 11 13 24 25 11 12131435 2123 1435 
at ore |S 321415 1112 1435 121345 11131445 1112131445 
Gi: | eee a | ees 33 25 1113 45 11 22 13 14 35 11321445 1132131445 
feel os cae BES SOS ree ee ee 3? 23 14 25 [1 2233 35 11 2233 45 5? 33 1435 
USS ae san | A Se Be nee 22 53 25 32 43 14 25 12 63 1435 3? 63 1435 | 
1 C8 OCS | eas a fe SN (he Ree 22 43 34 15 22 53 45 73 55 22 73 1445 
203 | Sees | ee ae Re re ks 11 43 24 45 53 24 48 73 14 65 2? 53 23 65 | 


1 The grade is indicated by the smaller numerai shown above and to the right of the numeral giving 


the number of crossties of the specified grade. 


straight and sound trees, no allowance being made for defect 


For example: 1? means one No. 2 crosstie. 


The seale is for 


LONGLEAF PINE 19 


SAW-TIMBER AND WOOD PRODUCTION 


Information regarding the approximate contents of individual 
trees of different sizes is often useful. The contents in board feet 
of saw timber from second-growth longleaf pine trees of different 
sizes are given in Table 7. Table 8 shows the contents of second- 
growth trees in cubic feet. The actual amount of lumber in logs from 
different parts of turpentined and unturpentined trees and the 
amount estimated according to the Doyle rule are given in Table 9. 


TaBLeE 7.—Preliminary volume table in board feet of second-growth longleaf 
pine trees growing in well-stocked stands in the Atlantic coastal plain from 
North Carolina to Texas. (Merchantable contents of trees scaled by the 
international log rule, allowing for 4&4 ineh saw kerf) 


Diameter Total height of tree—Feet 
of tree z 
breast | | | | 
high 40 50 | 60 70 | 80 | 90 | 100 110 Basis 
(414 feet | | | | 
from ie aes ras 
ground) Volume—Board feet 
Inches Trees 
7 15 20 25 30 | 35 CA a Ue rn ra ae 94 
8 25 30 40 45 | 655 6022 esas esate 103 
9 30 40 55 65 | 80 Oita) Sa seis eels 81 
10 40 55 75 90 110 125 AA Sica |e arate 52 
Diets ee 70 95 115 140 165 LS Opes | eee: 54 
25 Se ee 90 120 145 | 175 200 230 260 21 
Is is eres aee 105 140 175 210 245 280 310 14 
4 erate 125 170 210 250 290 330 370 10 
[OSC Sees 150 200 245 295 340 390 435 4 
Li Gige Pee ae 175 230 285 | 340 395 450 510 1 
ASC fan ie eae ee Ne es ed 265 330 395 460 525 OOO Fs ans Sie 
aS foe |e ets oe | eae Ne 305 375 450 525 600 670 1 
SQ ies Raya | sas east 345 425 510 590 675 UO Ol ee ees 
A YY es dara bean eee 385 475 565 655 750 840 eee 
Basis 8 48 157 105 82 28 7 |------- 435 


For saws cutting 14-inch kerf deduct 9.5 per cent. Stump height, 1 foot; top diameter inside bark, 5 
inches. Compiled by frustum form factor method. 


TABLE 8.—Preliminary volume table in cubic feet of second-growth longleaf 
pine trees, growing in well-stocked stands in the Atlantic coastal plain from 
North Carolina to Texas 


Diameter Total height of tree—Feet 
of tree aise Dee > 
breast { 
high 20 | 30 | 40 | 50 | 60 | 70 80 | 90 | 100 110 Basis 
(4% feet 
above 
ground) Volume—Cubic feet 
Inches Trees 
2 0. 2 0. 2 0.3 (Vea se aes se eee eT Ss Teac | en een [Re | i eke 
3 .4 HO afl .9 Ie Mia peasy Se ne es Bee MaDe pe ree 
4 ott 1.0 1.3 ewes, DEN Basen ay a et flea | bas an [foe ep 29 
5 1.0 1.6 2.1 2577, 3:2 Pa Picco ieclyer hora | areca ba aaa isl LN ae 108 
(yd a reece 253 3.1 3.9 4.8 Oeil, (Geer foal [tei oe eee ho Ie ee |e 113 
Heal syne 3.1 4.3 5. 4 6. 6 7.8 9.1 HQ HANS tesco tera ace aes 110 
Sol earn 4.1 Bead 2 8.8 10. 4 12.0 I g2 tof | encore 105 
Oa eae 5.3 eed 9.3 11.3 13. 2 15. 4 17.6 1OUGo|Sasaee 81 
QA sate 6. 6 9.1 11.6 14.1 16.6 19. 3 22.0 ZZAN Gis |e 52 
[rR Saree 8 11 14 18 21 24 Dies ti\eero Ones |an aes ae 54 
pa ces ee 10 14 17 21 25 29 32), 236 40 21 
Iga 3e Fc erapeeteescesl ke eee pales 16 20 25 29 34 38 43 48 14 
U1 Aln Pera esa) iste 19 24 29 34 40 45 50 55 10 
ULF yelper |e Se 22 28 34 40 46 52 58 64 4 
iG | eee hss [tran 25 32 39 45 52 59 56 73 il 
HTC pes eg | RE ee Ene 36 44 51 59 67 763) 835 |Reee een 
11-39] eee [pee ates aye [ponte 42 50 57 66 74 83 93 1 
G12) nas (Putt See 46 55 64 74 84 93 WB al es at a se 
QON aes Fs eek an | Neer 51 62 72 82 92 103 TRL SEs) eae cleat 
Basis | 36 109 153 180 109 81 28 (biscie| | eS e e 703 


Volume includes peeled stump, stem, andtop. Compiled by conventional method on logarithmic paper: 


20 BULLETIN 1061, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 


TABLE 9.—Amount of lumber actually sawed out of different parts of turpen- 
tined and unturpentined longleaf pine logs of different diameters in band saw- 
mill (Louisiana) compared with the volume estimated according to the 
Boyle rule 


Logs (taken above 
Butt logs the butt cut) ! 
Top 

diam- Doyle 

eter Turpen- rule 

of log | Untur- tined Rough } Smooth 
pentined | (boxing), logs logs 2 
4 years 

Board Board Board Board Board 

Inches feet feet feet feet feet 
6 Sea eee 20 16 4 
7 DH (ice cnc ne Rae 29 24 0) 
8 38 32 41 34 16 
9 51 42 55 47 25 
10 65 53 72 62 36 
11 81 67 90 79 49 
12 99 81 110 98 64 
13 118 96 132 120 81 
14 139 114 156 145 100 
15 163 131 182 172 121 
16 189 151 210 202 144 
17 2 Gree Se See 240 234 169 
18 245 S| See see ese 270 267 196 
19 Died |r Molise 306 304 225 
20 SOSA |e esas ene eee 344 256 
21 SAD oes |e tates | Core cee 387 289 
D2, CaS fee see eee Seo ae a 432 324 


1 The greater cut above the butt logs is accounted for by the fact that there was less defect. 
2 The smaller cut than that shown under the heading ‘‘rough logs’’ is due to better utilization of the 
rough logs. 


In considering the amount of saw timber per acre yielded by long- | 
leaf pine, it should be borne in mind that the species belongs essen- 
tially to the poorer classes of land, large parts of which are either 
flat and poorly drained or dry and very sandy. In comparison, 
both slash and loblolly pines occupy the more fertile, loamy, and 
humus soil. The saw-timber yields refer to what would commonly 
be considered as very dense stands, which produce long, clear trunks, 
yielding clear, high-grade mater ial, but of relatively small diameters 
for specified ages (PL \). Had there been a considerably smaller 
number of trees per acre than that shown in Table 1, the trees would 
earher have reached merchantable saw-timber sizes, and, therefore, 
would have shown larger amounts per acre, at the ages, say, of 30 
to 50 years. Denser stands, however, although slower in growth, 
give at a little later age a higher total production of timber. 

Table 10 shows for different ages of stand and various kinds of 
land the approximate total yield of saw timber per acre. The 
market is accepting yellow pine lumber of poorer grades. ‘This 
change has been rapid since the rise of the extra demand for lumber 
in about 1917. Asa result, information regarding the actual cut of 
lumber per acre from young stands is frequently desired. The 
amount shown under the heading of “mill scale” is that which can 
be sawed out by using the tree above a 1-foot stump and down to 
a top diameter of 4.6 inches. It is the form of utilization now gen- 
eral in parts of New England. Another column shows the amount 
of lumber yielded per acre according to the Doyle log rule—which 


PLATE V 


Bul. 1061, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture 


A well-stocked, second-growth longleaf pine stand, 70 years old, on a farm in Tattnall 
County, Ga. The trees average about 70 feet in height and range up to 15 inches 
in diameter; they contain a total of about 80,000 board feet per acre of saw tim- 
ber. The present owner grew up on the farm and remembers the trees when they 
were saplings about 10 years old. The location is within a few miles of the rail- 
road, and attractive offers have repeatedly been made to the owner for the timber 

to be used as piling and lumber and for turpentining. Fires have largely been 


kept out 
22) 


Bul. 1061, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture PLATE VI 


Tig. 1.—The owner values this old field longleaf pine highly. The trees are mostly 
20 to 25 years old, and from 30 to 50 feet in height and 8 to 10 inches in diameter 
breast-high—a very rapid growth. It is close to his house and furnishes the farm 
With poles, fuelwood, and recently small saw timber., Twice a year the pine straw is 
raked off and in part used for fertilizer on the cotton fields and in part sold in 
town for stable bedding, as is extensively done in many parts of the South A 
section of one tree is shown in Figure 2. The stand is very irregular and contains 
only about one-half the full number of trees. (Florence County, S. C.) 


Fig. 2.—Section of representative tree in old field longleaf 
stand shown in Fig. 1. Twenty to twenty-four year old 
trees are 50 feet tall and 7 to 10 inches in diameter at 
breastheight. This section, cut at breastheight, shows 16 
annual rings. The effect upon growth of a bad fire 9 years 
ago will be observed in the ninth ring from the outside. 

a (Florence County, 8. C.) 


LONGLEAF PINE 23 


is in common use in the South—and the difference is striking. Tabu- 
lated information of this kind will be found useful in predicting 
the amount of growth that may be expected to take place during a 
specified period—five years or multiples thereof—upon different 
qualities of situation or classes of land. On medium land, for ex- 
ample, well-stocked longleaf stands at 40 years of age have been 
found containing an average of 6,200 board feet, and these may be 
expected to grow 4,200 board feet duri ing the next 10 years, at which 
time they will contain a total of about 0: 400 feet. On ood land, 
or favorable situations, measured 40-year- “old stands, well stocked 
with trees, have contained an average of about 11,000 board feet, 
increasing during the next 10 years by about 5,200 board feet, to a 
total of 16, 200 feet at 50 years of age. The caution is here repeated 
that these are fully stocked stands and very much better than the 

average (Pl. VI). The degree of stocking, or the amount of un- 
used space in the stand, should be taken fully into account in esti- 
mating any piece of timber. 


TABLE 10.—Amount of saw timber (in board feet), per acre, grown in longleaf 
pine stands of even age, well stocked with trees 


Mill scale, or actual cut Doyle rule 


Age | Trees 10 inches and over in | Trees 8 inches and over in | Trees 7 inches and over in 
of | diameter diameter diameter 
stand | 


Better | Medium] Poorer Better | Medium | Poorer Better | Medium] Poorer 
land land land land land land land land land 


Board Board Board Board Board Board Board Board Board 


Years feet feet feet feet feet feet feet feet feet 
30 5, 900 T2003 | See oer 10, 800 5, 700 700 3, 500 1, 900 300 
35 8, 500 SHOOOne|Eean eee: 14, 200 8, 200 2, 200 4, 800 2, 900 1, 000 
40 11, 000 6, 200 1, 500 17, 100 10, 400 3, 800 6, 200 4, 000 1, 700 
45 13, 600 8, 400 3, 100 19, 600 12, 600 5, 300 7, 600 5, 000 2, 500 


50 16, 200 10, 400 4, 600 21, 800 14, 400 6, 900 9, 000 6, 100 3, 200 
55 18, 800 12, 400 6, 100 23, 700 16, 000 8, 200 10, 300 7, 200 4, 000 
60 21, 400 14, 400 7, 500 25, 300 17, 400 9, 500 11, 600 8, 200 4, 700 
65 23, 700 16, 200 8, 800 26, 900 18, 800 10, 700 12, 900 9, 200 5, 500 
70 25, 800 17, 900 10, 000 28, 400 20, 200 11, 900 14, 200 10, 200 6, 200 


The final yields here shown, it should be noted, are the full con- 
tents of the stand at the assigned ages and do not include timber 
that may have been produced pre eviously, or the intermediate yield, 
often a very considerable amount. This intermediate yield is the 
product of any thinnings that may have been made (see under “ Cut- 
ting,” p. 30) and of the timber that has died out during the life of 
the stand. With advance in the age and size of the trees ‘there comes 
a natural reduction in the number of trees by the weaker giving way. 
The process may be observed in any well-stocked stand in which are 
found dominant trees, others that are barely living, and still others 
that have died for lack of overhead light, soil moisture, or root space. 
If these trees are cut and utilized, the total yield of the stand is 
considerably increased, and the stand i is made more profitable. 

The following facts concerning a few of the stands actually 
measured (see Table 11) will serve as illustrations of what may be 


94 BULLETIN 1061, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 


expected in the way of yields | from well- stocked longleaf stands, 
commonly considered locally as “dense” stands: 


1. A 23-year-old stand, consisting of 210 trees per acre averaging 8.1 inches 
in diameter and 76 feet in height, contained 23 cords of wood (with the bark) 
or 17 cords of peeled wood. If all trees measuring 10 inches and over in dia- 
meter were cut, the stand would saw out about 2,850 board feet; or if all trees 
8 inches and over were cut, it would produce 4,984 feet. By the Doyle log 
rule, however, all trees measuring 7 inches and over in diameter scaled only 
1,430, or less than one-third of what might actually be sawed ”. 

2. A 25-year-old stand, with 560 trees per acre averaging 29 feet in height 
and 4.2 inches in diameter, contained 10 cords of wood with the bark on or 
% cords of peeled wood. The stand had no trees as large as 10 inches in dia- 
meter, but contained about 700 board feet of timber in trees 8 inches and over 
in diameter. If the logs in the trees measuring 7 inches and over were scaled 
by the Doyle rule, there would be only 160 board feet per acre. 

3. A 25-year-old stand, containing 279 trees which averaged 54 feet in 
height and 7.6 inches in diameter, contained 30 cords with bark, or 23 cords 
of peeled wood. It amounted to 3,579 feet, if it was closely sawed, and if all 
trees 10 inches and over were used; or 6,980 feet if all the trees down to and 
including those 8 inches in diameter were taken. If scaled by the Doyle rule, 
the stand had 2,157 feet. 

4. A 50-year-old stand, which consisted of 8304 dominant trees averaging 63 
feet in height and 9.2 inches in diameter, contained 55 cords of wood with 
bark, or 42 cords without bark. It had 8,565 board feet if closely utilized down 
to and including 10-inch trees, or 14,450 feet if the trees 8 inches in diameter 
and larger were used. The Doyle rule gave 2,128 board feet. e 

5. A 70-year-old stand—an average of two stands of the same age (PI. 1)— 
consisted of 265 trees per acre which averaged 68 feet in height and 11.2 
inches in diameter, and contained 58 cords of wood with bark or 46 cords with- 
out bark. If scaled by the Doyle rule, all trees 7 inches and up showed 9,600 
board feet. If cut closely and actually scaled or measured at the mill, all trees 
10 inches and up contained about 18,000 board feet, or all trees 8 inches and up 
(there were only a few of this class) contained 29,196 board feet. 

If the above-described stands are examined, and if reference is made to 
Tables 1, 4, and 10, it will be noted, for example, that the 23-year-old stand (1) 
consisted of relatively few trees per acre, but that these averaged large both 
in diameter and in height. Also, as compared with stands of that age, it 
contained about the average amount of cordwood but double the average 
amount of saw timber. The two 25-year-old stands afford an interesting com- 
parison, showing the effect of the tree density, or number of trees per acre, as 
well as the quality of the location. It will be noted that the first stand (2) 
contained over twice as many trees per acre as the second (3), and that they 
are very much smaller—29 feet in height aS compared with 54 feet, and 4.2 
inches in diameter as compared with 7.6 inches. Here the difference in dia- 
meters is probably largely due to differences in the density or number of trees 
per acre. The two 70-year-old stands (5) show. very nearly the general aver- 
age size of trees both in diameter and in height, and slightly less than the 
average amount of cordwood and saw timber. 


2 By the Doyle rule, small-sized timber usually scales only one-third to two-thirds of the 
amount that can actually be cut by careful sawing and close utilization in the log. 


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26 BULLETIN 1061, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
PRODUCTION OF TURPENTINE AND ROSIN 


The bulk of the turpentine and rosin produced in this country 
has been obtained from longleaf pine.’ The average yearly pro- 
duction for the six years ending in 1919 has been estimated to range 
between 23,000,000 and 25,000,000 gallons of spirits of turpentine 
and between 700,000,000 and 820,000,000 pounds of rosin. The center 
of production has changed, gradually following the timber supplies 
from the Carolinas to Florida. The industry is extensive in Florida 
and is developing in Louisiana. Second-growth pine now furnishes 
most of the yield from South Carolina “and Georgia, and smaller 
amounts from Florida and Alabama. 


YIELD OF SECOND-GROWTH STANDS 


Young longleaf pine has been for many years worked for turpen- 
tine, and this is often its greatest and sometimes its only value.. 
In this respect extensive abuse of young pine has come to be very 
general. As long ago as 1900 a considerable amount of the tur- 
pentine produced in “South Carolina and coastal Georgia was de- 
rived from young stands of longleaf and slash pine. Since the 
common practice has been to work young stands heavily, let them 
burn freely, and make very little further use of them, the destruc- 
tion of young longleaf has taken place on an extensive scale. 
Obviously this in part explains the prevailing absence of second 
growth. 

Only a few preliminary studies have thus far been made in the 
amount of naval stores produced by second-growth longleaf pine. 
There is much need for accurate information in regard to the 
amount of gum yielded by trees of different sizes and ages and by 
entire stands of various ages and tree densities. 

Table 12 gives a rough approximation of the yields per crop and 
per acre of crude gum, turpentine, and resin from the first year’s 
working of second- orowth, well-stocked longleaf pine stands. 
Gaution 1s necessary, Nomen in using the table, since it should be 
regarded as based upon insufficient data to make it final, but it is 
probably the best of its kind available. It is not based upon actual 
yields from whole stands, but has been computed from two sets 
of independent measurements, one relating to the sizes and numbers 
of trees per acre of growing longleaf stands (Table 1), and the 
other relating to the flow of gum “from a limited number of trees 
of specified sizes (see Table 13). On the basis of this information 
secured by the Forest Service, United States Department of Agri-. 
culture, the table was compiled jointly by the State Department of 
Conservation, New Orleans, La., and the Forest Service. It is 
included here with the hope that it may be the means of stimulating 
the collection of further measurements and the acquisition of more 
complete information. The yield of gum per crop is exceedingly 

variable, as is well known among operators, depending upon the 
locality and region (extending from North Carolina to Texas), the 
season, class of labor, and indirectly the market conditions. Hence, 
any figures of yield should be used with discretion. 


3 The remainder has come from working slash pine, a close associate of longleaf. (See 
Farmers’ Bulletin 1256, Slash Pine.) 


LONGLEAF PINE Pat 


TABLE 12.—Computed production of gum, turpentine, and rosin from well- 
stocked second-growth longleaf pine stands, of various ages (virgin, or first 
year’s working) 2 


Production per crop Production per acre 
Produc- 
Age et ‘GEsaeces a tion 
stan of gum 
T - : AD n- ; 
Gum Hen Rosin ? | per cup Gum apes Rosin ? 
Barrels Barrels Barrels 
Years Pounds | (50 gals.) | (500 lbs.) | Pounds | Pounds | Gallons | (500 lbs.) 
20 37, 000 18. 5 61 ms if 186 4.6 0. 
30 53, 000 26. 5 88 5.3 L122 28. 0 1.9 
40 68,000 | 34. 0 aS 6.8 2, 190 54. 7 Bet 
50 74, 000 37.0 | 123 7.4 2, 760 69. 0 4.6 
Trees cupped per acre (grouped by diameter sizes) 3 
Trees 
per Cu 
zi ps 
Peas Diameter of trees—Inches | per 
_ (all enh é : tees ee ENO tales peeing 
sizes | 
Zes) 7 8 9 10 Vel eee 13 
| | 2 
450 BOM pete S| sae shia lee ne), Aa Sscie e Resrgiceesc ea ateciens Si | 50 50 
355: | 70 90 PB Osea | asec ates PR re) Ba otc spas pe a Ves 210 210 
308 | 3 43 50 45 AGS | Corre Sar Sear 241 321 
280 | 33 36 40 465 56 25 | 15 250 371 


1 This table is computed from two different sets of measurements and is not based upon actual, measured 
yields of whole stands. The working of small trees and young stands is not good practice except where 
trees are to be removed in thinnings or the land is to be cleared for other uses. 

2 Production of turpentine and rosin calculated on the basis of 100 pounds of gum yielding 214 gallons 
of turpentine (one-twentieth barrel) and 70 pounds of rosin (about one-sixth of a 500-pound barrel). 

3 One cup hung on each tree measuring 7 to 9 inches, inclusive, in diameter; two cups hung on about 
one-half of the 10-inch trees and on all trees measuring 11 inches and over. 

4 In the 40-year-old stand, 35 of the total 65 trees were 2-cup trees; in the 50-year-old stand, 25 of the 45 
trees; and in both stands the remainder of the 10-inch class of trees were hung with one cup each. 


Table 12 assumes that well-stocked stands are heavily cupped 
with one cup to every tree measuring 7, 8, or 9 inches in diameter, 
ohe cup on about one-half of the 10- -inch trees and two on the re- 
mainder, and two cups on all trees 11 inches and over. The figures 
are for the first year’s working. At 30 years, for example, the aver- 
age yield per crop (10,000 cups) is shown to be 53,000 pounds of gum, 
which makes in turn about 26.5 barrels of spirits of turpentine * and 
88 barrels of rosin. This is obtained from 210 cups per acre, each 
yielding 5.8 pounds of gum during the season. This number of 
cups was hung on 210 trees out of a total stand of 355 trees per acre. 
At 40 years, a yield of 34 barrels of turpentine may be expected. 
The yield per acre at 30 years was 1,122 pounds of gum, producing 
about 28 gallons of turpentine and 1.9 barrels of rosin. These yields 
seem to be very fair in comparison with the average of about 55 
barrels of spirits per crop yielded by the better class of mature 
stands under good working in the Gulf region, and an average for 
all timber of about 20 barrels per crop. The inclusion of “small 
sizes of trees and very close cupping should not be taken as any 
recommendation for operating such young stands as a general prac- 
tice. The figures are given as an indication of what might be ex- 


4By a coincidence this is the same yield as shown by the 1910 United States census 
for the average crop in Georgia, where much of the production is from second-growth 
timber. 


28 BULLETIN 1061, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 


pected in working thick stands of young timber before thinning or 
clearing up the land. 

On the Florida National Forest the longleaf pine of all ages and 
sizes, 10 inches and over in diameter, in a certain contract Yielded 
a virgin working of 96,000 pounds of gum per crop, which gave 48 


The production of turpentine and rosin has shown 
a marked downward trend for some 15 years. This 
is due chiefly to the exhaustion of virgin timber. 
The very wasteful and destructive methods generally 
employed with both old timber and second growth 
have always meant a total production much below 
what would be possible under a more conservative 
system. If the rate of decrease continues, within the 
next decade or so the United States will lose its com- 
manding position in the world’s market and may in 
time be unable to supply its domestic requirements. 


| 


barrels of spirits and 134 barrels of rosin. This was an average yield 
of 9.6 pounds per face, of which 8.3 pounds were dip and 1.3 pounds 
scrape. The timber as a rule is old and very slow growing, but was 
worked conservatively. 


TABLE 13.—Yield of gum in pounds during the first two seasons from. 1-cup 
longleaf trees and during the first three seasons for 2-cup trees? 


Yield of gum during 


season 
Diameter 
of tree 
(breast One-cup Two-cup 


high) trees (first | trees (first, 
or second | second, or 
year) third year)? 


Inches Pounds Pounds 
6 AS (ea | se eee 
Uf Fy re | eee ee 
8 CQ |e ee aS et 
) Sot pat | Genin anes 
10 10. 0 15.0 
11 11.5 17.0 
| NOS | 13.0 19.5 


1 Based upon measurements and observations of careful working in southeast Georgia by Dr. Austin 
Cary, logging engineer, Forest Service. 

2 The yield from 2-cup trees is slightly greater the first year but holds up well during the succeeding 
years; in “good working it averages about 50 per cent greater yield than 1- -cup trees. 


UNPROFITABLE TURPENTINE PRACTICES ® 


Working small-sized trees——The figures given in Table 13 refer 
to young longleaf pine timber in southern Georgia, and show the 
weight of gum in cups ready for the first dip after six streaks. The 

> The discussion is based upon studies and recommendations by Austin Cary, logging 
engineer of the Forest Service. See also ‘‘ New Method of Turpentine Orcharding,” 


Forest Service Bulletin 40. For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, Government 
Printing Office, Washington, D. C. Price, 10 cents. 


Bul. 1061, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture PLATE VII 


Chipping at about the midseason of the second year’s working. This represents 
average good practice, but a single piece of iron is being much used instead of two 
bent gutters. At the rate of one-half inch at each streak, the face moves up the 
trunk about 16 inches a year, Including the high face, this permits of 6 to 8 
years’ working, 

29 


30 BULLETIN 1061, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 


trees ranged from 7 to 12 inches in diameter (measured at breast- 
height, or 4144 feet above the ground); each tree was hung with one 
cup and was being worked for the first year. The production for 
the season is computed on the assumption that there were six 
dippings. 

The most noteworthy point here is that a 7-inch tree yields only 
about one-half the gum yielded by a 10-inch tree. The 10, 11, and 
12 inch trees with 2 cups yielded 50 per cent more gum than trees 
of the same sizes worked with only 1 cup each. In operations on 
small timber the expense of cups, ‘hanging, chipping, and dipping 
is incurred in connection with many trees that yield only about a 
quart of gum for a full season’s working. Even smaller returns 
than those shown above are not uncommon. In May, 1920, third- 
year workings of these small sizes were found that yielded at the 
rate of 1 ounce of gum to each four streaks. The conclusion arrived 
at from these weighings is that, in general, timber less than 8 inches 
in diameter at breastheight, or about 10 inches on the stump, yields 
gum in such small amounts as to be considered below a workable 
size. 

Faces per tree——Observations on virgin crops indicate that the 
addition of the second face, when conservatively made and worked 
on longleaf pine trees from 10 to 12 inches in diameter at breast- 
height, increases the yield of the tree by about 50 per cent over the 
yield of one face. However, when trees under 12 to 14 inches in 
diameter have been worked with a second face their growth has nearly 
stopped. They have often been found to be in a sickly or dying con- 
dition. The more observing and practical operators feel justified for 
that reason in not permitting a second face on trees less than 15 inches 
in diameter; but if a second face is allowed, they require that bars 
shall measure at least 4 inches across and that at least 40 per cent of 
the surface or circumference of the tree shall remain uncut. 

Heavy chipping—For conclusive results regarding the effect of 
heavy and hght chipping, reference may be made to the experiments 

carried on in Florida by Dr. Charles F. Herty and published by the 
Forest Service® (PI. VII). To this may be added some results 

obtained by the Forest Service on the Florida National Forest near 
Pensacola. In these workings the trees were conservatively cupped, 
and chipping was limited to one-half inch in depth and the same in 
height. Under these conditions the results per crop of 10,000 cups 
from five successive years’ work on a specified body of timber have 
been as follows: First year, 46 barrels: second year, 40 barrels: third 
year, 41 barrels: fourth year, 38 barrels: fifth year, 41 barrels. 

The average season’s production of gum per crop was, therefore, 
41 barrels, with a total of 206 barr els. It will be noted that there 
was a slight alternation in the amounts, with production the third 
and last years equal to the average for the operation. A significant 
result was the subsequent death of only 2 per cent of the trees from 
dry facing. Private operations in the same locality using the ordi- 
nary old-time system commonly lose from 10 to 20 per cent of their 
timber and the average vield of gum obtained is approximately as 


‘Relation of Light Chipping to the Commercial Yield of Naval Stores.” by Dr. 
Chaiies FE. Herty. Forest Service Bulletin 90. For sale by the Superintendent of Docu- 
ments, Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C. Price, 10 cents. 


LONGLEAF PINE 81 


follows: First year, 46 barrels; second year, 38 barrels; third year, 
25 barrels; average yearly, 36.3 barrels. 

This total yield of 109 barrels in three seasons’ working with an 
average yearly production of 36.3 barrels per crop stands in bold 
contrast to the result of 206 barrels obtained under similar condi- 
tions on the Florida National Forest by the use of better methods 
over a period of five years. 


SUGGESTED SYSTEMS OF TURPENTINING 


A method that is suggested for working fully stocked second- 
growth stands starts with the gradual thinning out of the stand by 
means of periodic turpentining of the trees to be removed in order 
to develop an open forest of large-topped, vigorous trees capable of 
being worked for turpentine repeatedly over a period of 30 to 50 
years or more. 

Beginning when the trees are 25 to 35 years old, the first step 
is the removal of the least desirable trees from the stand. These 
trees, perhaps one-third of the total number, are worked for turpen- 
tine under such a system of cupping as will give the maximum im- 
mediate financial returns to the operator. When the turpentine 
value of the tree is gone—probably after a working period of five 
years—they are cut and utilized. Following the working and cut- 
ting of the first lot of trees the remaining stand is again gone 
over at an age of 30 to 40 years, and the largest trees are selected 
and designated to constitute the final stand. All other trees are 
marked for immediate and rapid working under the system of 
cupping used in the first thinning operation. After five or more 
years of operation these trees are cut and removed from the stand. 
This leaves the trees of the final stand which are to receive the 
conservative turpentine management and from which the chief and 
sustained money yield of the forest is to be expected. 

The final stand consists of only the best trees—those stimulated 
by the previous thinnings to a state of development much in advance 
of trees of the same age, 35 to 45 years—in unthinned stands. They 
should be uniformly and widely spaced and stand about 100 trees 
per acre. The final stand is now ready for systematia working over 
a period of 20 to 30 years. The trees are worked conservatively, 
regular intervals of three to five years being allowed for rest between 
the successive seven or eight year periods of working up a face. 
As the tree grows and the wounds heal, narrow faces may be worked 
between the old ones. At the end of the “rotation,” when the trees 
are considered mature, or at an age of about 80 years, they are 
heavily worked and then cut for lumber or other products. 

This system is quite similar to that in use by the French in tur- 
pentining their forests of maritime pine.’ The results of seven 
years’ operation on the Florida National Forest (1918-1924) indi- 
cate that no great difficulty will be found in applying it generally 
to second-growth stands in this country. 

A modification of the above method, which is believed by some 
practical operators to be feasible and promising, follows more 
nearly the prevailing custom of turpentining in that the operation 


7 For brief description of the French method, see Farmers’ Bulletin 1256, ‘‘ Slash Pine.” 


32 BULLETIN 1061, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 


starts when the largest trees in the stand have attained sufficient 
size for working. After being completely worked the trees are cut 
and removed, giving space for the accelerated growth of the re- 
maining stand. In the working the trees are bled for about four 
years (with a relatively narrow face to a height of 6 feet), followed 
by a rest for about: three years. This operation is then repeated 
twice with a new face each time, representing in all a working 
period of about 20 years. If the age of the stand at the start was 
30 years, it is now 50 years old. The trees are now cut and utilized, 
and another 20-year working period begun, making use of the larger 
trees of the remaining stand. 

If the yearly burnings in connection with the turpentining de- 
stroys most of the young growth which starts, as seems likely, in 
order to secure a satisfactory reforestation of the tract, it may be 
necessary, In the case of either method of turpentining, to secure for- 
est regeneration by the artificial means of seed sowing or by plant- 
ing nursery-grown seedlings. 

Operating old-growth timber on the Florida National Forest.— 
The regulations for turpentine operations on Government-owned 
timber on the Florida National Forest ® will afford suggestions to 
private owners desiring to work or lease their timber, under methods 
of operation that aim to reduce the injury and waste and maintain 
the production of turpentine over a maximum period of years. The 
enforcement of these requirements has been no obstacle to success- 
ful forest management, but rather has proved to be a great help. 
Competition for turpentine rights is keen among operators, and in 
1919 the bids reached the high mark of $25.70 per 100 cups. 

Close observation and study of the best practice of turpentining 
has resulted in the regulation of 1 cup on trees measuring from 10 
to 15 inches, inclusive, j in diameter; 2 cups on trees 16 to 24 inches; 
and not more than 3 cups on any tree. The forest is located 
in western Florida, in a region of deep, dry, sandy soil, where only 
longleaf pine and southern blackjack oak are able to maintain an 
existence and where the pine is mostly mature or slow growing. 

The timber, however, is worked for about 14 years out of a total 
of 15 to 17 years. The procedure normally is about as follows, sub- 
ject to minor variations depending upon conditions: Virgin crop 
worked for 3 years, high-face 4 years (sometimes 3) ; a rest period 
usually of 3 years (minimum of 1 year); back-cupping carried on 
for 3 years, and high-face back-cutting for 3 or 4 years. The first 
working is sold, or “if desired, the combined first and second work- 
ings together. After the rest interval the same practice of selling 
the rights i is used in the back cuppings. The plan is to sell the tim 
ber at the expiration of the working, which on one operation on the 
Florida National Forest will be completed in 1927. 

An idea ou the conditions to which the buyers of turpentine rights 
on the national forest subscribe may be had from the following 
form. The hold fate type indicates the portions of the agreement 
that are filled in separately in each case, and the figures used 
represent about average conditions. 


8 Initiated by I. F. Eldredge, forest inspector, and for about 10 years carried on under 
his direction. This applies to all of the turpentine operations on the Florida National 
Forest from 1907 to 1917. 


LONGLEAF PINE 33 


UNITED STATES DPPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
FOREST SHPRVICE 
NAVAL STORES AGREEMENT 


We, James F. Elder and Wm. H. Johnson, partners, doing business under the firm name 
and style of Elder and Johnson, of Gracewood, State of Florida, hereby agree to work for 
naval stores certain timber in the Florida National Forest in accordance with our bid submitted in 
pursuance of a notice inviting bids therefor, duly given by publication. Said timber is all the longleaf 
pine timber not excepted under the terms of this agreement located on an area of about 640 acres to be 
definitely designated by a Forest officer before cupping begins in Sec. 14, T. 1 S., R. 26 W. Principal 
meridan, within the Florida National Forest, upon which area it is estimated that 10,000 cups, more 
or less, may be placed. In consideration of the granting of this privilege to us we do hereby promise 
to pay to the District Fiscal Agent (Washington, D. C.) or such other depository or officer as shall 
hereafter be designated, to be placed to the credit of the United States, the sum of Twenty-five hundred 
dollars ($2,500), more or less, as may be determined by actual count at the rate of Two hundred and 
fifty dollars ($250) per thousand cups iz installments, the first of which shall be in the sum of 
not less than $1,000, payable on or before the date of execution of this agreement, the second 
in the sum of not less than $800 payable on or before February 1, 1923, and the third in the 
sum of the balance then remaining due on or before February 1, 1924, credit being given for 
the sums, if any, hitherto deposited with the said United States depository or officer in connection with 
this privilege. 

And we further promise and agree to work said timber in strict accordance with the following condi- 
tions and all regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Agriculture: 

1. Timber on valid claims and alltimber under other contract with the Forest Service is exempt from 
cupping under this agreement. 

2. No tree will be cupped, chipped, raked, or worked in any manner until payment has been made in 
accordance with the terms of this agreement. 

3. Title to the product of the timber included in this agreement will remain in the United States until 
it has been paid for as herein prescribed and removed from the tree. 

4. No timber will be cupped except that on the area designated by a Forest officer; and all timber on 
that area will be cupped except as herein specified. 

5. No marked tree and no tree 9 inches or less in diameter at a point 414 feet above the ground will be 
cupped; not more than one cup will be placed on trees from 10 inches to 15 inches, inclusive, in diameter; 
not more than two cups will be placed on trees from 76 inches to 24 inches, inclusive, in diameter, and 
not more than three cups will be placed on any tree. 

6. The depth of streaks will not exceed 1/2 inch, excluding the bark. The width of the streaks will be so 
regulated that not more than 1/2 inch of new wood will be taken from the upper side of each streak. The 
faces chipped or pulled the first season will not exceed 16 inches in height from the shoulder of the first streak 
of the season to the shoulder of the last streak of the season, including both. The faces chipped or pulled 
in subsequent seasons will not exceed 16 inches in height, measured in the same way. A No.0 or smaller 
hack or puller will be used for chipping or pulling. Bars or strips of bark not less than 4 inches wide in 
the narrowest place will be left between faces, and this width shall not be lessened as the faces progress 
up the tree. Where more than one face is placed on a tree, one bar between them will not exceed 8 inches 
in width. The first streak at the base of the face will be made at the time the apron or gutter is placed. 
Not more than one streak will be placed on any face during any week except during June and July, when 
faces may be double streaked, provided that not more than one-half inch is added to the height of the face 
during the week. - Faces not chipped in accordance with these specifications may be marked out and the 
cups removed by the Forest officer. 

7. A cupping system satisfactory to the Forest Supervisor will be used, and the cups and aprons or gutters 
will be so placed that the shoulders of the first streak will be not more than 20 inches distant from the 
bottom of the cup, and the cups first placed will be as near the ground as possible. No wood will be exposed 
on any tree by removing the bark below the gutter or aprons. 

8. No unnecessary damage will be done to cupped trees, marked trees, or to trees below the diameter 
limit. Trees that are badly damaged during the life of this agreement, when such damage is due to care- 
lessness or negligence, shall be paid for at the rate of $5 per thousand feet board measure, full scale. ‘Trees 
split or windthrown because of deep incisions for raised tins will be considered as being damaged unneces- 
sarily. ‘The Forest Supervisor shall decide as to the presence and extent of damage. 

9. No cups will be placed later than April 1, 1922, without written permission from the Forest Super- 
visor, and all timber embraced in this agreement will be cupped before said date. The cupping will pro- 
ceed with all reasonable speed. 

10. Unless extension of time is granted, all timber will be chipped, dipped, and scraped, the product 
and all cups, aprons, gutters, and nails removed, and each cupped tree thoroughly raked to the satisfaction 
of the Forest officer not later than December 31, 1924. ‘Tins will be pulled out, not chopped out. 

11. No fires will be set to the timber, underbrush, or grass on the area covered by this agreement without 
the written permission of the authorized Forest officer, and during the time that this agreement remains 
in force we will, independently, do all in our power to prevent and suppress unauthorized forest fires on 
the said area and in its vicinity, and will require our employees and contractors to do likewise. We 
hereby agree, unless prevented by circumstances over which we have no control, to place our employees, 
contractors, and employees of contractors at the disposal of any authorized Forest officer for the purpose 
of fighting forest fires, with the understanding that unless the fire-fighting services are rendered on the area 
embraced in this agreement or on adjacent areas * * ™“ we will be paid for such services at rates to be 
determined by the Forest officer in charge, which rates shall not be less than the current rates of pay pre- 
vailing in the said National Forest for services of a similar character: Provided, That the maximum expendi- 
ture for fire-fighting without remuneration in any one calendar year, at rates of pay determined as above, 
will not exceed $50; and further provided, That if we, our employees, contractors, or employees of con- 
tractors are directly or indirectly responsible for the origin of the fire, we will not be paid for services so 
rendered, nor will the cost of such services be included in determining said maximum expenditure for any 
calendar year. 

It is further agreed that except in serious emergencies as determined by the Forest Supervisor we will 
not be required to furnish more than 4 men for fighting fires outside of the area above specified, and that 
any employees furnished will be relieved from fire fighting on such outside areas as soon as it is practicable 
for the Forest Supervisor to obtain other labor adequate for the protection of the National Forest. 

12. All cupped trees will be raked in a workmanlike manner for the space of 214 feet around each tree 
during December of each year of the life of this agreement; and, if required by the Forest officer in charge, 
a fire line not less than 3 feet wide in the narrowest place shall be hoed or plowed around the area covered 
by this agreement in such a manner as to completely isolate it from adjoining lands. Natural firebreaks 


03126°—25——_5 


34 BULLETIN 1061, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 


such as creeks, swamps, roads, ete., may be utilized with the consent of the Forest officer in charge. These, 
fire lines must be made and receive the approval of the Forest officer in charge before any cups are placed 
the first year or new streaks made at the beginning of each subsequent year. 

13. Cabins, shelter camps, telephone lines, and other improvements necessary in working the timber 
covered by this agreement will be constructed on National Forest land only under special-use permit. 

14. If requested by the Forest Supervisor, we also agree to keep an accurate count and record of the 
number of barrels of gam and pounds of scrape obtained from the area covered by this agreement and to 
report the same upon request. 

15. The United States reserves the right to sell or otherwise dispose of and remove or have removed 
all dead timber and uncupped living timber from the area covered by, and during the life of, this agreement: 
Provided, That the removal of Such material will not, in the judgment of the Forest officer, interfere with 
the operations of the purchaser. 

16. If during the life of this agreement cups are raised, the nails which had supported them and the gutters 
shall be removed within thirty days after the raising of the cups. 

17. If during the life of this agreement cups and tins are placed on trees at any point other than at the base 
where they are first placed, a two-piece Saw-tooth apron shall be used. In placing these aprons a straight 
edged driving blade shall be used and an incision made on each side of the face, which incision shall not 
exceed one-quarter (4) of an inch in depth. 

If desirable in order to allow cups to fit better, narrow chips, not more than one-half inch thick may be 
removed from the ridge in the center of the faces. 

18. Complaints by the purchaser, arising from any action taken by a Forest officer under the terms of 
this agreement, will not be considered unless made in writing to the Forest Supervisor having jurisdiction, 
within thirty (30) days of the alleged unsatisfactory action. 

The decision of the Secretary of Agriculture will be final in the interpretation of the regulations and 
provisions governing the sale, cupping, and removal of the product covered by this agreement. 

19. All operations on the area may be suspended by the Forest officer in charge if the conditions and 
requirements contained in this agreement are disregarded, and failure to comply with any one of said 
conditions and requirements, if persisted in, will be sufficient cause for the termination of this agreement 
and the cancellation of all permits for other uses of the National Forest incident thereto: Provided, That 
the Forester may, upon reconsideration of the conditions existing at the date of sale and in accordance 
with which the terms of this agreement were fixed, and with the consent of the purchaser, terminate this 
agreement, but in the event of such termination the purchaser shall be liable for any damages sustained 
by the United States arising from the purchaser’s operations hereunder. 

20. No Member of, or Delegate to Congress, or Resident Commissioner, after his election or appointment, 
and either before or after he has qualified, and during his continuance of office, will be admitted to any share 
or part of this contract or agreement, or to any benefit to arise thereupon. Nothing, however, herein 
contained will be construed to extend to any incorporated company, where such contract or agreement 
is made for the general benefit of such incorporation or company. (Section 3741, Revised Statutes, and 
sections 114-116, act of March 4, 1909.) 

21. Theterm “‘ officer in charge,’’ wherever used in this agreement, signifies the officer of the Forest Serv- 
ice who shall be designated by the proper Supervisor or by the District Forester to supervise the timber 
operations in this sale. 

22. This agreement will not be assigned in whole or in part. 

23. The conditions of the sale are completely set forth in this agreement, and none of its terms can be 
varied or moditied except in writing by the Forest officer approving the agreement or his successor or 
superior officer, and in accordance with the regulations of the Secretary of Agriculture. No other Forest 
officer has been or will be given authority for this purpose. 

24. And as a further guarantee of a faithful performance of the conditions of this agreement, we deliver 
herewith a bond in the sum of $1,000, and do further agree that all moneys paid under this agreement 
will, upon failure on our part to fulfill all and singular the conditions and requirements herein set forth, 
or made a part hereof, be retained by the United States to be applied as far as may be to the satisfaction 
of our obligations assumed hereunder. 

Signed in duplicate this first day of December, 1921. 

(Corporate seal, if corporation.) Elder and Johnson. 
By James F. Elder, 
A Member of Firm. 

Witnesses: 

John Dorman. 
Richard Rowley. 


Approved at Pensacola, Fla., under the above conditions, December 8, 1921. 
W. F. Hillyer, 
Forest Supervisor. 


USEFUL EQUIVALENTS IN TURPENTINING 


A few equivalents and values in turpentining operations may be 
useful. They should be regarded only as approximate because of 
the variable nature of practically every stage of the industry. 
Although some of the factors refer only to mature timber, others 
seem to be equally applicable to second-growth trees, and all pertain 
to the industry as it is being carried on commercially. 

1. The yield per tree of crude gum for one season averages from 
about 8 to 12 pounds per working cup or face on old-growth trees of 
average size. Based upon the figures in a following paragraph (4), 
the average yield per cup for a season is from 1 pint to 1 quart of 
turpentine and from 4 to 5 pounds of rosin. 

2. A crop of 10,000 cups on second growth will generally yield 
from 20 to 45 barrels of turpentine and from 56 to 126 barrels of 


LONGLEAF PINE 35 


rosin (500 pounds each), depending upon the favorableness of the 
oy the size and vigor of the trees, and the method of working. 

A gallon of spirits of turpentine weighs about. 714 pounds, and 
a bar of turpentine contains about 50 gallons. 

4. Crude gum or “dip” may be assumed to contain, in round 
figures, an average by weight of 20 per cent of turpentine, 15 per cent 
of water and trash, and 65 per cent of rosin. One barrel of average 
crude turpentine will yield about 10 to 12 gallons of spirits of tur- 
pentine. One hundred pounds of clean gum will yield about 21% 


COMMON PRACTICES IN TURPENTINING 
(Deseription of Plate VIII) 


Fic. 1.—There are 240 trees per acre, of which 184 measure from, 7 to 14 inches in 
diameter at breastheight, and 56, which are suppressed, measure from 4 to 6 inchesi in 
diameter. Some 20 trees per acre of turpentine sizes are too nearly dead from fire for 
cupping, and a, good many trees are missing as the result of repeated burnings. 

Some of the trees in this working have two faces and leave insufficient width of bars 
for the trees to function properly. The result is a marked reduction. in the total pro- 
duction. If not disastrously burned. the stand’ will be worked for a third year. If the 
stand is afforded protection, the one-face and the two-face trees, which have not become 
dry-faced, after 5 to 10 years of rest and growth can. be reworked. If the timber is not 
to ke cut at the end of the first or second working, a more conservative working than 
here shown. would have been advisable. 

At 15 cents! per cup for a 38-year lease for turpentine the stand is yielding the owner 
$28.80 per acre, and there will be a cut of some 15,000' board feet of lumber. The effect 
ot the fires has been to deplete the stand of almost one-third of the trees which it should 
contain, at. the present time. In the picture some effects are clearly apparent. At the 
age of 45 years, well-stocked longleaf stands should have about 300. trees per acre all of 
turpentine sizes (Table 1). 

On the same scale of working as is here operated, these stands should afford about 400 
cupsi per acre. At) 15 cents! per cup for the three years, and counting in the cups which 
have been lost by fire, the total return. for timber rights would have been about $60, or 
an average yearly return for the 45-year period of about $1.35 per acre. The value of 
15,000 board feet of second-growth pine, assumed to be $3 per thousand, would add $45 
and bring the total average gross income up to $2.35 per acre yearly. 

The operation, as it is being carried on, illustrates well the better class of second- 
growth stands and the way they are being worked., Thisi one is in Baker County, Fla. 

Fig. 2.—This stand of longleaf, with a little slash. pine mixed, is about the same age 
and is located near the stand shown. in figure 1. It, however, was boxed, worked for 
three seasons, and since then has been, allowed to burn over at random. The trees have 
been badly burned; some are gone ‘‘ root and branch,’’ leaving! holes in the top soil as the 
only visible mark of where they formerly stood. More than one-half of the trees origi- 
nally boxed have been. killed or destroyed. The remaining portion in 1916 was considered 
of no value because it was badly burned, insect infested, and decayed. Eight or nine 
years had elapsed since the timber was worked. The original tree density was very good ; 
now about four trees are left to every ten that were standing when they were boxed and 
worked. There are now 55 trees per acre measuring 7 inches or over in diameter. The 
growth. of the trees, which, came up in an, old field, has been rapid, and the stand is of 
relatively high value. The owner received 10 cents a cup, or from 192: cups per acre (an 
estimated number) $19.20 per acre, as the return on, the timber for the period of 40 
years of growth. 

Under adequate protection during the 10! years following the first working, if the trees 
were back-cupped in 1919, and the ‘timber sold at $3 per thousand feet on the stump, the 
profits would undoubtedly have been somewhere near four times the amount received. 
The treatment of this promising stand represents widspread practice, the folly of which 
is beginning to be widely and fully appreciated. This operation is in Baker County, Fla. 


gallons of turpentine and 83 pounds of rosin. One gallon of crude 
gum weighs 9.2 pounds, and a 50-gallon barrel of gum weighs 460 
pounds net. 

5. The yield of both turpentine and rosin is notably increased by 
the use of the cup system as compared with the boxing method. The 
yield of turpentine for two similar crops under investigation for 
three years was 151 barrels by cupping, and by boxing 118 barrels 
of spirits of turpentine. (Pl. 1X.) Both shallow and light chipping, 
as practiced on the Florida National Forest, are effective in increas- 
ing the yield of gum. 


Bul. 1061, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture PLATE VIII 


¥ 
es 
$ 
i 
} 
= 


Fic. 1A 45-year-old longleaf pine stand in northern Florida being worked for the 
second season with 192 cups on 164 trees per acre. (See description on p. 37.) 


BE MALEM PRE 


Fig. 2.—The story is told in this picture of the great waste of timber by fire that 
very commonly is permitted to follow turpentining. (See description on p. 37.) 
G 


Co 


Bul. 1061, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture 


PLATE IX 


Tic. 1.—For the purpose of conserving the yield of gum, this operator is hanging 
: cups on timber that has up to this time been worked by a crude boxing method 


SRN 


LS 


Fic. 2.—Effect of deep chipping on longleaf pine about 50 years old in Clinch County, 
Ga. In strong winds the leverage is great and the breaking point is mostly at 


the top of the face. By careless burning a good many of these faces have been 
deadened. It is known that pine timber may be worked for turpentine, if it is 


done in a suitable maimner, without causing great injury either to its value for 
other purposes or to its rate of growth 


T 


co 


38 BULLETIN 1061, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 


6. If the yield for the first year is assumed to be 100 per cent, the 
yields for the following years in per cents for a number of crops were 
for turpentine 90, 70, and 62, and for rosin 94, 75, and 70, respec- 
tively. This repr esents good working under private practice. Under 
Government working on the Florida National Forest there is only 
a slight decline, and that occurs in the second year’s production. 

7. If the total yield from three years’ operation is assumed to be 
100 per cent, turpentine operators formerly counted on obtaining 
about 45 per cent the first year, 35 per cent the second, and 20 per 
cent the third year. 

A publication of the Department of Agriculture entitle ~ Lur- 
pentine, its sources, properties, uses, transportation, and marketing, 
with recommended specifications ” ‘(United States Department of 
Agriculture Bulletin No. 898, 1920), may be obtained upon apph- 
cation to the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing 
Office, Washington, D. C. Price, 15 cents. 


EFFECT OF TURPENTINING TIMBER 


It is generally recognized that turpentining longleaf as commonly 
practiced renders the tree very lable to subsequent attack and _in- 
jury by insects and various fungi, to being felled by wind (PI. IX), 
and particularly to severe injury by fires. However, if turpentin- 
ing operations have béen carefully conducted by limiting the number 
of faces per tree and the depth of chipping, and if adequate protec- 
tion has been given, the amount of timber in any way injuriously 
affected has been shown to be very small; in one large operation in 
central Alabama it was only about 1 per cent of the total stand. 

On the Florida National Forest a study was made, at the close of 
the third year of working, of several sections of longleaf pine located 
on private lands and adjoining portions of the National Forest. 
There had been a severe drought during the working season imme- 
diately preceding, and the casual observation of a marked difference 
in losses of timber suggested the study. On the timber that had been 
worked under Government regulations the losses were found to be 
about 10 per cent of the total volume of timber, whereas on the pri- 
vately operated timber losses were found ranging from 25 to 60 per 
cent. Natural causes, such as insects, diseases, winds, and lghtning, 
were found to have produced about 4 per cent of the losses. Thus 
the result of turpentining was, roundly, a loss of 6 per cent on Govy- 
ernment-operated timber and from 20 to 55 per cent on private 
workings. 

The mechanical properties of the wood are not affected by turpen- . 
tining operations. It may be of interest to know that as far back 
as 1895 this subject was studied and it was reported that tests and 
examinations permitted the announcement without reserve that the 
timber of longleaf pine was in no way affected by the tapping for 
turpentine. It was further pointed out that in this statement the 
chemical as well as the mechanical properties had been considered, 
and thus all doubt as to the comparative durability of timber from 
bled and unbled trees had been eliminated. 

Preliminary studics of the effect of turpentining upon second- 
erowth longleaf pine indicate, as a result, some check in the rate of 
erowth for an indefinite period of perhaps two to four years fol- 


LONGLEAF PINE 39 


lowing operations, depending on the severity of the bleeding of the 
tree. Locally near the face, growth takes place rapidly on account 
of an apparent effort of the tree to heal the wound, making very 
favorable conditions of the wood for later working. Additional in- 
formation on this particular phase of growth is much needed. 


CUTTING 


Thrifty, well-stocked stands of longleaf soon become overcrowded, 
and a great competition arises among the trees, the foliage seeking 
for light and the roots for soil moisture. This should be closely 
looked after by the owner. Longleaf does not readily thin itself 
by the natural dying-out process, but many of the smaller trees may 
live years in a practically dormant condition. The stronger trees 
gradually crowd and kill the weaker individuals. If such timber 
is left unthinned, big losses may be expected in the potential timber- 
producing power of the stand. 

With some kinds of trees and forests it is more profitable if the 
largest trees are cut and the smaller ones are allowed to grow and 
take the places of those that have been cut. This system, however, is 
not generally to be recommended for longleaf pine. The method of 
cutting believed to be most applicable to longleaf consists in thin- 
ning from the bottom upward—that is, in removing first the less 
thrifty, overtopped, diseased, and unpromising trees. In crowded 
groups good-sized trees should sometimes be removed. The cooler 
part of the year affords the only season that is safe against danger- 
ous insect menace following cutting operations. (See under “ Insects, 
Diseases, and Wind,” p. 42.) Such thinnings should be made as 
needed, usually at intervals of 5 to 10 years, each helping in the de- 
velopment of the final stand. The purpose of thinning is very much 
the same as that of the farmer in chopping his cotton or corn, namely, 
to give the remaining plants proper growing space and to secure 
the largest amount of the desired product. Trees growing wide 
apart in understocked stands may not need more than one thinning 
or they may not need any. If young longleaf stands contain unde- 
sirable kinds of trees, such as slow-growing, wide-spreading gums 
or oaks, which shade out a lot of pines and promise less valuable tim- 
ber, these should be cut out much as weeds are eradicated from fields. 
This process, known as cleaning, may not be necessary more than 
once. The last thinning is followed, at a suitable age and develop- 
ment of the trees, by a clean cutting of the stand. The clean-cutting 
method is recommended for longleaf, because this species grows 
naturally, and probably best, in pure stands or mixed with small 
amounts of other pines. Longleaf, apparently, grows fastest into 
timber when it comes up uniformly over the land and is kept at uni- 
form heights, for it is a species that needs an abundance of light, and 
hence must not be shaded by taller tres. 

The desired number of trees per acre for a given stand is deter- 
mined largely by the quality of the locality or the favorableness of 
the situation and by the size and age of the trees. It is, after all, 
more a matter of judgment and experience than of rule. (See Table 
1.) In the earlier thinnings, when the stand is about 20 years old, 
sometimes as many as one-fifth to one-third of the trees should be 


40) BULLETIN 1061, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 


removed. These usually represent, however, less than one-fifth of 
the total timber volume of the stand. 

The final clean cutting of the stand should include provisions for 

early restocking of the land before oaks and other inferior growth 
get a footing. “A good way to do this is to leave seed trees. These 
should be the vigorous, full topped, or limby trees, of less value for 
lumber. In pr actically all stands they may be found growing alone 
in openings, and hence are well rooted and wind firm gas the 
storms that may follow the cutting. It is well to spot the trees 
with white paint before cutting operations are begun, as is being 
done in some operations in the “South. Certain State laws require 
this, as is pointed out under “A seed-tree law ” (p. 35). It is some- 
times good practice to cut to a diameter limit, as, for example, down 
to 12 inches. In this way trees below good mer chantable size will be 
left on the ground to aid in reseeding ‘the land and to provide good 
material for cutting 5 to 10 years later. In logging timber, often no 
profit but a positive loss is incurred by trying to handle trees too 
small in size. Good forestry in lumbering operations calls for pre- 
serving the young and thrifty trees. 

The amount of material secured from the several thinnings re- 
quired in well-stocked stands up to an age of 50 to 70 years might 
easily be equivalent to one-third of the total amount yielded at the 
final cutting of the stand. The value of the timber, of course, would 
depend upon its location with reference to transportation facilities 
and upon the competition from outside markets. Wherever possible 
the trees to be removed in thinnings should first be worked for tur- 
pentine, because at times the gum brings more than would be realized 
from the later sale of the timber. Progress in building good roads 
is rapid, and it will therefore be only a relatively short time before 
young pine comes into its own and has a very real value on the 
stump. With the higher prices that are being paid for all forest 
products, including lumber, crossties, poles, piling, fuel wood, paper 
pulp wood, and turpentine rights, the proper disposal of young 
timber is well worth looking after and should often more than pay 
for the cutting. 


REFORESTATION 


One often hears it said that the land will never come back to pine. 
To a great degree this statement has been justified, and it will be 
true so long as the prevailing practice continues and the prevailing 
sentiment maintains that the woods “just will burn and must burn.” 
Getting young longleaf started, however, is not a serious problem. 
The bulk of the cut-over land has some seed-beari ing trees; through- 
out much of the South there is probably a sufficient number of seed 
trees. Contrary to the general belief, cut-over longleaf lands have 
at rather frequent intervals become well stocked with seedling 
stands, each in turn of relatively short duration, because of agencies 
mostly of man’s making and mostly under his control. Fire and 

native hogs have been ‘the undoing of young longleaf pine. Re- 
forestation thus becomes lar gely a matter of educating people as to 
the destructive nature of fire and hogs and as to methods of pro- 
viding the necessary protection. The reforestation of lands from 
which all longleaf trees capable of bearing seed have been removed 


LONGLEAF PINE 4] 


involves the necessity of starting young growth by artificially sowing 
seed or by planting small seedlings. Both the natural and ‘artificial 
methods will be briefly consider ed. 


SEED PRODUCTION AND GERMINATION 


Longleaf trees bear seeds at intervals of two to four years. In 
open stands some seed is borne almost every year. Apparently about 
every seven years heavy crops of seed are produced generally over 
the longleaf belt. Such heavy seed years occurred in 1913 and 1920, 
and fair crops were borne in 1916, 1921, and 1924. Incidentally, the 
production of a heavy crop of seed is accompanied by a shrinkage in 
the flow of gum in turpentine operations. An experienced operator, 
in charge of one of the lar gest and most up-to-date turpentine plants 
in the South, estimated that the shrinkage of crude turpentine pro- 
duction in 1920, coincident with the maturing of the heavy seed 
crop, amounted to 10 to 15 per cent of the normal production. 

The seeds are relatively large, averaging about 7,500 to the pound, 
and are rich in food materials. The seeds are provided with wings 
which usually carry them away from the tree for distances up to 
once or twice its height, and in strong winds as far as several 
hundred yards. Compared with the seed of most of the yellow 
pines, that of the longleaf is heavy and not widely dispersed. A 
reliable observation was reported in the fall of 1920 of an abundant 
seeding taking place on the leeward side of old timber at a distance 
of about one-quarter mile from the margin. 

Like all pines, longleaf requires two growing seasons to mature its 
seed. The seed ripens in September and soon falls from the cones. 
The normal time for germination is probably from two to five weeks 
after the seed falls, or * during October and November. The seed pos- 
sesses quick verminative energy and has been known to sprout in 
damp weather while it is in the partially closed cones on cut trees, 
and frequently while it is in cones lying on the ground. Seed col- 
lected in Florida in the fall of 1920 gave a germinative test of 5 per 
cent in 5 days, 32 per cent in 7 days, 71 per cent in 2 weeks, and 73 
per cent in 17 days. In the better grades of seed probably the good 
or viable seed amounts to about 70 per cent, but the average is about 
50 per cent. No other species of pine, so far as is known, shows 
quicker activity in seed germination and the establishment of the 
seedlings (fig. 4). 


SEED-TREE METHOD—NATURE’S WAY 


If proper methods are followed at the time of cutting, and if a few 
good seed trees are left per acre, not a dollar need be spent for seed 
to start young longleaf. In order that the seedling may get a good 
start, it is necessary for the seed to come in contact with or close 
to mineral soil. In low ground, where the soil cover is very heavy 
(“rough”) and contains more than a year’s growth, this is not apt to 
happen. The necessity then arises for preparing the ground to 
receive the seed. Observations show that even in deep grass a few 
seeds fall in openings and germinate successfully. In some cases it 
may be found advisable, during the winter or early spring before a 
good seed crop is anticipated, to burn over lands which it is desired 


42, BULLETIN 1061, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 


to reforest. This will afford a light grass cover which is probably 
more favorable to successful germination than entirely bare soil, such 


. 
% 
Bho 
TEL —— 
Care SESE, 
XC — 


Fig. 4.—Early development of longleaf pine. 

a. Seedling in October or November from two to four weeks after the fall of the seed. 

b. Appearance a few days later, when the empty seed coat has been. shed. 

c. By January to March the true leaves (in sheaths with 1, 2, or 3 leaves) are ex- 
panding as shown. 

d. During the first season after germination the plant develops a very short stem, 
above the taproot, supporting clusters of long true leaves. The early seed leaves, or 
cotyledons, it will be noted, have been shed. 

e. A dense tuft of long, slender, drooping leaves, the whole gradually expanding and 
massed on a short, stout stem, gives longleaf pine its characteristic appearance during 
the first three to five years. It is this mass of green foliage and the so-called ‘“ asbestos ” 
bud that enables longleaf to persist through repeated fires. Below is developed the very 
heavy, long taproot and strong laterals, which in other pines usually accompany saplings 
2 to 6 feet in height. (From Forest Service Bulletin 138.) 


as the seed would fall upon directly after the burning. Where fires 
have been of yearly occurrence and in regions of thin grass or other 


LONGLEAF PINE 43 


sparse soil cover, such measures will be unnecessary. The prepara- 
tion of a good seed bed might be tried experimentally by turning in 
hogs early in the fall of a seed year, but excluding them in time to 
be sure of a sufficient supply of seed on the area. Natural stands up 
to 20,000 seedlings per acre in the spring after the heavy seed crop 
of 1920 were not uncommon on the Florida National Forest. On 
adjacent lands not under Government ownership and having fewer 
seed trees, the young forest was on the average only about one-fourth 
as dense. Stands of 4,000 to 13,000 seedlings per acre (Pl. X) the 
second and third years after seeding are not uncommon. 

Although good seed years are generally followed by good stands 
of seedlings, it is not always so. Because of the palatability of the 


HELP REFOREST THIS TIMBERLAND 


Longleaf pine bears seed in quantities only once 
every five or seven years. 

This is a mast year, and this fall and winter will 
produce the only seed in quantity that can be ex- 
pected before 1926 or 1927. 

On the seed fall of this season depends in large 
part the future supply of naval stores and saw tim- 
ber of this region. 

The young pine seedling is quickly and totally de- 
stroyed by fire during the first two years of its life. 

Nature will do its part by furnishing and sowing a 
bountiful supply of seed. Will you do your part in 
helping to prevent forest fires while the seedlings are 
being established? 

Join us in starting a new stand of timber. 


UNITED STATES FOREST SERVICE 


Be careful with fire in the woods. If you find a fire 
burning, put it out if you can; if you need aid, notify 
the nearest forest ranger. 


The above poster was used by the Forest Service in 1920. The Government 
on its national forests in the South is reforesting its lands by the natural 
method of leaving seed trees and protecting the young growth from fires. 


large kernels, great numbers of seeds are destroyed by weevils, 
birds, mice, rats, squirrels, and “ razorback ” hogs, and to some extent 
by cattle, especially when the seeds collect in wagon ruts and other 
depressions. It is believed that the practice of shooting hawks and 
owls has allowed the various rodent pests to multiply greatly. 
Favorable weather conditions during the first six months or so after 
the seed falls will greatly increase the number of trees that become 
established. 

The best trees for reseeding the cut-over lands are, all things 
considered, the younger, full-foliaged, vigorous-growing trees. 
These trees usually have been standing apart and are relatively very 


PLATE X 


Bul. 1061, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture 


a 
Mens rian punta, 


galusa, 


and 
3,440 
nning 


timber 
s (a rate of 1 
gi 

(Bo 


ings W 


ere be 


in virgin 


sv 
t=) 


seedlin 


f 
ear-old seedl 


e about two months before. 


2 


atural opening 
e 3-y 


84 longlea 


thes 
ga fir 


inan 
were 


. 
. 


spring 


located 
arkers 
the 
in 


3 
te m 


hen examined in 
e, follow 


hi 
lag 
la.) 


b 


is 


square tod 


ted by the four w 
een fol 
h 


to show new g 
Washington Par 


1.—On one 
ica 
Ww 
= 


1G. 
ind 
per acre). 


12 


<- 


der black 
otected. 


e been pr 


rowing ul 


sine 


o 
> 


s old, 
ich has 


4 year 
h 


Bat 
VCE SW, 


acre, 
Tass Co 


ings per 
o 
> 


one-year 


) 


eedl 
a 
La. 


~ 
s 


sh, 


leaf 


a 
me up in 
1 


OC 
c 
alle P 


500 lon 
a 
ar 


2 
y 


. 


About 
k. The 
a, La S 


€ 


2 
ck o 


Tanl 


IG. 
ja 
(U 


44 


Bul. 1061, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture 


PLATE XI 


Fic. 1.—Plenty of seed trees were left—the trees left were considered as culls 
when lumbered (1902), but unfortunately no protection against annual fires and 
hogs had been afforded. The result, after 15 years, is the absence of a young forest 
and the loss of considerable old timber by action of fire, insects, diseases, and wind. 
This condition apparently has misled many people into believing that longleaf 
land would never come back to timber 


Fic. 2.—Seed trees and protection on longleaf cut-over lands near by that shown in 
figure 1. The young forest of mixed longleaf and shortleaf pines is growing well 
and producing from 1 to 2 cords yearly of wood suitable for pulp wood or 300 to 
500 board feet of saw timber. The seed trees have been making profitable growth, 
as shown on page 14. More trees were left than necessary for seed, but all were 
considered culls at the time of logging 


SEED TREES AND PROTECTION-—THE ESSENTIALS FOR KEEPING 


THE FOREST PRODUCTIVE ae 
o 


46 BULLETIN 1061, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 


windfirm; in favorable situations they will increase rapidly in size 
after the logging of the other trees. A woodsman can readily 
learn to recognize such trees, and they should be chosen and marked 
by paint or other means prior to logging. If all slash is cleared 
away from the trees, and proper protection from fire is provided, 
within periods of 5 to 15 years the seed trees should provide ample 
young growth and be of enough value to pay all costs and a fair 
rate of interest on the total investment. (Pl. XI.) The prob- 
able value of the young-pine stand by the twentieth year should be 
sufficient to offset and justify the whole cost of producing the 
trees, including the holding of the land. In general, seed trees of 
the right kind should cause no loss but rather prove to be a good 
investment. 

A seed-tree law—As a step in the development of sound forest 
principles, the State of Louisiana in 1920 enacted a seed-tree law. 
Tt is required that at least one seed tree per acre be left on lands 


If cut-over lands have been properly logged, and if 
seed trees have been left in the operation and have 
been given adequate fire protection, the lands will 
become reforested naturally, and the planting of 
seed will not be necessary. 

There are many millions of acres of southern pine 
lands which have been cut so heavily or burned over 
so often and so completely that they can not become 
restocked naturally, and will therefore lie idle unless 
they are artificially reforested by the sowing of seed 
or the planting of seedlings. 

If these lands were restored to timber production 
and were given adequate fire protection they would 
produce yearly from 100 to 700 board feet per acre 
of longleaf pine. 


cut by any individual or company, unless such land is agricultural 
in character and will be used for that purpose. A seed tree has 
since been defined as a “sound tree of well-developed crown and 
not less than 8 inches in diameter at 2 feet above the ground.” The 
law covers just about the minimum requirement in this respect. It. 
is better if at least three to five such trees per acre are left. The 
purpose of the law is to prevent complete denudation of forest land 
and yet work no hardship upon the owners. Some chance, at least, 
will be afforded of cut-over lands being reforested naturally instead 
of remaining idle unless they are restocked by artificial seeding or 
planting (PI. XIT). 

Ea BoP of leaving seed trees.—On its own initiative a large lum- 
ber company in southeastern Louisiana is going further than is re- 
guired by law, and is leaving and protecting practically ajl small 
trees. The skidding crews are required to save as many small trees 
us they can and to throw all slash from the bases of these trees. A 
considerable space around the trees is raked. In addition to relying 


LONGLEAF PINE Aly 


on these groups of the smaller trees, single trees of moderate size 
and heavy tops which stand isolated are being left for seed, wherever 
needed. ‘These are selected and ringed with paint in advance of 
cutting and turpentining. 

It is believed that these measures will prove sound from a busi- 
ness standpoint. The plan does not put much value at risk, and the 
total cost, including the stumpage, is probably 15 to 20 cents per acre. 
In themselves the seed trees are likely to prove a good investment, 
en account of their accelerated growth, and in addition there is the 
enhanced value of the land that contains a good young forest. stand. 
The leaving of very old longleaf trees for “seed production has re- 
sulted in some losses, because the trees have either died standing or 
been blown down. Of those that died, some were killed by lightning 
and some by certain insects® which do extensive injury over much 
of the South. 


SOWING AND PLANTING 


Available information may indicate the best lines to follow in 
making denuded lands produce an income. Apparently the best 
time for artificial seed sowing is soon after the seed matures—during 
October or early November. If sown much later, it probably re-_ 
mains dormant until the coming of warm weather. Meanwhile, the 
menace is great from the numerous enemies. Hence, if not sown by 
November, the seed should be put in storage in a cool place until 
about the time vegetation starts in the spring. The seed is rich in 
tood elements and apparently deteriorates more rapidly than that of 
some other species of pine. The best method of storing pine seed is 
to place it in sealed containers after it is thoroughly air dried. Cold 
storage below freezing has also given fair results. If the seed is to 
be kept longer than a few months, one of these methods is recom- 
mended. 

As to the preparation of the soil, plowing and harrowing have 
given the best results; but this method is obviously impracticable, 
because of the high cost. The results have generally varied with 
the degree of preparation of the soil. 

A method of sowing longleaf seed which now gives indication of 
being successful is to drop about 10 seeds at intervals of 6 feet in 
the bottom of furrows spaced 8 feet apart. This makes 940 seed 
spots per acre. The seed is scratched in with a hoe or rake and the 
soil pressed lightly with the shoe. The soil covering should be not 
more than one-fourth of an inch in depth. A little grass or “straw ” 
litter scattered over the soil will probably prove helpful. As there 
are about 8,000 seeds in a pound, about 114 pounds of seed will be 
needed for an acre. 

Another method of sowing that has given fair results in looss, 
“blackjack” soil consists of drilling in the seed with an ordinary 
corn planter or seed drill. The drill should be built low and strong, 
and should preferably be of the type that passes every seed in plain 
view of the operator. A bull tongue or a scraper may be used, de- 
pending upon the character of the soil. A quiet, steady animal, 
needless to say, is desirable on account of roots and other obstruc- 


® Belonging to the genus Ips. Studies have been made by the Bureau of Entomology, 
U. S. Department of Agriculture, to which inquiries should be addressed. 


Bul. 1061, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture PLATE XII 


Fic. 1.—Here is going on the complete removal of the forest cover, and it is not likely 
to return naturally. After being cupped for two years, practically every pine is 
cut for saw timber or pulpwood. ‘The tops and culls are being worked up into 
pulpwood; but, regrettably, all the small young trees down to 4 inches are being 
taken. This type of logging, with the exception of the close utilization, is widely 
practiced over the longleaf belt 


Fig. 2.—The South has some 30,000,000 acres of waste and idle land suitable for 
producing 100 to 700 board feet per acre of longleaf pine yearly, together with 
a steady yield of turpentine. In the development of the country’s resources these 
lands are bound to be among the South’s greatest assets 


ne THE PASSING OF THE LONGLEAF FOREST 


Bul. 1061, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture PLATE XIII 


Fic. 1.—The simple manner of sowing longleaf pine broadcast as conducted in the 
fall of 1920 by large holders of cut-over lands in Louisiana. The seed was carried 
in sacks and was sown at the rate of 2 to 4 pounds per acre. The cost was $1.50 
for the seed (3 pounds) and 15 cents for the sowing, or a total of $1.65 per acre. 
The grass has been previously burned off. Experiments, however have not yet 
progressed to a point which warrant definite recommendations regarding the best 
conditions of grass cover and methods of starting young longleaf forests 


Fic. 2.—A part of the 4,000 pounds of longleaf pine seed collected from the heavy 
seed crop of 1920 by a large sawmill company in southeastern Louisiana. The 
seeds were shaken from cones (‘‘ burrs’) that had opened on the ground in clear, 
dry weather, into pans, and brought in and sold by the collectors at 50 cents a 
pound. The large membraneous wings are removed from the seed by a rubbing or 


beating process 


50 BULLETIN 1061, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 


tions. The seed should be covered lightly by not more than one- 
quarter of an inch of soil. 

The aim should be to get trees growing at regular intervals of 6 
to 8 feet, or from 700 to 1,200 trees per acre. Because of the in- 
evitable loss of some seed and seedlings from various causes, there 
will be a better chance of a good stand, say, at 10 years of age, if 
more than 700 trees are started. Until further knowledge is avail- 
able regarding methods of starting young longleaf stands, it will 
be desirable to make small-scale test sowings under different meth- 
ods, with such variation as may seem advisable to suit local condi- 
tions, in order to determine which is most suitable for more exten- 
sive operations. 

The simplest method of sowing is to broadcast the seed on the land 
to be reforested. This is obviously nature’s way, but it requires a 
much larger amount of seed than seed-spotting, since some of the 
seed is more likely to be eaten and the rest fail to germinate success- 
fully. From 2 to 4 pounds may be found necessary for each acre. 
After the sowing, if the land is clear enough, a spike-tooth or 
spring-tooth harrow should be run over it for the purpose of set- 
tling the seed down to the soil. A thin or moderate grass cover 
apparently affords shade and protection of a beneficial nature, but 
heavy grass often keeps the seed from germinating or prevents the 
seedling from becoming established. 

During the fall of 1920 a large sawmill concern in Louisiana 
collected about 4,000 pounds of seed of longleaf pine and also some 
seed of other species. It was obtained in part from dried cones 
(“burrs”) picked from trees felled in logging, but mostly by the 
cheaper and more satisfactory method of gathering up cones that 
had opened on the ground after falling, and shaking the seeds out 
into a pan or tub. Incidentally it may be mentioned that the price 
paid to the collectors was 50 cents per pound. The seed was sown 
broadcast, part on plowed strips spaced 8 feet apart, each made up 
of several furrows and afterwards harrowed to work the seed in, and 
part on natural and recently burned-over grass land (Pl. XIII). 
An average of 2 pounds of seed per acre was used for sowing the 
furrow strips and 2 to 3 for broadcasting on the grass land. The 
cost for broadcast sowing was 15 cents per pound and for drilling or 
harrowing 32 cents an acre. The plowing was done in the late fall 
by farmers hired after work became slack on the farm. The areas 
seeded were previously fenced against cattle and hogs, and plans 
were immediately made to keep fires out thereafter by means of fire 
lines and other protective measures. 

The planting of longleaf seedlings, because of their very large 
taproots, is likely to be more restricted than that of most other species 
of pine. The possibilities in this line have not yet been fully tested. 
Successful experiments were conducted on a limited scale in eastern 
North Carolina by the Forestry Division of the North Carolina Geo- 
logical Survey. These consisted in planting (or “transplanting ”’) 
in the spring 5-month-old seedlings obtained from freshly gathered 
seed sown in a garden bed the previous October. The soil was shal- 
low, with a firm subsoil, and this produced a taproot not more than 
8 inches in length. At the same time a limited number of 2-year- 


LONGLEAF PINE 51 


old seedlings were also planted, with very good results. Among the 
residents of Southern Pines and Pinehurst, in the “ sand-hill ” region 
of North Carolina, it has been common practice to dig up volunteer 
longleaf seedlings from 1 to 4 years old and plant them about town 
in the winter season, and generally there has been little loss. One 
such plantation in Louisiana, about 14 years old, is shown in Plate 
XIV. After the first year or two it is certain that the degree of 
care necessary for successfully planting young longleaf seedlings 
increases greatly, apparently to such a degree as to make operations 
on a commercial scale impracticable. Up to the present time the 
evidence points to good success from the spring planting of seed- 
lings 1 year old, either when grown in prepared soil in garden beds 
or when dug up in the woods or old fields. 

In general, reforestation by the method of planting 1-year-old 
seedlings should be attempted only in unfavorable situations where 
such cheaper methods as direct seed sowing have proven unsuccess- 
ful. Planting has the advantage of starting the trees in the locations 
desired, and thus, if successful, of securing an even stand at the out- 
set. Soil preparation may always be expected to result in better 
growth, at least for a number of years. The degree and kind of 
soil preparation that can be given will vary widely with conditions. 
In fairly loose soil shallow holes dug with a mattock or hoe should 
be sufficient. Undoubtedly a better method, which should prove 
practicable in light sandy soils, would be to prepare strips by plow- 
ing two or three furrows together, spacing them at desired intervals 
of, say, 8 to 10 feet, and planting the seedlings about 6 feet apart in 
the furrow. Soil preparation, although helpful at the start, is 
usually not necessary for the growth of seedlings. 

Blackjack oak lands.—The presence of much scrub or blackjack 
oak on cut-over lands is generally considered to be a great interfer- 
ence with the securing of a good natural reproduction of pine. Much 
of the oak did not “come in” after logging but was already present 
as stunted shrubs hardly noticeable at the time of logging. Undoubt- 
edly the oak hinders reproduction by forming a thick layer of leaves 
which prevents many seeds from reaching the soil. The absence of 
young-growth pine, however, is often directly traceable to the ab- 
sence of sufficient seed trees and to repeated fires. This type of oak 
occurs most commonly on dry ridges where fires are frequent and 
unusually severe. Young pine which gets a start, therefore, stands 
small chance of living against such odds, while the oaks sprout and 
seem to become more dense as a result of the action of the fire. If 
sufficient seed trees were left in logging, and young growth got 
started, it is likely that the hot fires would weaken or kill many of 
the seedlings in the first few years. A good growth of longleaf 
seedlings and saplings has repeatedly been observed among oak 
thickets (Pl. X) in various parts of the South. 

It may be found advisable to cut out some of the oak and make 
openings for the pine to get a start, as has been done by at least 
one lumber company in Louisiana. Various preparations, or “ herbi- 
cides,” are on the market for use in killing trees, and the Department 
of Agriculture, Washington, D. C., upon. request furnishes informa- 
tion regarding their preparation and use. In oak thickets where seed 
trees are present in sufficient numbers and where no fires have oc- 


PLATE XIV 


‘AVUNOLY) UlpPaAvypy) 
pau woPpywo 
“HOP WOO WU]. 
TOU M “O.LOJOG BAK 
WO JO Ba 


JO MOL)Ipaoo 


puv ss 


x Apu 


ynoqgeu sso, Ul 


pur 
op 


“SULA 
0UMO OY) JO URC OPLUy 
TL} LO 


“OL PUBL OUP Yad OF 
Uo pS Ue 


wor, Sunod 


I 
p 


mu 


N 


Mpegs 


4, 


SIUMOT OI} 
ALOUALO 
IN SUY 


Steg] MAO ROET ) id Ayjerouruy 


Suryynd 


ALONpo 
YAO“) UD 
OUT) OUP MUS 


SUDLU 
» PlNOM 


WWOUT,PUOS oTpqua 
-)quop 
Surpueyd sry 
IM PLO 
OMT) LOS 


CLEC EM 
UL JNO Jos PU SPOOM ott) UT 
SAUL Poos [PV 


WoryeVUEyd O[FUO] 


Bul. 1061, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture 


PLATE XV 


Vic. 1.—After being protected for a period of five years, this longleaf pine was de- 
foliated by fire (in February, 1917) up to a height of about 10 feet. The photo- 


graph was taken in the following April, when the new leaves were beginning to 
show 


Fic. 2.—The same stand as above, photographed at the close of the second season 


of growth (January, 1919). The tree growth was notably checked during the first 
year (see p. 11), because of the extra drain in completely renewing the foliage. 
Only the small stunted ‘ runts,” resulting from a former period of annual burn- 
ing, were killed by the fire 


ro 
vo 


54 BULLETIN 1061, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 


curred in several years, in order to secure pine reproduction, many 
people believe that it may be advisable to burn over the land in the 
winter preceding the fall in which a good seed crop is anticipated. 
This will allow the seed to reach the soil. Protection against fire 
should thereafter be afforded. In the absence of good seed trees, at 
least an average of one to each acre, artificial methods of seed-sow- 
ing or the planting of seedlings must, obviously, be employed. 


PROTECTION 


PROTECTION AGAINST FIRE 


Every informed and right-thinking person knows that the stop- 
ping of forest fires is the first step in the reproduction of forests. 
Fires in the woods have lost to the South a rich heritage amounting 
to many hundreds of millions of dollars. If the lumbermen had 
already cut every stick of the original-growth pine, but, if from the 
start, fires had been kept down, the South would undoubtedly be far 
richer in timber than it is to-day. At best, few fires probably would 
have occurred, and some probably always will occur. Public senti- 
ment in the South will some day reach the point where fires, so far 
as humanly possible, will be eliminated: those which do start will 
be attacked and brought under control, and the great area of natural 
forest land will be brought into productiveness. 

A vast amount of young longleaf pine is killed or seriously injured 
by fire every year. The first-year seedling is very susceptible to fire. 
The growing sapling is always set back or stunted when robbed of 
its tuft of foliage, and, as the result of repeated attacks, it weakens 
and dies. The few saplings that succeed in the struggle and reach 
pole size are usually worked early for turpentine, and within a 
period of five years thereafter most of them become a complete loss 
as a result of burning and the subsequent attacks of insects and dis- 
eases or of windfall. 

The power of longleaf pine to withstand the effect of fire is 
remarkable. It is very likely that this exceptional adaptation has 
eiven the species the popular reputation of being completely immune 
from fire, and even of “thri iving on fires” (PI. XV ). The fact that 
many longleaf saplings survive an ordinary fire is no adequate rea- 
son for implying that lengleaf is immune and suffers no injury 
from fire. Every fire, with probably few exceptions, takes its toil 
in the death of a greater or less number of trees, and in addition 
causes much injury to practically all the others (Pl. XVI). The 
degree of injury varies widely with the size of the tree, season of a 
year, amount and dryness of the inflammable material, and velocity 
of the wind. Through fire promising young stands have been 
repeatedly wiped out from the same tract ‘of cut-over land. A few 
stragglers can usually be found, giving a clue to the successive 
young stands that at various times have provided the land with the 
making of a forest and have been destroyed through the action of 
repeated fires. 

If fire burns 1 or 2 year old seedlings, they are usually killed. 
A quick grass fire under a stiff breeze. however. passes so rapidly 
that many 1-year-old seedlings may survive. If fires burn in sum- 
mer or fall during dry weather, longleaf seedlings up to 8 years 


LONGLEAF PINE 55 


old are lhkely to be comely wiped out. From about the second 
year up to the fifth year, or at heights up to about 1 foot, longleaf 
seedlings appear to be Helceely very resistant to the effects of light 
fires, For longleaf pine the zone of greatest injury from fire is 
apparently from 1 to 5 feet above the ground, where the heat 
blanket is most intense. Trees of these heights are usually from 5 
to 10 years old. 

The familiar sight of stunted saplings standing alone or in small 
groups, huddled for protection on an upturned “ clay root,” or along 
the edge of a swamp on cold, wet ground, or in very dry places 
where scarcely anything else can grow, gives evidence of the cease- 
less pursuit of fires. The effect of protection upon the rate of 
erowth, discussed under “Growth Under Fire Protection” (PI. 


RIVE YEARS Of BOKRESE EIRES 


ae 


i Fee Pia Mefen a 
ry-3 AS hy 4 
be: ae: i A x} ZS ss ee Meee tee oce Loss 
RY. an ee : S| .s 


a. 
il a 


ae ‘ 
ae —_ oS has 
ccsNaatl ii ; Th I Vai wil 


MORE THAN % OF THE Lit 20 MILLION ACRES OF FOREST LANDS OF ALL 
CLASSES WERE BURNED OVER, WITH A LOSS OF OVER 44 MILLION DOLLARS. 
THE STATE DID NOTHING TO PREVENT THIS LOSS. 


$31,000 LoSS 


es 2 QA 


LESS THAN I% OF THE Wp MILLION ACRES OF FOREST LAND OF ALL CLASSES 
WERE BURNED OVER. THE STATE INVESTED Y2 MILLION DOLLARS IN FOREST FIRE 
PROTECTION. 


POREST FIRE PROLECTION RAYS 


Itc. 5.—Forest fire losses in Georgia and New York 


XVIT), is very marked in contrast with the slow growth and accom- 
panying stunted development more commonly seen. 

The fire problem is great, but undoubtedly it can be solved the 
organized cooper ation of the private owner, the State, and the 
Federal Government, acting jointly in placing the responsibility and 
sharing the cost (fig. 5). The settling of the lands and the develop- 
ment of higher types of community or reanization will exert a helpful 
economic influence, while the increasing scarcity of old growth and 
the advancing prices of lumber and turpentine “will tend to interest 
owners to bring their cut-over lands into productiveness. Small 
owners are already in a position to afford a good measure of pro- 
tection to the old fields, which constitute the source of their local 
supplies of timber, and to the cut-over lands, which afford grazing 
and help in keeping livestock over the winter. 


Bul. 1061, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture PLATE XVI 


GMa, 


Fig. 2 


Fics. 1 AND 2.—Views taken on opposite sides of a road in Jasper County, S. C. 
One side is burned over nearly every year, while the other is protected by a 


near-by farmstead and two roadways; the contrast in development and growth is 
A count in the burned 


probably representative for the whole longleaf pine belt. 
stand revealed the fact that the last fire had killed just one-third of the total num- 


ber of trees, as is shown by the white tags 


e EVERY FIRE TAK ESA Ts OEE 


Bul. 1061, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture PLATE XVII 


Fic. 1.—A splendid start for a profitable piece of longleaf pine timber 


Vic. 2.—Under fire protection, young longleaf pine grows rapidly and in a com- 
paratively short time reaches suitable sizes for turpentining, crossties, or pulp 
wood, and later for sawing into boards or other small dimensions. This stand is 
from 12 to 15 years old. Many young stands, however, are worked much too 


young 
RESULTS OF PROTECTION 
oT 


Bul. 1061, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture PLATE XVIII 


Wie. 1.—A small farmer in east Texas ran a hog-proof fence around a piece of 
some 20 acres of cut-over land near his buildings. He excluded hogs for six years 
and most of the fires for 12 years. The result, in part, is shown in the above 
view; a full stand of longleaf pines 25 to 35 feet high and 8 to 6 inches in 
diameter at breastheight. The owner regards the whole thing with much satis- 
faction, for he has a rich pasture for cattle and hogs and a yaluable stand of pine 
reaching about the size for thinning by turpentining 


ig. 2,—Part of the same cut-over tract shown above, viewed in the opposite direc- 
tion from the same spot; unprotected from hogs and subject to frequent fires 


EFFECT OF FENCING CUT-OVER LAND (OPPOSITE VIEWS 


Ke FROM THE SAME PIONT) 


Bul. 1061, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture 


PLATE XIX 


Vic. 1.—The native piney-woods hog is one of the worst enemies of longleaf pine. 
These 2-year-old seedlings were dug up by hogs. In the spring, when the ground 
is soft and available food scarce, hogs eat the thick, spongy, succulent bark 
around the taproot and larger laterals, thereby killing millions of seedlings annu- 
ally. The seedlings during the course of the meal were pulled completely out of 
the ground and left in their present condition. Others lost their tops and on 
some the roots were skinned and girdled without much damage to the tops 


NG 2a 
leaf seedlings recently killed by hogs, and 5 living. 
rate of 6,080 trees per acre. 


(20 years prior) and was again cut for piling 10 years later, but hardly a young 
tree has escaped the hogs and fires 


—On 1 square rod in eastern Texas, selected at random, were found 38 long- 


This is a slaughter at the 
The tract in east Texas was cut for logs in 1896 


DESTRUCTION BY NATIVE RAZORBACK HOGS 
59 


60 BULLETIN 1061, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
RAZORBACK HOGS 


The native or “razorback” hog is one of the greatest enemies of 
young long-leaf pine. As an agent of destruction he probably holds 
next place to fire. In localities near settlements, where fires are in- 
frequent, the hog easily becomes the chief factor in preventing the 
reforestation of long leaf. CRI X VIET) 

The piney- -woods or razorback hog consumes large amounts of 
the seed or mast, but probably his chief offense springs from his 
fondness for the thick, succulent bark on the taproot and lateral 
roots of young long-leaf pines. In southeastern Texas the writer 
counted as many as  fifty- two 2-year-old seedlings killed by hogs in 
1 square rod, a rate of 8.320 per acre. It is likely that in the course 
of one day a hog often destroys as many as 200 to 400 young pines. 
Those from 2 to 5 years old probably suffer most, but not uncom- 
monly saplings up to 10 years of age are killed. The spring season 
is the favorite time for attack, when the swamps are overflowed and 
food must be sought on the drier lands. In stripping the bark from 
the roots, sometimes the tops are left intact or are bitten off at the 


Fie. 6.—Damage by “ razorback’ hogs: A, Taproot stripped 8 inches; B, Seedling with 
top: broken off ; C, Seedling pulled up and taproot 12 inches long stripped of all roots 


surface of the ground, and at other times the plants are pulled out 
of the ground. (Fig. 6 and Pl. XIX.) With the drying and 
hardening of the soil, or the exhaustion of the supply of trees, the 
razorback’s operations cease for the season. As a rule, a good 
stand of young longleaf can be completely destroyed in two to four 
seasons. 

Although the razorback is widely and generally distributed, es- 
pecially where stock laws are not enforced, the number of hogs 
present and the amount of damage accomplished appear to be vari- 
able, and, in spite of the hog, considerable young longleaf seems to 
get through the hog- danger period, only to go down in the losing 
battle with fires. Little damage, so far as known, has been reported 
from blooded hogs, and with the passage of State-wide stock laws 
and the bringing of large tracts of land under farm management, 
the necessity ‘for finding means for preventing damage from native 
hogs is lessening. In getting young longleaf stands ‘started a good 
degree of protection ag ainst this class of hogs, if they are present, Ig 
very essential for at least the first five years. 


LONGLEAF PINE 61 
INSECTS, DISEASES, AND WIND 


Various insects are known to attack longleaf pine. Damage by 
insects to fertile seeds, before being shed from the cone, has been 
reported. The southern pine beetle is well known because of the out- 
breaks that have occurred in which large areas of pine timber have 
been killed. It seems that the remedy for preventing such losses 
in small operations consists chiefly in not cutting timber in the hot 
season; or, 1f some must be cut, in removing it without delay and 
either piling the brush and burning it in an opening or scattering it 
to dry out as quickly as possible. The trees infested with the beetle 
should be utilized at once. For information on this subject a copy of 
Farmers’ Bulletin 1188, The Southern Pine Beetle, should be re- 
quested from the Division of Publications, United States Depart- 
ment of Agriculture; or a letter may be addressed to the Bureau of 
Entomology regarding this or other insect problems. 

A cone-rust disease is known to be the cause of much injury in 
parts of Florida and for some distance northward. It attacks the 


The question of future longleaf pine forests turns 
largely on controlling fires and razorbacks. Mil- 
lions of acres of young growth have been and are 
being destroyed by these agencies. Is the native hog 
worth while? 

Two experimental tracts at Urania, La., after five 
years of protection against hogs, contained an aver- 
age of 6,440 longleaf saplings per acre, as compared 
with an average of 8 per acre on two similar unpro- 
tected tracts. 


first-year cones and kills them after causing them to grow to an 
abnormal size. In parts of the palmetto region it is probable that 
this disease largely accounts for the scarcity of reproduction. A 
red-spot leaf blight is not infrequently seen defoliating small groups 
of seedlings before they get above the tall grass. The growth is 
checked by this disease, and occasionally seedlings are killed even 
when growing in the open. 

Wind damage to longleaf pine is heavy, chiefly on turpentined 
timber (Pl. IX); and occasionally tropical hurricanes make almost 
clean sweeps of timber. One of the largest sawmills in the South 
operated for about a vear (1915-1916) on such wind-thrown timber. 
The usual loss of old-growth timber from insects and wind is in- 
dicated by the results of the measurement of three “ forties” in 1917 
and of their remeasurement in 1920.1° The timber consists of about 
30 trees per acre, averaging 560 board feet each, or 16,780 feet per 
acre. During the 3-year period, the loss was 41 trees, mostly from 
24 to 30 inches in diameter, scaling an average of 654 feet each, or 


10The timber was located in the north-central part of Louisiana, and the measure- 
ments were made by members of the Yale Forest School. 


Bul. 1061, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. PLATE XX 


Fic. 1.—Cattle grazing on a farm in lower South Carolina, established on flat, cut- 
over longleaf ‘*‘ crawfish’”’ lands. The growing of longleaf pine is to be favored, 
because it usually grows open enough so as not to interfere with success in live- 
stock raising. The plowed furrows mark the margin of a strip that is burned 
yearly as a fire guard to protect young longleaf stands. (Berkeley County, S. C.) 


Fic. 2.—Longleaf pine stands about 40 years of age on an old field in northeastern 
Florida. There are about 90 trees per acre, of which about 50 are cupped for the 
virgin crop. The dominant trees are mostly 60 to 70 feet in height and 10 to 15 
inches in diameter and would saw out about 6,000 board feet, or about one-half the 
yield of a well-stocked stand at this age. The land, however, has furnished con- 
tinuous grazing, timber from time to time, and is now furnishing turpentine at 
the rate of about 60 cups per acre. The stands are being carefully worked so as 
hot to injure the trees. (Baker County, Fla.) 


62 


Bul. 1061, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture PLATE XXII 


lic. 1.—Because of fires, only a very small percentage of the young trees ever get 
beyond the small sapling stage. The location shown is in Louisiana, only 5 miles 
from a large paper-pulp mill which uses over 500 cords of wood daily and will 
greatly need supplies of pulp wood within a few years 


Iie. 2.—Such timber as this, requiring for growth from 100 to 150 years, if pro- 
duced in the future will be grown mostly under State or National control rather 
than under private ownership. The State and Federal Governments, cooperating 
with the private owner, have a large and important place in any program of 


reforestation 
63 


64 BULLETIN 1061, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 


an average loss of 222 board feet per acre. Most of the trees were 
killed by insects or blown down. Fires, which had run every year, 
caused the death of four trees of smaller sizes. No evidence of 
unusual wind or insect damage appeared. 


TIMBER AND LIVESTOCK 


A large lumber company, operating exclusively in southern Missis- 
sippi and eastern Louisiana. after a general survey has estimated 
that about one-quarter of its cut-over lands, lying mostly on the 
upper Coastal Plain is adapted to farming, and that the rest of the 
land is better suited to the production of forests. The ereat flat- 
woods section, which was originally forested, chiefly with long- 
leaf pine, offers little promise of being wanted extensively for cul- 
tivated crops. Only about 10 per cent of this flatwoods section is 
now in farms. The utilization in the near future of these nonpro- 


On the poorer lands no other crop promises to pay 
so well as timber growing. 

The chief sources of future economic production 
on the vast area of cut-over lands of the South will 
unquestionably be agriculture, grazing, and timber 
srowing. The advantages for investments in the 
growing of pine timber in the southern region are: 
(1) An abundance of land of relatively low value in 
excess of all that can possibly be used during the 
next few decades for all other purposes; (2) a very 
long growing season, resulting in rapid timber pro- 
duction; (3) easy logging and shipping conditions; 
and (4) ‘relative proximity to the large northern and 
eastern markets, 


ductive lands for timber growing and for grazing purposes is unques- 
tionably the only logical solution of the problem PISXoe)es 
The cut-over lands of the South that are precede idle because 
they contain little or no forest reproduction or young growth are 
estimated at not less than 30,000,000 acres. Of this amount by far 
the greater portion consists of longleaf pine lands, an area equiva- 
lent to more than all the forest lands of France. The amount of 
permanent * forest soil” in the South, or land which will eventually 
be found to be better adapted to forest purposes than to any other 
use, is not known, but the area is extensive. Plate XXI shows 
the kind of timber which, if it is grown at all in the future, will 
probably be produced under some form of public land control or 
ownership. Either acting alone or in cooperation with the Federal 
Government, the State, after acquiring tracts of the poorer classes 
of southern pine cut-over lands. would doubtless be in the best 


410. S. Department of Ag riculture Bulletin 827, ‘“‘ The Cut-over Pine Lands of the 
South for Beef Cattle Production.’ 


@ 


Bull. 1061, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture PLATE XX|I 


SECOND-GROWTH LONGLEAF PINE, ABOUT 40 YEARS OLD, 
GROWING IN AWELL-STOCKED STAND 


The trees are tall and the volume of timber per acre is large. This stand might 
profitably be thinned by turpentining and then cutting the trees which should 
be removed. If no waste is permitted, such stands yield large money returns 


65 


66 BULLETIN 1061, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 


position to begin building up forests for a sustained yield of tur- 
pentine and lumber. Such action, if taken, would probably be 
primarily to show how the thing may be done. It is believed that 
at the present rate of development private enterprise in the South 
will soon take a serious interest in managing forests of longleaf and 
slash pines for continuous production (Pl. XXIT). Gradually the 
small owner will adopt the system, making such changes as may 
seem desirable to meet the conditions of private ownership. 

While it is growing a crop of longleaf or of slash pine for tur- 
pentine and timber, much of the land can be grazed without detri- 
ment to the growth of the timber. This means of securing a double 
scource of Income is open alike to the small farmer and to the large 


There are millions of acres of lands in the South- 
ern States which will become valuable to the owner 
and the State oniy by the growing of pine timber. 
The protection and reforestation of these lands mean 
permanent industries, permanent homes, good roads, 
and good schoois. 


land company. If the farmer’s principal business happens to be 
the growing of crops, cattle and trees make a good combination for 
additional profit. 

The best utilization of southern cut-over pine lands and the method 
of bringing it about constitute a problem affecting the interests of 
owners of farms, large landholders, the State, and the Nation. The 
present state of waste and idleness of these lands places a financial 
burden upon the owners, and, through the decrease in taxable values, 
upon the State and Nation. 

It appears practically certain that, however large the demand may 
be for farming and grazing lands, vast areas of the poorer classes 
of land will remain idle dur ing the next half century or more unless 
they are devoted to timber growing. 


ORGANIZATION OF THE 
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 


June 3, 1925 


CCTCLOI AO fe AG TUCULCUTE 9 <2 en Le ee es W. M. JARDINE. 
AISSUSLOMULS CCRCLON Yo tak a a R. W. DUNLAP. 
Directorio; Scientific Works 22 2 ene ees E. D. Bauu. 
Director-op weguiatory: Works ie) so 2 ee Water G. CAMPBELL. 
Directonop Hatension. Work. 220 <a C. W. WARBURTON. 
Dinectomoylnformawon sa. 2 Ses A ee Netson ANTRIM CRAWFORD. 
Director of Personnel and Business Adminis- 

LROLLON See Be te ee Nees fever cre W. W. StTocKBERGER. 
SOUS COMDIP ES SS AES Ns ease cee R. W. WILLIAMS. 
WCOthel DULEAU = ear hak OS Os, CuaritEs F. Marvin, Chief. 
Bureau of Agricultural Economics___-~----- Henry C. Taytor, Chief. 
Bureau of Animal Industry: 2 si 2 JouHn R. Mounier, Chief. 
BUGCOUOperORt LNG UStrYa = oars SS WiuuiAmM A. Taytor, Chief. 
HORESESCLUICE ame AN ef AS Se es W. B. GREELEY, Chief. 
BUGeCO OF CHCMIUSUTY c= ai Fo C. A. Browne, Chief. 
IB UUGCO UNO SOULS tie oe Oe oe SS Mitton WHITNEY, Chief. 
Bunean of HMLOMolog ye ee L. O. Howarp, Chief. 
DURCAU Of. DtOLOGICAl SUTUCY—< 2 = a = E. W. Netson, Chief. 
Buea Of, PAvOliC MOOdS = 2 2 a Ae THomas H. MacDonatp, Chief. 
Bureau of Home Economics_______-_-___-- Louise STANLEY, Chief. 
BS UNCOUZ OED GIR YUNG 22 oes Bee C. W. Larson, Chief. 
Office of Cooperative Extension Work_______ ~~ C. B. Smrrn, Chief. 
Fixed Nitrogen Research Laboratory _ ---_---- F. G. Corrre.y, Director. 
Ojjice of Experiment Stations-~— = 3 2 E. W. AuuEn, Chief. 
DEDUCE seas PS a SE ea lg ey CLARIBEL R. BARNETT, Librarian. 
Mederab HOVNCuUllunal BOGnd === 2 C. L. Maruatt, Chairman. 
Insecticide and Fungicide Board________-~_- J. K. Haywoop, Chairman. 
Packers and Stockyards Administration___-__- Joun T. Caine, in Charge. 
Grain Patines Administration: == 2. = 3 J. W. T. Duvet, Acting in Charge: 


This bulletin is a contribution from 


LOR CS CAS CIULCE = Seis sh ee cea ues Ae eT W. B. GREELEY, Chief. 
67 


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