The White Pine (Pinus Strobus Linnaeus)

217 Pages·1899·19.929 MB·English

by  V. M. Spalding (auth.), Berthold E. Fernow (rev.)

Bulletin No. 22.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
U. S.
DIVISION OF FORESTRY.
THE WHITE
PIN
I
(PINUS STROBUS
Linnaeus.)
v
BY
V. M. SPALDING,
Professor of Botany in the University of Tvlichigan.
RRVISKD AND ENLARGED BY
FBRNOW,
B. E.
Cliief of the Division of Forestry.
'
WITH CONTRIBUTIONS:
INSECT ENEMIES OF THE WHITE PINE . . By F. H. CHITTENDEN, Division of Entomology
THE WOOD OF THE WHITE PINE By FILIBERT ROTH, Division of Forestry.
WASHINGTON
:
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE.
1899.
.

Bulletin No. 22, Div. of Focestry, U. 5. Dept. ofAgriculture. Frontispiece.
White Pine Forest.
Bulletin No. 22.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
U. S.
DIVISION OF FORESTRY.
WHITE
THE
PINE
(PINUS STROBUS
Linnaeus.)
BY
V. M. SPALDING,
Professor of Botany in trie University of JVIicriigan.
REVISED AND ENLARGED BY
w
FERNOW,
B. E.
Chief of trie IDivisioia of Forestry.
WITH CONTRIBUTIONS:
INSECT ENEMIES OE THE WHITE PINE By F. H. CHITTENDEN, Division of Entomology.
. .
THE WOOD OE THE WHITE PINE By FILIBERT ROTH, Division of Forestry.
WASHINGTON
:
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE.
1899.

LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL
U. S. Department of Agriculture,
Division of Forestry,
Washington, I>. C, March 15, 1898.
Sir: I have the honor to submit herewith for publication a monograph on the White Pine of
the Northern United States.
The first draft ofthis monograph, like the one on "The Timber Pines of the Southern United
States" (Bulletin No. 13, Division of Forestry), by Dr. Charles Mohr, was prepared more than ten
years ago by Prof. V. M. Spalding, ofAnn Arbor, Mich.; but it was then found that much informa-
tion of practical value was still lacking, and hence publication was delayed until the deficiencies
could be supplied. Professor Spalding, after having made several revisions, under the pressure
of other work had to abandon the idea of amplifying and perfecting the monograph itself, and
this was left to the undersigned, with the collaboration of the staff of the Division of Forestry.
The undersigned is responsible not only for the plan of the work, but especially for the
portions referring to forest conditions, forestal treatment, and for the discussion on the rate of
growth, to which Mr. Mlodziansky also contributed.
Mr. Filibert Eoth, of the Division, besides furnishing the study on the wood of the species,
has also contributed the portions on the history of the lumbering operations, while the discussion
on the injurious insects is by Mr. F. H. Chittenden, of the Division of Entomology.
A
very comprehensive investigation into the rate of growth of the White Pine lias been
carried on since 1892 as opportunity afforded and funds permitted. The results of this investiga-
tion, comprising the analysis of over seven hundred trees, in the form of tables and notes, will be
found in the Appendix. The measurements in the fieldwere mainlyexecuted byMr. Austin Gary,
of Bangor, Me., and by Mr. A. K. Mlodziansky, of the Division. The latter also performed the
calculations and tabulations in the Division, and in this work developed a short and satisfactory
method of tabulating, analyzing, and using the large mass of data readily for the purpose of
summarizing, averaging, and generalization. This method is described in Bulletin No. 20,
Division of Forestry.
The situation regarding White-Pine supplies has materially changed since this monograph
was first conceived, so that it might almost be charged that this publication comes too late. This
would be a misconception both as to the situation and the objects of the monograph. No
information of any kind could have arrested the decimation of our White-Pine supplies, which
proceeds through the momentum of economic laws; and even now, when it is well known that a
few years will see their exhaustion, no change in the methods of milling with a view to length-
ening the supplies is contemplated by the manufacturer, who is only concerned in keeping his
mill running. The manufacturer is a harvester, not a forest grower.
The object of this monograph is to lay the basis for an intelligent recuperation of the virgin
growth by the forest grower of the future, work which will surely be begun presently, but which
would not have been undertaken ten years ago.
In the preparation of this monograph use has been made of all available sources of informa
tion. Acknowledgments are due to a large number of correspondents, named in the proper
connection, who have rendered valuable aid by contributing notes on distribution or have assisted
in other ways.
4 LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL.
The botanical illustrations showing external characters are by Mr. George B. Sudworth those
;
of the anatomy of the wood are by Mr. 1ST. B. Pierce and Mr. Filibert Both, and those of parasitic
organisms and disease conditions are from Hartig's "Lehrbuch der Baumkrankheiten" and
"Zersetzungserseheinungen des Holzes." The illustrations accompanying the section on injurious
insects were furnished by the Division of Entomology. The map of distribution was prepared in
the Division of Forestry.
The monograph is believed to be just in time for the use for which it is intended, namely, to
prepare for the application of sylviculture to the remnant of our pineries.
Respectfully,
B. E. Fernow,
ChiefofDivision.
Hon. James Wilson,
/Secretary ofAgriculture.
CONTENTS.
raga
Introduction II
Geographical distribution 11
Character of distribution, by regions 12
Notes on general distribution 15
Conclusions regarding natural distribution 16
The White Pine lumber industry 16
Original stand and present supplies 19
Natural history 20
Botanical description 20
Eelationship 21
Morphological characters 21
:
Root, stem, and branch system 21
Leaves 22
.
Floral organs - 22
Seeds 23
Seed supply 23
The wood ..: 24
Growth and development 26
•
Eate of growth 27
Height growth 27
Seedling stage 27
Development in open stand 28
Development in the forest 30
Effect of composition of forest upon height growth 32
Effect of locality upon height growth 33
Growth in thickness 34
Detailmeasurements of annual gain in circumference 35
Area accretion 36
Form development, or taper 36
Growth in volume 37
Cubic contents of trees 38
Lumber contents of trees 38
Conditions of development 39
Demands upon climate and soil 39
Associated species 40
Light requirements 43
Yield of White Pine 44
Dangers and diseases 49
:
Injuries by human agency 49
Injuries by storms 50
Diseases 51
Effect of heat anddrought 51
Parasitic diseases 51
Insect enemies of the White Pine. By F. H. Chittenden, Division of Entomology 55
Introduction 55
The destructive pine bark-beetle 55
Remedies 56
Other injurious bark-beetles 56
Timber-beetles and other Scolytidre 57
Pine sawyers and other borers 57
The white-pine weevil 58
Moth caterpillars and plant-lice on trunks and limbs 59
Leaf-feeding insects : 60
% • 5
CONTENTS.
Page.
Forest management : 61
Natural reproduction 62
Notes on natural reproduction 62
Artificial reproduction ^ 63
Planting notes 64
The White I'ine as a forest tree in Germany 67
The wood of the White Fine. By Filibekt Roth, Division of Forestry 73
Character and physical properties of the wood 73
Specific weight 73
Shrinkage - 77
Strength 77
Durability 80
Comparison with other woods 80
:
Uses ofWhite Pine 81
Appendix
:
Tallies of measurements 85