Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-05-11
L0DGEPoLE PINE.
A Tree Of IncreRsing experimentation
Fire Assists Its Establishment.

The lodge pole pine. which is known in
the Sierras of California as tamarack
pine. and in Colorado and Montana is
sometimes called white pine. jack pine.
pinyon. and scrub pine, bears the common
name of "lOdgcpole' from the fact that
the Indians used its long and slender
trunks as supports for their wlgwanms or
lodges. Its geographical range is along
the Rocky Mountains from Alaska to
New Mexico and westward to the Pacific
coast. In the United States it Is found in
merchantable quantity and dimensions on
the spurs and eastern slopes of the Rocky
Mountains throughout southern Mon
tana. Wyoming. and Colorado, in the Bit
ter Root Mountains OF Idaho. the Unitah
Range in Utah. and in the Big Horn
Mountains of Wyoming. The Bureau Of
Forestry is studying the species through
ont this range Of its best commercial dis
tributon.
I.odgepole pine grows at all attitudes
between 5000 and 1o,5OO feet above sea
level. In the Gallatn Mountains of Mon
tana and in the mountainous country
south and east OF Yellowstone Park it
reaches its largest size at elevations be-
tween 4,5OO and 5000 feet. In Colorado,
however, towards the southern limit Of
its range the conditions which are neces-
sary to its best growth are found be-
tween 1900 and 1O,5oO feet elevation.
Lodgcpolc pine is valuable. for one rea-
son. because it grows on high mountain
slopes, and also on old burns where
other trees find difficulty in obtaining a
foothold. 1t readily adapts itself to most
diverse soil conditions. but thrivcs best
!. IAra Ii,
roots accommodate themselves to the
shallow soil common in the localities
where 1t grows. At a very early age
this tree produces cones in large guam
titles. and after it is 10 years old the
seed are generally fertile. The cones
sometimes open and distribute the seeds
AS soon as they are ripe. though moro
commonly they remain on the trees for
years with their seed carefully preserved
beneath the scales. In many cases SOUR.
rels cut off the closed cones and hide
them away in the ground. If fire occurs
before the seeds are eaten, it will cause
the cones to open and set them free. AS
IL rule. however, the cones of many sea-
sons remain on the trees until fire
comes along and, by heating them. lib
crates the seeds. when dense growth OF
seedlings follows.
In many localities where lodgepoe pine
now grows. the ground was originally
covered with Engelmann spruce in mix
ture with red fir and other species. Re-
peated fires laid waste these forests. and
prevented their reproduction by destroy
ing the seed and the thick forest floor OF
decaying leaves and litter. which 10 alb
solutely essential for the seed germina.
ton Of these species. I.odgepole pine.
however, thrives on an impoverished soil.
and its great seeding capacity and the
ability of the cones to withstand fire
cause il to spread quickly over burned
areas In places where the pine has car.
peted the ground again with a quantity
Of forest litter. and where numbering has
thnned the forest sufficiently for the
light requirements OF Engelmann spruce
and red fir these more valuable trees are
found taking the place OF lodgepole pine.
Thus il fires can be kept out OF the woods
OF this region, these more important trees
can he produced In many places where
they are now virtually extinct.
The wood of lodgepole pine is light yell