Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1905-06-15
LOBLOLLY PINE TIES
TREATING WITH PREsERvA-
TIVE IMPROVES DURABILITY.
Bureau Of Forestry Makes Study Of
Trees in East Texas---Finds Out
How to Economic In Their
Production.

A good example Of what is being done
along the most practical lines by the
bureau Of forestry of the United States
department Of agriculture, or the forest
service as It's designation will become
IN July 1. 1905. is furnished by the re-
,ults of study Of loblolly pine In east
Texas which 1t has recently made.
One Of the chief purposes for which
Ioblolly is now used in the Gulf states is
for railroad ties. The wood Is not dur
lble and the tie in its natural state Is
short-lived, but by preservative treat
ment It can be made to resist decay for
number of years. The discovery that
treated loblolly pine is an excellent sub
stitute for longleaf for railroad ties Is
greatly to the benefit Of the railroads
Loblolly pine is found in commercial
quantities in ten counties Of east Texas
where 1t covers an area Of nearly 1885,
300 acres, and is hewn into cross-ties on
A larger scale than in any other state.
The magnitude of this industry results
from an abundant supply of loblolly
pine in sizes just suited for pole ties 1t
Is estimated that from rs to 80 per cent.
Of the present loblolly stand in Texas is
timber of tie size, the remainder being
large enough for lumber The prepon-
deranee of comparatively young and
small timber is due principally to severe
storms in 1865 and 1873 which overthrow
he old pine on many thousands of acres
and establish new stands
Three counties in east Texas-Orange.
Jasper and Newton-furnish annually
rom 100000 to 100000 hewn loblolly
)ine ties. The trees cut for ties vary IN
size from II to IL inches in diameter,
measured breasthigh. The hewers pre-
Ter diameters of IL, 10 and IA inches as
The smaller the tree, above tie specitica-
lions, the less the labor in squaring it.
The largest number taken are 13 inches
in diameter This practice is very
wasteful, for the average tree II inches
in diameter is about 35 years old and is
growing rapidly. The average yearly
Increase in value between II and -
inches is over per cent, and from 10 to
IA inches So per cent. After the latter
size is reached growth falls off so fast
that for the next inch of growth the in
crease averages only 2.5 per cent, and at
l6 inches the value for hewn ties ceases
to increase.
These facts point out the rule which
the owner should follow in selling trees
for ties. Those IL. - and 13 inches
in diameter are growing SO rapidly both
In size and value that to cut them con-
sumes the capital that is bringing him
the best rate of interest. The tiemaker
should be confined to IA, Is and 16-inch
diameters. Trees above 16 inches
should be preserved until they can be
felled for lumber.
The adoption of this rule will be best
for the owner and for the productive
future of the forest as well. 1t will how
ever necessitate a complete change in
the method of getting out ties as they
will have to be sawed instead of hewed.
But this too would be a gain for both
owner and forest. since hewing is very
wasteful method Of tie production. I'm
der it many of the larger trees are cut