The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1908-03-11
Pine Forests and Their Reproduction.

| Paper by Mr.. Orion Siggins, OF West
Hickory, Pa, read before the Farmers
Institute held in Tionests, Pa, Feb
rusry 2sth and Goth, 1905.
The Allegheny River at West Hickory,
Pennsylvania, forms the Western bound
ary ofthe great body of white pine which
once grew in Pennsylvania. White pine
did not exist west of this only in very
small patches, scarcely any after passing
the western houndry of the State. On a
line northwest of that place is hardwood
section for distance of five hundred
miles. then would be reached what was
once the greatest white pine section ofthe
United States, l. c., Michigan, Wisconsin,
Minnesota. Turning to the east of this
large body is found more or less white
pine to distance of more than 1900 miles.
Very little of this timber is found below
the southern boundary of Pennsylvania.
Some distance south of this the southern
pine takes its place. This is a smaller
tree and contains more pitch aud is
harder wood which will not yield more
than one-fourth as much per acre.
white pine tree originates from
seed or spore which forms in cones grow
ing invaribly on the top branches of the
tree. These cones are two years in ma
turing. The cones open in September
and October and the winds blow the seeds
in a haphszard manner out over the
ground sometimes mile distant, though
generally quite close at hand, possibly to
the extent OF ten acres, and mostly toward
the east in this section, as west winds
generally prevail at that time of year. If
the seeds do not happen to fall on thick
leaves so that they can not reach the
ground, or insects do not destroy them,
or the rains wash them into a stream, or
birds do not eat them, or their greatest
enemy, forest fires, do not consume them
the next apring they will grow and form
stems three or four inches high.
For few years they will branch ont
and up and will be about as large one
way as the other Then if properly
shaded by other little bushes, or small
trees of their own kind, they will start to
grow upwards. Between the fifth and
twentieth years the greatest amount ofin-
jury is caused by wevil, which in the
grub stage, mines into the terminal
shoots, causing crooked stem. Some
times green limb is broken off by an
LOT ;,,
which forms "punky" or rotten trees. II
the tree escapes all these obstacles in
about go or 20 years it will be from 20 to
so feet high. At the age of $50 or 200
years the tree will be about full grown,
and attain the height of 100 to $50 IT,, cut
ting from 2000 to 5000 #. board measure.
Then the growth is slow and at 225 to 300
years the growth rings which form year
ly become so small it is almost impossi-
BILE to count them. At about this time,
mabe earlier, the tree begins to die at the
top and decay works farther down from
year to year. In 1896 1 cut several of
these old trees, one of them making a
stick of timber, off the butt, 80 feet
long, which measured 30x3l inches in
diameter. This was the only part of the
tree which showed life and was sound
enough to be merchantable. The tree
was 300 years old as nearly as 1 could as
certain.
Forest county contains 337 square miles
or 2l5,6S0 acres. About $4,000 acres of
this we're originally covered with white
pine. At an average of 35, 900 #. per acre
would make twelve hundred and twenty
five millions feet, board measure. The
above estimate does not include Barnett
Township. 1t is stated by good authority
that no acre of land in Pennsylvania ever
produced 100000 feet, board measure. l
am of the opiniou, however, that acres
could have been found in Forest county
which would have produced more than
that amount of pine alone. In point of
rapid growth, value and variety of use
fulness no timber compares with white
pine. Its wood is soft. Mechanics would
rather work in it that in any other wood
It's trees attain greater size than any
others in Pennsylvania forests. 1t is
durable. In 1914 my father covered a
barn with white pine shaved shingles. 1
removed them in 1888 when they were
yet turning water. In addition to its
mechanical values it is said the winds in
its branches produce music, while the
fragrancy of the sawed lumber is health
giving.
The first cutting of lumber iu this Sec
tion of country was on the pine. The
writer remembers when it was considered
almost disgraceful to cut and use hem
lock lumber, and hemlock forests had
no value. White pine in Forest county
is practically gone. And we are fast ap-
preaching the conditions which exist in
old countries.
In Forest Reseaye Circular No. l4O,
issued January 2S, 1908, found the fol-
lowing statement:-"M Many people in this
country think that forestry had never
been tried until the Government began to
practice it upon the National Forests,
Yet forestry is practiced by every civil
lied country in the world, except China
and Turkey. 1t gets results which can
be got in no other way, and which are
necessary to the general welfare. Forest
ry is not new thing. 1t was discussed
two thousand years ago, and it has been
studied and applied with increas sing thor
oughness ever since" Germany seems