Chapter 8 No.8

Short-Leaf Pine. Yellow Pine.

Pinus echinata Miller.

Pinus, the classical Latin name; echinata refers to spiny cones.

Habitat.

Habitat: (See map); best in lower Mississippi basin.

Characteristics of the Tree: Straight, tall trunk, sometimes 100' high; branches high; diameter 2'-4'; bark, pale grayish red-brown, fissures, running helter-skelter, making large irregular plates, covered with small scales; leaves in twos, 3" long; cones small.

Appearance of Wood: Color, heartwood, summer wood, red, spring-wood, yellow; sap-wood, lighter; non-porous; annual rings very plain, sharp contrast between spring and summer wood; grain, straight, coarse; rays, numerous, conspicuous; very resinous, ducts large and many.

Leaf.

Physical Qualities: Weight, medium (32nd in this list); 32 lbs. per cu. ft.; sp. gr., 0.6104; very strong (18th in this list); very elastic (8th in this list); soft (38th in this list); shrinkage, 4 per cent.; warps little; durable; troublesome to work; likely to split along annual rings in nailing.

Common Uses: Heavy construction, railroad ties, house trim, ship building, cars, docks, bridges.

Remarks: Wood hardly distinguishable from long-leaf pine. Often forms pure forests. The most desirable yellow pine, much less resinous and more easily worked than others.

Cross-section, magnified 37? diameters.

Radial Section, life size.

Tangential Section, life size.