Progress Report Series No. 104
Agricultural Experiment Station R. DennisRouse, Director
AUBURN UNIVERSITY
Auburn, Alabama
Growth of Four Pine Species in Wilcox County, Alabama
W. J. WATSON, G. I. GARIN, and W. B. DEVALL*
LAN)DOWNEH INTEREST ill planting pine trees in Wilcox
Coiunty, Alabama, led to establishment in 1955 of a species
pierformance test on the Lower Coastal Plain Substation.
Four blocks of Substation land adjacent to a well-traveled
highway near Camden were selected for the study. Within
each block, four square plots measuring 90 x 90 feet were
established. One plot in each block was planted to long-
leaf pine, one to shortleaf, one to slash, and one to loblolly
piiie. A 6 x 6 spacing, which equals 1,210 seedlings per
acre, was used.
Survival and height growth in 1959, after four growing
seasons, were as follows:
Species
Loiblolly
Shortleaf
Longleaf
Survival,
per cent
96
91
75
29
'ihe four species retained about the same
Iegarding survival and height growth when
in 1962 after seven growing seasons:
Species
Lobllolly
Sortleaf
Slash
Longleaf
Survival,
per cent
87
88
70
26
Av. height,
feet
11.6
8.5
11 1
3.6
relative position
measured again
Av. height,
feet
25.9
21.3
27.3
18.8
? Assistant Superintendent, Lower Coastal Plain Substation;
Professor Emeritus, Department of Forestry; and Head, Depart-
Iment of Forestry.
Because of damage from the southern pine beetle and
heav infestation of fusiform rust, the test was ended with
final measurements taken in February 1973. Three blocks
were clearcut for salvage purposes at that time, after 18
years of growth. Average diameter growth 4V2 feet above
grounld and volume per acre for the four species are given
below:
Species
Loblolly
Shortleaf
Slash
Longlcaf ...
Average DBH,
inches
7.0
6.3
7.5
7.2
Volume per
acre, cords
45.1
37.3
38.4
14.7
Longleaf trees made good diameter growth, but poor
initial survival (29 per cent) resulted in low volume growth.
Althoutrgh pine plantations are not normally harvested at
age 18, results from this period oil these plots indicate the
potential annual growth that can he expected on average
agricultural land in the Camden area of Wilcox County.
Highest yield was produced by loblolly pine, 2.5 cords per
acre per year average, but all species exceeded the State
average of 0.5 cord per acre per year.
Many people traveling the road by the pine plots may
miss tile beauty of these stands. However, a stand dying
from insect and disease attacks would be even less attractive
than appearance following the clearcutting operation.
Poor survival and height growth of longleaf pine (center) contrasts
with loblolly (left) and slash (right) in this 1960 photo.
/b 1
(J
J , .,4 : I1 C ~i~31~~4
JULY 1973