PITCH PINE (Pinus rigida Mill.)
THE pitch pine grows on dry ridges and slopes
    and in cold swamps and bottoms in the moun-
tains and outlying hilly regions. It occurs scattered
with hardwoods or other pine, and is one of the com-
mon pines of eastern Kentucky.
  It attains a height commonly 50 to 75 feet and
a diameter of 1 to 2 feet. The trunk is erect, and








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                   PITCH PINE
               One-half natural size.
at heights of 20 to 30 feet branches into a close
head made up of rather large branches and notice-
ably thick foliage. It has longer leaves and larger
cones, or burrs, and generally a rougher and less
straight trunk than the shortleaf pine with which
it is often found.
  The leaves, which are found in clusters of 3 each,
are 3 to 5 inches long, stiff, dark yellowish green in
color and stand out straight from the twigs. They
fall during the second year after forming. The cones
are 1 to 3 inches long and light brown in color. They
usually cling to the branches for several years,
sometimes for 10 to 12 years. The bark on the stems
and branches is rough. On mature trees it is dark
gray or reddish brown, and irregularly divided into
broad, flat, continuous ridges.
  The wood is light, soft and brittle. It is sawed
into lumber for general construction and is used
for fuel. This tree is able to grow on very poor soil
and has the capacity, when young, of sprouting
successfully from the base of the stump when
burned or cut back.



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