°\ 
 
 TECHNICAL    NOTE    number 
 
 119 
 
 UNITED    STATES    DEPARTMENT   OF    AGRICULTURE 
 
 FOREST    PRODUCTS    LABORATORY 
 
 FOREST    SERVICE 
 
 MADISON     8.     WISCONSIN 
 
 EVI8ED  DECEMBER     1952 
 
 T 
 
 STRENGTH   OF   SOUTHERN   PINE 
 DOUGLAS-FIR  COMPARED 
 
 There  is  little  difference  between  the  strength  of  the 
 southern  pines  and  that  of  Douglas -fiT  from  the  Pacific 
 Northwest,  tests  made  at  the  United  States  Forest 
 Products  Laboratory  show.  True  longleaf  yellow  pine 
 averages  heavier,  stronger,  and  tougher  than  Douglas  - 
 fir.  Longleaf  pine,  however,  is  somewhat  variable  in 
 its  properties  so  that  its  lower  range  is  comparable 
 to  the  lower  range  inDouglas-fir.  True  shortleaf  pine 
 averages  heavier  and  tougher  than  the  fir,  but  is  about 
 equal  to  it  in  strength  as  a  beam  or  post.  Loblolly 
 pine,  though  averaging  heavier  than  the  fir,  is  some- 
 what weaker.  The  difference  in  strength  between  any 
 of  these  pines  and  Douglas -fir  is  not  so  great  but  that 
 low  density  pieces  of  the  one  species  are  weaker  than 
 the  average  for  the  other  species. 
 
 As  far  as  strength  properties  are  concerned,  the  choice 
 between  any  two  lots  of  southern  pine  and  Douglas -fir 
 will  depend  upon  the  grade  and  density  of  the  timber 
 composing  each  lot. 
 
 ZM3813l+F    U.  S.  Dept.  of  Agriculture  Library 
 
 Experiment  Stations 
 .  K.  Cresap,  Librarian   / 
 iry  —  209  Horticulture  Bldg/ 
 Gai. 
 
 Agr  icu  Iture-Mad  1  son 
 
UNIVERSITY  OF  FLORIDA 
 
 II II  III 
 
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