On Sat, 17 Jan 2015 11:47:45 -0700, rbowman
wrote:

dpb wrote:

Just sayin'...if you haven't experienced the difference that the
tougher environment can make and expect growth as it occurs back where
it rains and is much more temperate, you really can't grasp how tough it
is and how slow/stunted things can be/are in comparison...


_A Tree's Secret to Living Long_

"...the Methuselah Tree, a bristlecone pine more than 46 centuries
old. But it's truly baffling to learn under what conditions it has
accomplished this extraordinary feat."

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/methuselah/long.html

I live in a semi-arid climate with approximately the same annual
precipitation as the lower parts of the Great Basin National Park. Some of
the areas I hike were clear cuts that were replanted over 25 years ago. The
ponderosa pines are about 6' high. Between poor soil and little water they
will be merchantable in a hundred years or so.


....for the children

And that's in places with enough elevation and precipitation to even support
trees. The south facing slopes and valleys are short grass prairies left to
their own devices.

If you want a pine plantation, head for Georgia or the Pacific North Wet.

Much of the pine in Georgia goes towards pulp wood. Turnover is faster