GROWTH AND YIELD OF UNTHINNED HONDURAS PINE GROWN TO SMALL SAWLOG SIZES

Unthinned spacing of Honduras pine (Pinus caribaea var. hondurensis Mo relet) ranging in age from 23.3 to 25 years, was evaluated at four ins tallations in Puerto Rico on the basis of survival, growth, and yield. Results showed that marked significant differences existed in means o f survival, diameters, and heights of trees in spacings ranging from 1 .5 x 1.5 m to 4.3 x 4.3 m. However, because of decreasing diameter and height growth and increasing mortality in the narrower spacings (1.5 m, 2.1 m), and continued rapid diameter growth in the wider spacings ( 3.0 m, 4.3 m), there were no significant differences in basal area, to tal inside bark volume, and mean annual volume increment among spacing s. Wide spacings are recommended where early thinnings are not possibl e.