RING WIDTH, TRACHEID SIZE, AND RAY VOLUME IN STEM WOOD OF THUJA OCCIDENTALIS L.

The interrelations between varied growth rates and those phases of cambial activity involved in determination of tracheid size and ray volume were investigated in Thuja occidentalis. Length of tracheids at the time of pseudotransverse division of the initiating cambial cells was determined from the peripheral wood of stems which fell within a similar range of size but differed in their rates of growth. The circumstances which favored accelerated growth, as shown in more frequent periclinal divisions in the cambium, encouraged earlier pseudotransverse division of fusiform initials and hence the production of shorter tracheids. Among trees of similar size decline in growth rate was accompanied by lengthening of cambial cells to a maximum associated with annual radial increments of 0.7 to 0.8 mm. Tracheid diameter was only slightly influenced by the rate of growth. Tangential width underwent minor increase in suppressed trees and radial diameter was slightly augmented in fast-growing trees. A positive correlation was revealed between ray volume and rate of growth.