Library of The University of North Carolina COLLECTION OF NORTH CAROLINIANA ENDOWED BY JOHN SPRUNT HILL of the Class of 1889 e. 4*34. <) _Sl j> 5: «: 5SA«.j 'J^l This book must not be taken from the Library building. Form No. 471 t*Z P*(tffcK PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOUTHERN FORESTRY CONGRESS HELD IN ASHEVILLE, N. C. JULY 11-15, 1916 PARTICIPATING ASSOCIATIONS North Carolina Forestry Association Association of Eastern Foresters American Forestry Association Society of American Foresters North Carolina Pine Association Appalachian Park Association CHAPEL HILL, N. C. 1916 /C Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hil http://www.archive.org/details/proceedingsofsou 1 91 61 920 CONTENTS PAGE Preface 9 Address oe Welcome 11 Governor Locke Craig Welcome to Asheville 15 Hon. J. E. Rankin, Mayor of Ashevillc Response to Address of Welcome 17 Dr. Hugh P. Baker, Dean, Nezv York State Col- lege of Forestry The Southern Forests and Their Place in the Na- tion's Timber Supply 21 Hon. H. S. Graves, Forester, U. S. Forest Service Re-Establishment and Protection of Big Game in the Southern Appalachians 34 Edmund Seymour, President American Bison So- ciety, Nezv York City Biltmore Forest and Forest Plantations 47 Verne Rhoades, Forest Supervisor, Pisgah Na- tional Forest Greetings from the American Forestry Association 53 Charles Lathrop Pack, President, Lakewood, New Jersey Appalachian Purchase Bill — Resolution 58 George S. Powell, Asheville, N. C. The Erosion Problem of the South and Its Relation to Forestry 62 R. S. Maddox, State Forester of Tennessee Announcement of Committees 70 A Practical Example of Forest Management in Southern Yellow Pine 71 Henry E. Hardtner, Urania, La. Organization of State Forest Protective Systems. . 81 Prof. H. H. Chapman, Yale Forest School Forest, Fish and Game Departments: Discussion. . . 89 Messrs. Peters, Viquesney, Maddox, Hardtner and Palmer What the States Can Do in Forest Fire Protection 97 F. W. Besley, State Forester of Maryland The Railroads and Forestry : Discussion 107 Messrs. Foley and Richards Co-operation in Fire Prevention: Discussion 113 Messrs. Stikeleather and Lindsey Publicity and Education in Forest Protection in the South 118 J. E. Barton, State Forester of Kentucky George W. Vanderbilt Memorial in Pisgah National Forest : Resolution 124 Protection of Federal Lands in the Appalachians 126 William L. Hall, Assistant Forester, U. S. Forest Service Permanent Organization: Report oe Committee... 131 What West Virginia is Doing in Forest Fire Pro- tection 133 J. A. Viquesney, Forest, Game and Fish Warden of West Virginia Forest Management in the Virginia Mountains: Discussion 137 W. W. Hurt, Marion, Va, Propagation, Conservation and Disposition oe Tim- ber on Coal Bearing Lands : Letter 141 W. W. Coe, Roanoke, Va. The Regeneration oe Southern Forests 144 Prof. J. W. Tourney, Director, Yale Forest School The Naval Stores Industry; How It Can Be Per- petuated in the South 153 I. F. Eldridge, Supervisor, Florida National For- est The Forests oe the Future 162 W. W. Ashe, Forest Inspector, U. S. Forest Ser- vice Fire Protection in Southwest Virciniia: Discussion 171 W. D. Tyler, Dante, Virginia General Resolutions Adopted by the Southern For- estry Congress 174 Report oe Nominating Committee 177 Vanderbiet Memorial — Standing Committee 178 List oe Delegates Attending the Congress 180 List of Contributing Members 185 INDEX TO SPEAKERS PAGES Ashe, W. W 162 Baker, Dr. Hugh P 17, 32, 68 Barton, J. E 118 Besley, F. W 67, 97 Chapman, Prof. H. H 81 Coe, W. W 141 Craig, Governor Locke 11 Eldredge, I. F 153 Foley, John 107 Foster, J. H 140 Graves, Henry S 21, 32, 68, 126 Hall, Wm. L 126 Hardtner, Henry E 71, 91 Horner, Bishop Junius M 32 Hurt, W. W 137 Lee, Prof. J. G 178 Lindsey, W. T 115 Maddox, R. S 62, 68, 90, 96 Pack, Charles Lathrop 53, 59, 112, 125 Palmer, Dr. T. S 44, 94, 97 Peters, J. G 80, 106 Powell, George S 42, 58, 124 Pratt, Dr. Joseph Hyde 11, 15, 20, 31, 33, 60, 79, 123 Quillian, C. Fletcher 60 Rankin, J. E 15 Rhoades, Verne 47 Richards, M. V 110 Seymour, Edmund 34, 46, 70, 106 Stikeleather, J. G 113 Tourney, Prof. J. W 144 Tyler, W. D 171 Viquesney, J. A 89, 133 PREFACE The Southern Forestry Congress, which was held in Ashe- ville, North Carolina, July 11-15, 1916, was perhaps the most important and influential, as well as interesting, forestry con- vention ever held in this country. Although called "Southern Forestry Congress," it was Southern in name only, for there were held in connection with this Congress meetings of the American Forestry Association, the Society of American For- esters, The Association of Eastern Foresters and the Weeks Law Collaborators ; and the members of these associations took an active part in the proceedings of the Congress. This Congress was called because it was felt by those who had given serious consideration to the timber and lumber situ- ation of the South, that something is needed to protect the forests of the Southern Appalachian region and to conserve our timber resources while at the same time we are utilizing them. It was felt that the South needs the advice and assistance of those who have solved successfully similar problems in other sections of the country, and that, by bringing together for- esters, lumbermen and conservationists from all sections of the country to discuss questions of importance to the welfare of the timber industry of the South, a policy could be outlined by such a representative body of men as could be put into successful operation in the Southern States. The most important economic question that had to be considered was : Can the forests be protected and conserved without seriously handicapping the development of our lumber trade or seriously crippling lumber companies who are oper- ating or wish to operate in the South? It was also felt that the bringing together of such a body of men as composed the personnel of the Southern Forestry Congress would focus the attention of the people of the Southern States as never before, on the need of enforcing adequate measures for conserving our forests. It was realized that an acute situation does exist in these States, and that some legislation must be enacted in order to prevent the extermination of a very valuable industry. 10 Proceedings of the As a result of the deliberations of those attending the Southern Forestry Congress and the policy recommended by the Congress, there will undoubtedly be obtained in many of our Southern States during the next year the passage of laws by our various Legislatures which will begin the protec- tion and conservation of our forests. The great service rendered the South through this Congress by the foresters, lumbermen and conservationists of other States is greatly appreciated and this opportunity is taken, on behalf of the people of our Southern States, of expressing our heartiest thanks. Joseph Hyde; Pratt, President, Southern Forestry Congress. Southern Forestry Congress July 11-15, 1916 Asheville, North Carolina TUESDAY, JULY 11 MORNING SESSION, 10:00 A. M. Joseph Hyde; Pratt, Presiding The first convention of the Southern Forestry Congress was called to order at 10 A. M., President Joseph Hyde Pratt presiding. An invocation was made by the Rt. Rev. Junius M. Horner, Bishop of Asheville. The; Pre;side;nt: It is with a great deal of pleasure that I call this Southern Forestry Congress together as some- thing I have looked forward to, not only for a few months, but for several years, as a time when we would have gathered together here in our Southland, in the Southern Appalachian region, a body of people who were intensely interested in the preservation of the forests of the Southern Appalachian region, which means so much to our people and to the development of that region. The one who will welcome those from out of the State to this Congress is a man who has been closely identified with this movement in North Carolina and the Southern Appa- lachian region, since 1898, when the people of this State first took up actively the question of forest reservations and of forest protection. Governor Craig has been from that time to this intensely interested and has helped us to obtain legis- lation which made possible the calling of this Congress. I take pleasure in introducing to you Governor Locke Craig, of the State of North Carolina. Governor Craig said in part : I esteem it an honor and a privilege to welcome you here to the City of Asheville and the State of North Carolina. As Dr. Pratt told you, I had the pleasure of welcoming the first meeting, so far as I know, that was ever held in this 12 Proceedings of the part of the country looking towards the preservation of the forests. It is especially appropriate that this convention meet here in the city of Asheville because we are in the center, I suppose, of the finest natural forest in the eastern part of the United States, and this forest, until within a few years, was comparatively untouched. It had not been destroy- ed by the lumbermen. Until a few years ago lumbermen used to select the finest trees in the forest, those that ought to have been cut. They cut out those fine trees and left the great body of the forest standing, and consequently did the country little damage. I have no criticism of the lumbermen. When a man buys a body of timber he has the right to cut it the way in which it will bring him the most money. He cannot be expected to make a personal sacrifice for the public good any more than the balance of us, and the ordinary man does not make large personal sacrifices for the public good. So the lumbermen who have purchased these vast forest areas are now proceeding to cut that timber in the way that will bring the most money and bring it the quickest. Trees are no longer selected, but the lumberman now goes there to get everything and he gets everything. After a forest is cut in this way, the ground is covered with debris, and here in these balsam forests the leaves and limbs are so resinous and inflammable that fire must come ; you can't keep it out. Lightning will set it on fire if nothing else will. And these conflagrations are terrible. To my certain knowledge, vast areas which a few years ago were covered with beautiful and luxuriant forests are today blackened wastes of desolation and ruin which it will take years or perhaps centuries to repair. Now, the forests serve two purposes in this part of the State ; first as a source of supply for timber which we need in commerce, and second as a reservoir for the water. Now the forests of eastern North Carolina — and I speak of this State because I know but little of others — have been destroyed just as the forests of western North Carolina are being de- stroyed now. The lumberman has gone down there and robbed the wooded plains of the coastal region ; fires have gone there too and have left great wide plains a blackened desolation Southern Forestry Congress 13 where a few years ago the longleaf pine grew in magnificence and plenty. But in that country the forest serves one purpose only — the supply of timber. In our country it serves two purposes — the supply of timber and the conservation of water. As you know, the Southern Power Company has recently acquired the heads of Ljnville and Johns and the Catawba Rivers in Burke, McDowell and Catawba Counties. They are not making these purchases primarily for the lands themselves, or for the forest, or for the water power, but they have spent these vast sums to purchase the headwaters of these mountain rivers in order that they may build dams up there across these rivers and conserve the water in great lakes, so that when the dry season comes they can have the water to run their mills on the Catawba River. There is plenty of water in these streams in the winter time, and the great, bountiful and all-wise World Builder built a great natural reservoir here in these mountains that would hold the waters through the winter months until the parching days of June, July, August and September would come. He provided for all that, so that the streams would have a uniform flow to turn the wheels which would make the material that clothes the world and ministers to the wants of men. But man has destroyed the natural reservoir that is just as effective as, and more effective than those the Southern Power Company has been spending millions of dollars to construct. Already there is constructed here, with a carpet of green upon the ground, a reservoir that would hold the water for the summer months and let it loose from the clear springs when the dry weather comes. This flood that we have now is an example of the ruin and waste that comes from lack of forest conservation. Go down and look at the French Broad river and see the mud of a thousand farms floating by ; that mud will never come back, neither will it stop until it empties into the Gulf of Mexico ; and there it will do us no good. The wheels of industry must stop, the fertility of the land is destroyed and the prosper- ity of the country is impeded on account of the destruction of the forest. You cannot have a fine civilization on a desert land. You cannot have fine men and women where trees and vegetation do not grow. If there are to be fine men and strong women, you must have a strong soil to support them, just as 14 Proceedings of the you need a strong soil to grow corn and cotton; and we are allowing to be wasted the abundant gifts of the Creator, just through lack of care of our forests. As I say, the lumberman cannot be expected to make a personal sacrifice for the public good, but the public ought to put its hand on this industry ; the law of all the people speaking through constituted authority and through statute laws should put its hand upon this industry and upon all industry and say that it shall not be conducted except in a manner that is conducive to the permanent welfare of all the people. And not until the public takes hold of this thing and takes hold of it more efficiently and more determinedly than it has before, will the destruction of the forests cease. Why, these forests do not belong, in reality, in the last analysis, to the man that has a deed recorded for them. They belong to him only in a small and limited sense, but in the larger and greater sense they belong to all the people of the coun- try and to all the people of the world, and they should be protected. They should be protected against the lum- berman or against the farmer or against any man who would destroy them. You cannot protect forests, of course, unless you provide reasonable compensation for those who would lose by such legislation. But the loss is not going to be so great in the long run — in the larger view, as some might think. The man who owns the forest, and who has the title deed, can more economically use that forest by using it for the permanent welfare of mankind. That, itself, would con- duce to his own welfare, and to his commercial welfare, at that. I do not know the exact purpose of this Convention. But I know the general purpose is the conservation of the forest, and I hope you will devise means and make definite sugges- tions in legislation and administration so that our forests can be preserved. They are the greatest, most beautiful and most attractive gift that we have got. They not only bring money, health and progress, but they bring the mellow rain, because when the forests cease, rains will cease. If we permit our forests to be destroyed, this great gift which we have received will go to our posterity in ruins, depleted, defaced and de- formed. We are the truste.es of this great heritage, it is our duty to perserve it for posterity. Southern Forestry Congress 15 Dr. Pratt : Asheville is one of the more progressive cities, not only of the South, but I think of the whole country. And one of the things that Asheville has done that is perhaps worth more to her and has attracted more attention to her than any other, one thing, is the fact that she owns the largest nat- ural watershed of any city. Her watershed comprises 17,000 acres, most of which is virgin forest. And people know that Asheville can give to those who come here an absolutely pure supply of water. At the head of the administration of this City is a man who is also very progressive and who has helped to make Asheville what she is. He has also been interested in the preservation of the forests, realizing what that means to Ashe- ville as a city and to North Carolina as a State. I take pleasure in introducing to you the Honorable J. E. Rankin, Mayor of the City of Asheville. Hon. J. E. Rankin : Mr. President, members of the Southern Forestry Congress, ladies and gentlemen : We are called upon to welcome many conventions and associations to our city, but our duty today is full of pleasure and expectant hope. Our welcome to you is full of the hope that something may be worked out during your deliberations that shall lead to the conservation of the greatest asset of this section, the forests. The pleasing feature of this meeting is that to our city have gathered domestic patriots — our guests — whose pur- poses are laden with an ideal, the consummation of which shall make for the Nation's weal ; engaged in this endeavor Asheville welcomes you this morning. Your mission to our city is a praiseworthy one, indicating as it does a desire on your part to better acquaint yourselves with the training and methods used in the preservation of the forests, and to cement more firmly the bonds which unite you as common toilers for the good of man. We delight to welcome such a distinguished body to a city which has grown and is still growing among the mountains whose forests and whose fields it is your purpose to protect. And it is fitting that you should select Asheville, the garden spot of all the Appalachian range, in which to meet and discuss the methods by which timber can be conserved, and the health and happiness of our people assured. The objects which we 16 Proceedings of the seek to obtain by a concert of action should enlist the coopera- tion of all citizens who have at heart the advancement and general welfare of the Nation. The conservation of the forests has not only become a project stimulated by community in- terest, but one which commands the highest order of patriotic support from all citizens of our land. The demand for the protection of the woodland is now co-extensive with our ad- vancing times, and our efforts should not diminish until you have outlined the sanest ways and means to effectuate your purposes. Each of you has had a part in the advancement and pro- motion of the purposes of this organization, but the untiring efforts of Doctor Pratt and his efficient co-laborers, Governor Craig and Mr. Powell, of the Appalachian Park Association, have brought you to the proud eminence of usefulness which you now enjoy, and which builds for the highest interest of the State and Nation. The desire to protect the forests was inherited by the early settlers of America, who had brought with them the laws and customs of the old country. These laws, while indeed crude in the light of your present scientific demands, were, nevertheless of some protection, but the hostility to the red man carried also the enmity to the forest, and the art of cultivation was lost until the progress of civilization again commanded its reinstatement. Perhaps the first effort toward the establishment of pro- fessional instruction in forestry in this country was the opening of the Biltmore Forestry School, about twenty years ago, and many government experts give eloquent testimony to the usefulness of this place of instruction. The science of for- estry has now become one of the principal studies in many of our universities and schools, and the time will come when the necessity for training will be so pronounced that a chair of forestry will be established in all the leading colleges of our land. One of your objects is to attack the wasteful and destruc- tive methods in cutting and removing timber, and to encourage the economic and wholesome handling which permits of profit- able gain, yet provides for the future growth of the trees. And I trust that such fire laws will be uniformly adopted as will Southern Forestry Congress 17 not only more fully protect the timber, old and young, but will insure the purity of the streams, and the integrity of their channels. In a small way conservation of the forests and kind Provi- dence have given Asheville the purest water supply in America. The water you drank this morning came from the home of the mountain trout beneath the lengthening shadows of Mount Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Rockies. Carried by a gravity system for twenty miles, it leaves a watershed of fifteen thousand acres, and with crystal brightness reaches the homes of our people. Gentlemen of this Association, I bid you a cordial welcome to our midst. I bid you drive along our mountain roads from which is unfolded a scenic splendor that has attracted the most observant of the earth. Drink deeply of the panoramic beauties here unfurled, for your efforts already at preservation have helped to make them. Dr. Pratt : Our Congress is called the Southern Forestry Congress, but I think we will find, as the work of the Congress progresses, that it is Southern simply in name, and that it could really be called a National Forestry Congress. To re- spond to the addresses of welcome, I want to call on Dr. Hugh P. Baker, Dean of the New York State College of Forestry, who has come to assist us of the South in trying to work out our forestry problems. I take pleasure in introducing Dr. Baker. RESPONSE FROM THE NORTH By Dr. Hugh P. Baker, DEAN NEW YORK STATE COLLEGE OF FORESTRY Ladies and Gentlemen : Coming down the Hudson Valley Friday night from the Onondaga Hills of central New York, I woke with a start as we passed into the great tide-water city and felt the rush and roar of city life. The change from the quiet of the hill country to the rush and strain of the city made me feel at once the unrest of the away-from-home feel- ing. Saturday, going southward through other tidewater cities, I was constantly reminded that I was going farther away from home and not until Sunday morning, as we climbed your magnificent hills, did the home feeling come again, — the old 18 Proceedings of the feeling which we put into that beautiful song, "There is no place like home," came to me and I felt like saying, "there is no place like Asheville — no place like the hills of North Carolina." Coming up your great hills Sunday morning is seemed to me that these hills which are a chain binding the Southern country to the North could be made a real chain binding those of us who love the hills of the North to those of you who love the hills of the South, causing us to know each other better and therefore to be more nearly one in this great country. On Monday I tramped over the foothills about Mount Mitchell, and even in the rain I could see that your forest problems here are much like ours in the North. The forest problems of the North are land problems — economic problems. For the past fifteen years we have talked reforestation in New York and we shall continue to talk it, but we are not going to have our State back of us in reforestation until they appre- ciate more fully that forestry is a land problem which is vital to all of the people of the State, so that we will not only approach our people through the channel of reforestation, but more through the fact that our forests are an economic need and essential to the future industrial development of the State. New York is truly a great agricultural state, but out of the 32,000,000 acres of land, only about 15,000,000 are being farmed. The other 15,000,000 acres are not sharing in any reasonable way their part of the burden of the support of the commonwealth, — they are not yielding a fair return on the investment which the State and corporate and private interests have in them. Our conditions for forest growth, like yours here in North Carolina, are extremely favorable; and with the States of Germany, where conditions for forest growth are not as favorable, earning from $1 to $5 per acre per year from their forest lands, it seems just good common sense to take our great areas of forest lands and make them profitable. It must be understood that along with the development of the profitable conditions there will go naturally the indirect con- ditions which many of our people are seeking and which some of them feel are antagonistic to the profitable phase, such for instance as the value of the forest for water conservation, recreation and fish and game. Southern Forestry Congress 19 In Pennsylvania there are 28,000,000 acres and only about 10,000,000 are being farmed. Pennsylvania is doing some fine work in forestry, but she must consider the forestry question as a more vital question, especially with the disap- pearance of her minerals. Your State Forester tells me that about 65 per cent of North Carolina is still forest land; 60 per cent of Massachusetts is forest land, and so on. There is not a State in the Union, outside of possibly a few of the prairie States, where forestry does not promise to become a very definite economic problem, and a problem which must be con- sidered and partially solved, at least, before we can develop in our State sound land policies. The soil is the source of much of the wealth of this coun- try. Agriculture is the great basic industry, but second to this is the great business of forestry, and I include in this the in- dustries dependent upon the forest. Three hundred years of agricultural history in this country have given us a certain defi- nition of agriculture — that it is more than the growing of a crop of grain from the soil — that it includes the raising of food and draft animals and the manufacturing of the crude products, as in the dairy industry, and finally the marketing of the crop. Three hundred years of forestry in Europe have developed equally as broad a definition, and before we can develop sound land policies in this country, we must consider forestry as broadly as agriculture, and as coordinate with it. Hand in hand, agriculture and forestry can come as near solving our land problems as is humanly possible. Possibly the best evi- dence that forestry must be considered as an economic propo- sition is that today our State and National governments are casting about right and left to find enough money to run our developing governments. In view of our financial situation, what is the sense of leaving often more than half of our States almost idle, when they could be made proportionately as profit- able lands as our agricultural lands, so that my brief message to you from the North is that you consider forestry broadly and as a soil problem. It is a great pleasure for me and others from the North to be down here with you, to see your magnificent hills and to get acquainted with you and your exceedingly interesting forest problems. Because of our meeting with you we go 20 Proceedings of the back with inspirations for greater and more continued effort in our work. Some time later we want you to come north to the hill and lake country of New York and New England so that we may again receive inspiration from your experiences and your friendship. Dr. Pratt: The response to the addresses of welcome on behalf of those from the States to the south of us was to have been made by Mr. John L,. Kaul, President of the Kaul Lumber Company, Birmingham, Ala. I understand he has not as yet reached Asheville, and is probably tied up somewhere to the south by reason of the floods. He undoubtedly will be here later in the day, when we will have the pleasure of hearing from him. The appointment of committees will be made either at the close of this session, or at the beginning of the afternoon session. Before we begin the regular addresses, I wish to say a few words in regard to North Carolina's peculiar interest in this Congress, and to state at this time what I conceive to be the real purpose of the Congress. North Carolina, as a State, is interested because, as far as we can determine, one-tenth of its total wealth is invested either in forests or in manu- facturing plants that depend upon the forests for their raw products. With this enormous amount invested in this way, we realize that we must have some legislation passed if we are to carry to fruition our plans for making our forest industries permanent. I hope and expect from the discussions that will be taken up here, and though the report of the Committee on Resolu- tions, which will be appointed later, a forestry policy may be formulated upon which the legislatures of the various South- ern States may base new forestry laws, which are needed and even now are being demanded. If such a policy is advocated by this Congress, made up of men not simply from the South- ern States, but by men from the North, South, East and West, and goes out as the opinion of this Congress, then I believe the different Southern States will more easily obtain the passage of the legislation necessary to give the protection and conser- vation to their forests which they need, by asking their legis- latures to adopt a policy endorsed by this Congress. Southern Forestry Congress 21 The addresses which we will now take up and the dis- cussions which will follow each address will relate to the various forest problems confronting the Southern States, and will give advice and suggestions as to how our forests should be handled. It is fitting that the first address should be made by the head of the Forestry Department of the Federal Govern- ment, a bureau that is doing so much for the protection of the forests of this country. I take pleasure in introducing to you this morning Hon. Henry S. Graves, Forester of the United States, who will talk to us on "Southern Forests and Their Place in the Nation's Timber Supply." THE SOUTHERN FORESTS AND THEIR PLACE IN THE NATION'S TIMBER SUPPLY By Hon. Henry S. Graves, UNITED STATES FORESTER From the early history of our country the forests of the South have played a unique part in the life of the nation. At the outset of our existence as an independent nation, the United States Government made the conservation of the forests of the South an essential part of its plan for national defense. The first act of Congress relating to forests was an appro- priation in 1799 of $200,000 for the purpose of acquiring timber lands containing, or capable of growing, timber suitable for naval construction. In those early days the most valuable timber for ship building was the live oak. Its price was increasing under a steady demand and, soon after the acquisi- tion of Florida, the Government, in order to meet the needs of its shipyards, established naval reserves of live oak on the west coast of the State, and even made several plantations of live oak — the oldest plantation in existence in this country. It may be of interest to mention also that one of the last acts of Congress, passed in 1915, was to authorize the United States Forest Service to furnish from the National forests, both in the East and in the West, timber required for the various needs of the navy. With the replacement of wood by iron and steel in the construction of ships of war, live oak became less important, and the great supplies of timber that were very soon opened 22 Proceedings of the up and could be secured in the general market made it un- necessary for the Government to draw much upon these naval forest reserves; yet the forests of the South have continued ever since to furnish the navy with much of its timber and other forest products adaptable to a great variety of modern uses. Even more important than the timber itself became the so-called naval stores — turpentine, rosin and tar. In view of the importance which the naval stores industry has assumed in this country and the limited source of supply, it would have been more far-sighted if the naval timber reserves had been located in the yellow pine forests instead of the live oak forests ; and it may well prove to be a cause for regret that such reserves were not made when the land was still in public possession. the, forest resources of thf, south More than one-fifth of the nation's total timber wealth is found in the South. The south has about one-sixth of all the softwoods of the entire country, and over one-half of all the hardwoods. The South also is the only source of that valuable and unique timber, the cypress, which though perhaps replaceable by other species, has a very distinct and special place among our native forest trees. Today the nation is drawing upon the South for a large part of its supplies of forest products. Of the total output of lumber 55 per cent comes from the Southern States. This amounts to more than twenty-one billion feet each year. The national importance of the southern forests is not due merely to the fact that it is one of several great centers of softwood timber production, containing vast areas of the highest grade of structural timber close to the centers of popu- lation and favorably located geographically for purposes of export to South America and other foreign countries. The destruction of these forests would be a national loss in so far as it would destroy the local source of wealth, just as has happened in the Lake States. The country as a whole, how- ever, would not be vitally affected because it would simply turn from the South to some other section of the country. As a matter of fact, this is now already taking place and the northwestern Pacific coast promises before long to take the place of the South in furnishing the bulk of the timber supply in Southern Forestry Congress 23 this country. The real value of the Southern forests as a na- tional asset, however, lies in the two facts, first that with the exhaustion of the pineries of the Southeast the country's great naval stores supply, upon which many industries of the country depend, will also be exhausted ; and second, that with the exhaustion of the hardwood forests of the South the hardwood supply of the entire country will be most seriously affected. Nowhere in the whole United States can the naval stores industry or the production of hardwood timber be carried on with the same natural and economic advantages as in the Southeast. SOUTHERN PINERIES Southern pine is the principal softwood used in fully two-thirds of the country east of the 100th meridian, or that portion comprising 70 per cent of the country's population. Backed by a supply of some 325 billion feet of yellow pine and about 20,000 sawmills, the pine industry holds today a commanding place in the nation's lumber market. The existence of this vast storehouse of lumber has played a great part in the development of the South and has been the source of a great deal of wealth. Today the forest industry stands first in no less than six Southern States, second in another four and third in another three. A half billion dollars is invested in this great industry; more than 400,000 people are employed in it; 20,000 sawmills and other manufacturing establishments are supported by this great in- dustry. The forest industry draws upon a resource occupying now more than half the total land area of the South. By their very magnitude the forest problems of the South command attention. Their local importance, looking to the future, is so great that no consideration of the welfare of the South can afford to omit them. It cannot be expected that the South will hold its present commanding place in lumber production. So far the chief production has been from the original stands of timber. At the present rate twenty to twenty-five years will see those supplies largely cut out. During the next two decades, how- ever, we shall see a constantly increasing amount of second growth timber utilized and a readjustment of the lumber in- dustry in adaptation to the changed conditions. There is a 24 Peoceedings of the great amount of small pine timber in different parts of the South that, because of its inferiority to the original stands, has been given little consideration. Already the output from certain sections is in large part from second growth timber, for boxes and other uses for which the smaller timber is adapted. There is an almost undeveloped field in the South for the manufacture of paper and other by-products. The processes of manufacture have not by any means been per- fected. Our researches at the Forest Products laboratory of the Forest Service point to a possible great improvement and cheapening of the process of making kraft paper, and it is demonstrated that kraft pulp from Southern pine is unexcell- ed in quality. We may confidently look to a wide and diversi- fied use of Southern woods for which there are now large sup- plies well suited and for which new crops can, in relatively short periods, be produced. The by-product of most import- ance, however, is turpentine. We have made experiments in tapping western yellow pine, and extracting turpentine from resinous butts of other coniferous species. Turpentine can be secured from these sources, but not in practical competition with the South. In short, the nation's source of turpentine is in the Southeast. The Southern pineries are the foundation of our present naval stores industry, producing turpentine and rosin which are indispensable in the manufacture of important commodities like paints, varnishes, print goods, rubber goods, paper, oil cloth, linoleum, printing inks, and medicinal prepa- rations, an industry with an output of some 35 million dollars. There are two great sources of turpentine production in the world; the pine forests of the southern United States and the pine forests of southern France. The turpentine industry of southern France is a man-made industry. Out of shift- ing, barren sand dunes and a malarial, poverty-stricken region, the French government, through reclamation and the planting of maritime pine, has made one of the most pros- perous and salubrious sections of France. A century ago the barren sand dunes of southern France could be bought at any price one was willing to pay. One dollar could buy as much land as could be included within the area to which a man's voice could carry. Today this barren land within the reclaimed area is worth at the lowest about $2.50 an acre, while Southern Forestry Congress 25 the best situated brings as high as $24 an acre. The poorest pine land covered with 2-year seedlings sells for $9.00. The same land covered with young pines 10 years old is worth nearly $30. Stocked with 30-year old pine it is worth $80, and with 50-year old pine, $160 an acre. In this country the turpentine industry has had the ad- vantage of a great natural forest richly endowed with species capable of yielding an abundant supply of turpentine and rosin. Instead of being founded and preserved by the diligence of men, it is its destruction which will be brought about by man unless steps are taken to perpetuate this industry in the South. The naval stores enter in increasingly large quantities into many industries and the growing of timber for turpentine purposes is a profitable undertaking at present, as is amply shown by facts from the South itself and by the experience of southern France. The forest problem of the South is not merely one of lumber economics. There is involved the productive use of more than half the area of the land. In portions of the pine belt a considerable portion of the land now under forest is suited to cultivation and agricultural home building. It will, however, be a long time before all the land can be farmed, that is suited to that purpose, and there is a great deal of the pine land that will yield most to the owner under trees. The forest industry will be replaced in many pine regions by an agricultural industry. But this does not mean a com- plete replacement at one time. That in practice is impossible. The best efforts to colonize the lands will during a generation leave in the aggregate large areas uncultivated, and there will always remain twenty-five per cent or more of the land whose most profitable crop will be a forest. I do not know of any other section of the country where the rapidity of growth of the trees, their suitability for the production of turpentine and various wood products, and the open charac- ter of the stand, which makes grazing possible in the older forests, are so happily combined to afford the most profitable utilization of the land. The actual exhaustion of our virgin pine forests need not, therefore, lessen the importance of the forest industries. By perpetuating the longleaf and slash pine it is possible to 26 Proceedings of the sustain the turpentine industry. By encouraging the growth of loblolly and other rapid growing trees suited to other than mere structural uses, there may be sustained industries re- placing the great sawmills that today are cutting virgin supplies. But this result will not follow without deliberate effort to plan, public encouragement, intelligent protection and hand- ling of the forest lands. THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN HARDWOODS The magnitude of the pine lumber industry of the South has rather overshadowed the hardwood industry, especially in its relation to the nation's requirements. In many respects the country is more dependent on the South for hardwoods than for softwoods, except so far as the pine woods yield naval stores. Of the present total hardwood supply in the country, 61 per cent is located in the Southern States. This figure does not, however, represent fully the relative importance of the South for hardwood production, for many of the most important hardwoods are supplied wholly from the South, either because the species are restricted to that region, or the supply of timber of suitable size and quality is exhausted in the North. There have been in the United States four great hardwood- producing centers: the Ohio Valley, the Lake States, the lower Mississippi Valley, and the Appalachian States. The Ohio Valley in the past has been the main center of production. Even as late as 1899, the States of Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana produced 25 per cent of the hardwoods. Lately they produced only 14 per cent. In the two States of Ohio and Indiana, the hardwood production within recent years fell off over 50 per cent. They have reached a sudden end as great hardwood producers. Their many hardwood-using establishments which are now pressed for supplies will largely exhaust their re- maining hardwood forests within a few years. The three Lake States furnish every year less hardwood lumber, and there is no doubt that their maximum production has been reached and that their decline is likely to be almost as rapid as that of Ohio and Indiana, because of the many large hardwood-using industries which will make heavy de- mands upon the supply. Considerable portions of the hard- Southern Forestry Congress 27 wood lands of the North Central States are suited to agricul- ture, and they are rapidly being cleared. The same is true of the lower Mississippi Valley. The hardwoods occupy the richest agricultural lands which, almost as fast as the timber is cut, are being turned into farming. It looks now as though the swamp land, notable for the produc- tion of hardwoods, will within a few years be drained and cleared for agriculture. This leaves but one other region, the Appalachian Mountains. The Appalachians differ fundamentally from the other regions because they are not generally of agricultural value. Their main usefulness is for timber production and they are now producing about 50 per cent of the hardwoods used in the country. It is clear that they must be counted upon for even a much larger proportion in the future. The area primarily adapted to hardwood timber in the Appalachian Mountains may be approximately estimated at 75 million acres. Of this the Southern Appalachian region contains a timbered area of nearly 60 million acres, or 80 per cent. of the entire Appa- lachian hardwood region. Very little of this land is of agricultural value. Its greatest possibility lies in the production for the most part of hardwood timber. If rightly handled the Southern Appalachians alone could furnish four-fifths of the requirements of the country for hardwoods. That they should be handled rightly is of national concern. It is, however, of far greater local concern. The forest industries cannot be replaced by agriculture, for much of the land is only fit for tree production. There is nothing more tragic than a forest region in which the only resource has been exhausted, the lands stripped and unproductive, the industries moved out, the roads deteriorating, the few scattered farms abandoned because their only market is gone. Contrast such a condition with a community made permanent because the forests which sustain its industries are kept productive, as every one of our mountain communities in the South should be, and can be if the mountains are not abused. The achievement of this end requires very definite action ; action by all the different agencies which have a common interest in the problems of this southern mountain region. It means united effort by the Government, the States, and the private owners. 28 Proceedings of the The Government is undertaking to do its work in these ways : by the establishment of National Forests at the head- waters of some of the important rivers, by cooperating with the States in fire protection on lands outside the Federal forests, by cooperating in invesigations which may help edu- cate the people to a greater interest in forestry and to better methods of practice. You are all familiar with the new Federal forests. There have already been contracted for purchase about a million acres in the South. We have also authority and some funds to aid directly in fire protection outside the Government property. Under the provisions of the so-called Weeks Law the Federal Government is now ready to cooperate with any State in the fire protection of both State and private timber- lands on watersheds of navigable streams, provided the States themselves organize a system of fire protection and be ready to expend for this purpose a sum equal to that which the Federal government can contribute. Under this arrangement a much larger forest area can be brought under some form of protection than is included within the eastern National Forests. During the past year, the Forest Service has cooperated with 21 States in this work, our expenditures in individual states ranging from $2,000 to $8,000. Of the Southern States only six have so far availed themselves of this cooperative arrangement — Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North Car- olina, Kentucky, and recently Texas. The reason why more Southern States did not secure this cooperation is simply that many of them could not qualify for assistance under the terms of the statute. Most of them have no state organization for the control of forest fires. The cooperation of the Forest Service with the States did much to bring about more efficient fire protection. The en- tire experience of the Service in protective work was made directly available to these States in developing their protective systems. The entrance of the general Government into the local field, to strengthen and supplement the efforts of private owners and State organizations, greatly stimulated interest in fire protection. Federal inspection of the work done with the Government funds was found to add strength to the local organizations. Southern Forestry Congress 29 Before Federal moneys are allotted to any State for this work, a systematic plan of fire protection must be prepared. It must show just what and how effective measures for con- trolling forest fires throughout the State are contemplated. It must show how the Federal allotment will be used to supple- ment the efforts of the State itself and of its private timber owners. In every case our funds have been employed ex- clusively for the maintenance of patrolmen in dangerous dis- tricts as the most direct and effective way of getting at the bottom of the problem. In my judgment, it is unfortunate that the Forest Service is debarred from extending this work into more of the dis- tinctly hardwood states of the South because of the failure of these States to take the necessary preliminary steps on their own account. I feel that in the preliminary stages of fire protection in this region, the cooperation of the Federal gov- ernment would be an extremely valuable aid. The Forest Service stands ready to extend its cooperation into all other Southern States just as soon as the necessary requirements of the law have been satisfied by the States. I feel that per- haps one of the most effective, immediate things which the ■members of this Southern Forestry Congress might do to encourage fire protection and thereby the beginnings of forestry in the territory which is largely the source of the hardwood supply, is to encourage the creation of state fire organizations and the appropriation of at least small amounts for protective work by the various state legislatures. This will make it possible for the Forest Service to cooperate with more South- ern States in controlling the fire situation. The present appropriation under the Weeks Law for co- operation with the states of the entire Union amounts to only $100,000 a year, while the number of states which took ad- vantage of this Federal aid within the last year was 21 ; it is evident that the amount which each individual state can receive for this purpose must necessarily be small. The timberlands, both state and private, therefore, cannot be afforded at present as adequate and full fire protection as would be desired. Here is where the private owners could further assist in this co- operative arrangement between the States and the Federal gov- ernment in providing fire protection to their own timberlands. 30 Proceedings of the Most of the hardwood forests in the South are in private hands and the effectiveness of the solution of the waning hardwood supply will be measured by the effectiveness with which the average private owner works out the problem on his own property. The owner of hardwood lands has been slow to realize the necessity of eliminating fire risks from his property. This is due to the slight damage caused by fire to his merchantable timber as compared with the northern coniferous forests. It is not difficult to prove, however, that the loss in merchantable timber in the southern hardwoods from repeated fires, occur- ing with periodic regularity, is a serious factor on many of the drier sites. The constant killing out of the smaller growth results in the course of years in a much sparser stand than the ground would naturally support. Further loss results from defect, deterioration, and retarded growth in the scarred and injured trees and from the loss in growth and quality of the timber in the entire stand due to the impoverishment of the soil. I have seen many slopes and ridges of timber in eastern Tennessee where it was clear that these factors had reduced the merchantable cut by at least one-half of the possible yield. It is not difficult to prove, therefore, that the protection of hold-' ings of merchantable timber with no further thought beyond the marketing of the present stand is a good investment. One of the hardest problems confronted in protecting the indi- vidual tract of timber is the excessive cost per acre when this work is attempted on a small scale by each owner acting in- dependently. In certain of the Northwestern States with which I am familiar, this phase of the question has been very effectively met by the consolidation of interests for the pur- pose of fire protection. This is done through the organiza- tion of timber protective associations which handle the work of fire patrol, construction of telephone lines and other necessary improvements, and the actual fighting of fire, jointly for all their members. Some of these associations, representing from 200,000 to 300,000 acres, headed by an executive committee and chief warden and meeting expenses by a pro rata assess- ment per acre, have developed the most efficient protection of timberland on a large scale which I have seen in any portion of the country, under any organization, public or private. Southern Forestry Congress 31 Large areas of coniferous timber in the Northwest, where the character of the forest and the unfailing annual drought make the fire risk far greater than in the hardwood belt, are now being protected efficiently through such agencies at a cost in ordinary seasons of two or three cents an acre. Fortunately there are already about half a dozen private timber protective associations in the southern hardwood region which are doing extremely good work in forest fire protection and I hope the number may increase. With the fire problem once under control, the possibilities of forestry in the southern hardwoods are almost unlimited. In few other regions are the conditions in the broad more favorable. The markets offer exceptional opportunities for the sale of a great variety of products of these forests, and for the close utilization of the timber cut. The possibility of turning all material to account in one form or another is scarcely equalled in any other region of similar size. I keenly realize that even with the combined efforts of the Federal Government, the States, and private owners, we are at present still only at the very beginning of our conserva- tion work in the South. The machinery, however, for this work has already been provided and I believe that with the awakened recognition by the people of the South of the resources at stake, and concerted action of all those who are interested, the pineries and the Southern Appalachian hardwoods may be made a continuous source of wealth to the region and a permanent resource of the nation. Dr. Pratt : Mr. Graves' paper is now open for discussion, and we have arranged our program so that a short time can be devoted to the discussion of each paper after it has been read. I would like to start this discussion. Those of you who are as old as I am will probably remember in studying the geography of North Carolina that the things for which this State was noted were "tar, pitch, turpentine and lumber." All geographies in that day, in referring to the State of North Carolina, gave these as the products for which North Caro- lina was especially noted. Today we are still noted for our lumber, but produce very little tar, pitch or turpentine. Some of our people in eastern North Carolina asked me of what interest this Southern Forestry Congress would be to 32 Proceedings of the them, and why they should be interested in its success. I quoted to them what I have just quoted to you, that eastern North Carolina was formerly noted for its production of tar, pitch and turpentine (naval stores), which today are practi- cally gone, — extinct. I contended, however, that there was a chance of bringing back, to a certain extent at least, the naval stores industry of eastern North Carolina, through the reproduction particularly of the longleaf pine, which we have demonstrated can be done. It is possible to do this success- fully in the eastern part of this State, and lands which for a generation or two will probably not be brought into use for agricultural purposes should be cultivated in longleaf pine. The men of the east did get interested, and we expect to have several of them here with us during the Congress. Mr. Graves' paper has given me a good many ideas in regard to the value of our Southern forests, not only to our- selves, but to the whole country. I did not realize that we of the South are as important in the welfare of the country as he says we really are. The paper is now open for further discussion. Bishop Horner: May I ask our Forester, and also the Dean of the New York State College of Forestry, if any effort has been made along economic lines to take care of the lands that have been depleted of their forest timbers by using them for orchards instead of using them for agricultural purposes, that waste the soil. I think the Hitchings method of culture was started in Western New York, and it has been followed in some measure in our mountain section. This method is to put out orchards and to put grass in them, and mulch the trees with the grass so that the land will not wash away. Now, under present agricultural systems in most of our mountains, where land is on a steep hillside, and is put in corn, or some other agricultural product, it only yields a profit for a few years; but if put in orchards, it means a profit continuously, and the conservation of the waters as well as of the land. Mr. Graves : The Department of Agriculture has carried on extensive experiments in connection with hillside orchard- ing, not only to develop methods of cultivation which would prevent erosion, but also which would conserve the water. Dr. Baker: Mr. Hitching's orchard is just outside of Southern Forestry Congress 33 Syracuse and it stands with us as a fine example of profit- able fruit growing. His problem, like that to which Bishop Horner refers, is not one of erosion. Grass is grown in Mr. Hitching's orchard to protect the soil and to maintain fer- tility. Instead of sowing an annual crop, as is done so often, he maintains it in grass. Of course, the whole question of profit- able apple growing is a question of right soil and location. Central New York is noted for its apple soils and yet there are other localities in New York where the soils are such that apples cannot be grown profitably. So in North Carolina you probably have soils well fitted to apple growing and other soils not at all suited. Dr. Pratt : Is there any further discussion ? Bishop Horner stated that a good many of these steep hillsides, when cleared of timber and cultivated for agricultural products, yielded a profit for a few years. I have often wondered whether there was really any profit even the first years, on steep hillsides where they raise six or eight bushels of corn to the acre. I have told a good many people that the man trying to farm on some steep mountain side had much better go to work as a day laborer and take four months during the summer and move back on the cleared area as a summer place, without doing any work, and at the end of the year he would have more money in his pocket than if he stayed and farmed as a livelihood during the whole year. I doubt if there is any actual profit in trying to cultivate the steep hillsides. That land to my mind, is better adapted to forest cultivation. If there is no further discussion of Mr. Graves' paper, we will take up the next one. I will ask if Dr. Clarence J. Owens is in the room ? Dr. Owens has been delayed, also. I had word he would be here, but I have not, as yet, seen him. The next paper will be upon another phase of the question of the Southern Appalachian region, and that is the "Re- establishment and Protection of Big Game in the Southern Appalachians." When I mentioned this subject to one of our prominent men who lives here in the Southern Appalachian region, and who stays in Asheville a good deal and is very much interested in the forest reservations secured by the Federal Government being opened up for the use of the people 34 Proceedings of the for parks, play grounds, camping, etc., he said, "If you are going to try to bring back to these forests big game, such as buffaloes, lions and tigers, you are going to drive out our people from the use of these forest reservations for which we have been working for so many years." I asked him to come and hear the speaker this morning, who will take up the question of the perpetuation of big game in our forests. We are very fortunate in having with us this morning a man who has devoted a great deal of time and thought to the protection of the big game throughout the country. I take pleasure in introducing to you Mr. Edmund Seymour, President of the American Bison Society. THE PRESERVATION OF THE AMERICAN BISON By Edmund Seymour, PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAN BISON SOCIETY The time has passed in this country when it would take a herd of buffalo twenty-five days to pass a given point. This greatest and noblest of all American big game animals became nearly extinct a few years ago. As I am here representing the American Bison Society and Pisgah Forest wants a nucleus herd of buffalo, it is my pleasant duty to tell you something about this wonderful animal and why it should be preserved by and for the American people. When the American Bison Society was formed to preserve the buffalo, the census showed about 1,017 buffalo of pure blood in the United States. Out of the millions which roamed over the plains, these few remained, owned mostly by private individuals. The government officials were alive to the situa- ation and were willing to do what they could, but there were no appropriations, and they needed the sustantial and moral help of the public. Our Association was formed by such public-spirited men as Dr. Wm. T. Hornaday, Dr. T. S. Palm- er, E. H. Baynes, Prof. Henry F. Osborn, Gifford Pinchot, Clark Williams, Prof. Franklin W. Hooper, C. J. ("Buffalo") Jones and others. Theodore Roosevelt was our first honorary president, and William T. Hornaday our first president. It was proposed that if the Government would furnish the fence and maintain the ranges, the Society would furnish the buffalo. Southern Forestry Congress 35 This gave the basis for going before Congress and thus the following nucleus herds were established : Wind Cave National Game Preserve, South Dakota, 1903, 4,000 acres (approximately). Wichita Game Preserve, Oklahoma, 1906, 500 acres (ap- proximately). Montana Bison Range, Montana, 1908, 18,521 acres. Niobrara Reservation, Nebraska, 1912, 240 acres. The Wichita Preserve was established chiefly through the efforts and gifts of the New York Zoological Society. All these parks are open to the public without charge. The Wichita Reserve is accessible from Lawton, Oklahoma ; the Montana Reservation from Dixon, Montana ; the Wind Cave Park from Hot Springs, South Dakota; and the Niobrara Reservation from Valentine, Nebraska. The Yellowstone National Park also possesses a fine herd. It was no easy task to raise the money to buy the buffalo, but fortunately a number of animals have been contributed. I must give credit to Dr. Hornaday for most of the work, in which he has been very successful. If you get a chance, read his book on the Conservation of Wild Life. Many thoughtless persons inquire : "Why should the buffalo be preserved? He has had his day, served his purpose and must make way for civilization. Like the Indian, he must go." There is some reason in this. The great prairies over which he roamed are now fenced and cultivated; he can no longer migrate and never again will the vast herds stop rail- road trains and dam rivers. The slaughter of the buffalo settled the Indian question by taking away his food supply, and paved the way for the ranchman, the farmer, and the gen- eral settlement of the country. SENTIMENTAL VALUE There are two views as to why the buffalo should be pre- served— one, sentimental or ideal ; the other, practical or com- mercial. The former is the one that appeals, I think, to most Amer- icans who have a pride in, and love of their country. We stand for the ideal and spend our money for sentiment. The Bison Society appealed to Congress on the ideal ground, and it was sufficient. When a man gets rich or starts to make 36 Proceedings of the his will, he thinks of art and literature and the betterment of his fellow creatures. The buffalo is the most conspicuous and the largest of all native American game animals — hardy, strong, and of impres- sive majesty. The artists of the Government have reproduced his head or figure for our bills and coins. Take a five cent piece from your pocket and look at the buffalo. It stands for something! It is identified with the settlement of our country. It is not generally known that in the early colonial days, buffalo inhabited practically all the Eastern States, as well as the great plains in the West particularly. The early pioneers, the men of '49, often depended upon the buffalo for their very existence. To commemorate their early struggles and dangers, is a sufficient reason why this animal should be preserved to the descendants of these early settlers. The mothers of those days — some of whom are still alive — may re- member when they were given, in their courting days, good thick buffalo robes to keep them warm, and I hope the ladies will vote to preserve the buffalo. How about the real American — the Indian? His tribal life is fast breaking up and he is being absorbed in the "melting pot" for the future great American type. His de- scendants have a right to insist that his history shall be pre- served, and that this animal, which was part of his daily life, and furnished his food, clothing, shelter and fuel, shall not become extinct. Before the white men came and taught him to drink whiskey, the Indian was a pretty good citizen ; he was kind, brave, a good father and husband, a true friend and generous without limit. In the early days you could always trust an Indian, but the old saying of the Indian about the white man was : "White man mighty uncertain." For centuries the Indian was largely dependent upon the buffalo and only killed what he needed. After the hunter had taken his part, the rest went to the tribe and was used. He was a game protector and conservationist of the first order. I have stood at Medicine Rocks in South Dakota, and counted without moving over 100 skeletons of buffalo killed by white men merely for their hides and tongues, all the rest was left to the wolves. On my ranch in Montana a few years before I put in my Southern Forestry Congrkss 37 cattle, one outfit of white hunters killed 3,700 head of buffalo. Good roads were afterwards made in that country to haul out the buffalo bones. It is a wonder one is left. The white man having been largely responsible for the practical exterm- ination of the buffalo, it is now his duty to preserve the species. Should not our children and their children's children see and know this wonderful animal, so distinctive and closely related to our ancestors ? The educational and historic value of living buffalo is in- valuable to our youth. We build Institutes and Museums of Natural History to preserve mounted animals, spending mil- lions therefor ; every city and every public park should have live buffalo to show the people. Hardly anything attracts them as much. The government, in its exchange of international courte- sies, in the buffalo would have a gift to present, more valuable than almost anything produced in this country. Roosevelt says of the buffalo : "The biggest of the American big game, probably on the whole, the most distinctive game animal on this continent, the animal which played the greatest part in the lives of the Indians, and which most deeply impressed the imaginations of all the old hunters and early settlers." COMMERCIAL VALUE Let us now turn to the practical side of this subject. I consider it second to the ideal, but most of us pride ourselves on being practical. We work for a living and we like to get our money's worth. It will not hurt us to look at the buffalo as a commercial proposition. As a Food Animal. The buffalo in the old days, was killed chiefly for his tongue and hump and hide, but, although comparatively light in the hind quarters, he is fully as valuable an animal to raise as any beef steer, except perhaps the very highest bred fancy stock. The meat is very much like beef, possesses all the palatable and nutritious qualities of beef, with something of a game flavor, and will always command a good price as a novelty and Christmas delicacy. Leather. The hide, for purposes of leather of all kinds, is fully as desirable, if not more so, than beef skins. The buffalo hide is pre-eminently fitted to withstand the weather. The tepees of the Indian were made almost exclusively from 38 Proceedings of the the hide of the buffalo, and were often beautifully colored and decorated. These hides, however, are too valuable to be used for such a purpose in these days, but would make ex- cellent army shoes or harness, or could be utilized for any purpose for which cow hides are now used. Wool. The advantage of the buffalo over cattle is, that it has a true wool similiar to that of sheep. Ernest Harold Baynes, at an exhibit of the American Bison Society at the Sportsmen's Show some years ago, showed samples of this wool, together with yarn spun from it, and gloves knitted from the yarn. The exhibit included letters from woolen manufacturers expressing the opinion that buffalo wool was very closely akin to sheep's wool, that it was stronger than the average wool, and that for a long time it would be in demand at a high price as a novelty. If it could be obtained in quan- tity, there would be a good market for it for the manufacture of articles not requiring to be dyed in lighter colors. This may not be counted as important unless the herds are increased to commercial numbers and the spirit of the bison is tamed. It would be some job to shear a wild buffalo, but if we had some great government herds, the wool might form a valuable commercial asset. Bones and Horns. After the great slaughter of the buffalo upon the western plains, the bones, horns and hoofs were collected and converted into buttons, combs, glue and similar articles, and the bones were used for making charcoal, which is especially used for refining sugar. All the refuse was used in making fertilizers. Buffalo Robes. The most valuable of all products from the buffalo, however, is the combination of hide and wool which makes the well known buffalo robe, one of the most serviceable and warmest robes ever produced by any wild animal. "Buffalo" Jones exhibited a "cattalo" robe for which he claim- ed to have been offered $1,000, the "cattalo" being the result of breeding the wild buffalo with native cattle. These robes, taken from the buffalo at the right season of the year, and properly tanned, would be worth almost twice as much money as an ordinary steer would bring in the market today. The old markets and buffalo robe dealers have passed away, and the Government might find it necessary to advertise and hold sales, as is now done with the skins of the fur seal. If Southern Forestry Congress 30 the present policy of Goverment reservations for the conser- vation, protection and increase of wild life is continued and properly organized, the sales could include the hides of all fur animals, as well as elk and deer. There is no doubt that, as soon as these sales were of sufficient commercial mag- nitude, a fine market would result. Should the government and the states, in ten or twenty res- ervations, install herds of buffalo, elk, deer, and other large game, which could naturally increase, in times of war or great distress or famine, these animals, or part of them, could be used for food. In ordinary times, after the herds were fully es- tablished, with the modern methods of transporting meat in refrigeration automobiles, the surplus of this game could be slaughtered, canned and eaten, and the hides, wool and robes preserved to furnish part of the army equipment if necessary. Shoes, gloves, harness and other equipment required by the army and navy could be accumulated from the surplus raised upon government farms or ranches. Most of the waste lands could be used to conserve and increase the game resources of the country. Possessing the large Indian reservations, the great tracts of practically desert land, and the forest reserves, it would be good business for the United States government to stock these with game of all kinds, but particularly with large game — buffalo, elk, antelope, not only to preserve the species, but for its commercial purposes. So long as the Indians are maintained as wards of the government and reservations set aside for them, there is no reason why all these reservations throughout the country, should not be used as game farms and the game protected and cared for by the Indians themselves. LOW COST OF PRODUCTION The buffalo is an animal accustomed to forage for itself : It is acclimated to the semi-arid plains, can go long without water, and can graze where cattle could hardly exist. It is accustomed to the blizzards and snows of the West and, unlike the cattle, goes into the storm and through it, and is not driven before and destroyed by it. The buffalo can be tamed and domesticated, not easily, but time may make a change in this respect. Mr. Baynes drove about a pair of three-year-old buffaloes which he had trained 40 Proceedings of the in the Corbin preserve in New Hampshire, and undoubtedly, after a few years of domestication, this animal could be tamed sufficiently so that it could be handled by small farmers in the semi-arid regions of the West, and utilized upon the lands not otherwise available for the raising of cattle. In the East, as well as in the West, we believe it can be profitably raised, and I beg to quote here from a letter of Mr. W. H. Miner, owner of "Heart's Delight" Farm at Chazy, on Lake Cham- plain, N. Y., who writes as follows : "Am pleased to advise you that we have ten buffaloes in our herd and they are doing very well indeed. These animals are worth from $250 to $350 each, according to prices which are received by the Lincoln Park Association of Chicago, and as the hides are very valuable for fur robes, I consider the raising of buffaloes a profitable business. They are very easily kept, as the amount and value of the food they consume during the winter months is of little consequence; during the summer, they subsist on grass in our pastures and require no attention whatever during about eight months of the year." I also quote from a letter from Mr. C. Goodnight, of Goodnight, Texas, as follows : "history and effort of producing cattalo." Being raised in a buffalo country I became interested some years ago in their extreme hardihood and adaptability to thrive under all climatic conditions and on a large range of territory. I conceived the idea of crossing the buffalo with the common cattle, and if possible establishing a race which would stand the high altitude and severe winters as the buffalo themselves do, and the elk and the mountain sheep. Believing the Polled Angus to be the hardiest of the cow kind, I began some years ago on the imported Polled Angus. I found this to be a difficult undertaking of the breeding kind. After much loss of time and money I learned this could be done and am now in a position to say to breeders that it is practical and will prove to be extremely profitable for the following reasons : 1. As far as I have been able to test them, the cross, when high grade, is immune from all diseases. I have sent them to the coast — our tick-infested country — none of the full bloods have died, and of the one-eighths one out of three have died. 2. They thrive and do well on less food than other cattle. They put on more flesh for the food they eat than any animal known but do not carry the great extra fat which is a waste of common cattle. Their tallow is worth from two and one-half to three cents more on the pound. 3. In my effort to establish this race, I hope to establish the fourteenth rib, the same as the buffalo. This varies greatly — a few of Southern Forestry Congress 41 the high grades have the extra rib. Time and patience alone can add this perfectly. This will insure greater hardihood and a longer and deeper line. 4. They live to a great age and produce ; they do not get as light when old as other cattle. 5. They will cut off the range 70 per cent to the gross weight. It does not take as much range for them as for common cattle. The cows will weigh from 1100 to 1600. 6. They do not drift in storms. 7. They do not run from heel flies. They rise on their fore feet instead of their hind feet, which enables them to rise when much weaker ; this causes much loss in common cattle. They never lie down with their backs down the slant. This causes much loss in range herds. 8. Under same conditions they are more gerttle than either race. They are good mothers and thoroughly protect their young. They do not seem to want to run, and so far as I know, none has shown a disposition to fight. 9. They locate and do not have a tendency to ramble as other cattle. 10. They carry more brains than common cattle, hence take better care of themselves. This of course comes from the buffalo side and is carried in proportion to the blood of the animal. There are many other small points in their favor. They never eat loco. They can go much longer without water than cattle. Many other small points that would not be understood." Marketed in the right manner, as Christmas and fancy- meat, the flesh of the buffalo brings $1.00 per pound; no fat is so delicious as that of the buffalo, and it was held by the Indians to have great medicinal value. The buffalo is built heavily in front in order that he may better face the storm, and there is a great hump on the bull's shoulders to hold up his massive head — a head that, put upon the walls of your town hall, club, hotel or home is worth several hundred dollars. The buffalo is hardy, and unlike cattle, paws through the snow for his food, and has a strong instinct for self preservation. Cold bothers him little, but in summer he wallows his hide full of mud to keep off the flies and "hits" the high and breezy places. At the hearing before the House Committee on Agriculture on the Agricultural Appropriation Bill in February of this year (Bureau of Biological Survey Hearing, page 18), Dr. T. S. Palmer, in answer to the question by Mr. Helgesen, "What is the object of dividing them up into so many herds?" said : 42 Proceedings of the "If the buffalo were in one herd, we might lose them all at once in case of disease. Our buffalo have suffered at three different times from infectious diseases. When we took the herd to Oklahoma, it was said they could not be maintained on account of the danger from Texas fever. We actually lost two head the first year from Texas fever, but we stamped it out, and the herd has since been free from infection. In the Yellowstone Park herd, an epidemic of hemorrhagic septicemia suddenly broke out in December, 1911, and inside of two weeks we lost 22 head. In the case of the National Zoological Park herd here in this city (Washington), more than one- half of the herd died from gastro-enteritis some years ago. In my judgment, we should have not less than ten national herds widely separated, and have not less than 1,000 head of buffalo to insure against possible losses." The buffalo is a pretty good all around animal. He dis- covered this beautiful country and was the first tourist. Your kind of buffalo ranged as far north as Buffalo, N. Y., and down into Georgia. You have a "Buffalo Ford" and much interesting historical data relating to the buffalo in North Caro- lina. The government must take the trust and responsibility of preserving our big game, but they need the help of right- minded, generous and far-sighted people, particularly in the development of our national parks. It will well repay the country to have our parks developed, made accessible and stocked with big game. Dr. Pratt : In discussing Mr. Seymour's paper, I am going to ask Mr. George Powell, Secretary of the Appalachian Park Association, to open the discussion. Mr. Powell is interested in this question of stocking the forests with game. Mr. Powell: The work now being planned and carried out by the Forest Service in developing the Pisgah National Forest of about 75,000 acres for recreation purposes, gives promise of a general development of the national forests of the country for pleasure and recreation as well as the more material uses. The use of these forests for pleasure and recreation is now generally recognized as a valuable national asset. In taking over Pisgah Forest, the government finds itself the cus- todian of from 2,000 to 2,500 deer, with quite a large number of bears, wildcats, foxes, wild turkeys, pheasants, and streams well stocked with fish. The large number of deer and other Southern Forestry Congress 43 game to be found in this forest is due to the protection given under Mr. Vanderbilt's ownership, which, with his system of scientific forestry, has done so much for the Southern Appa- lachian region. As a nucleus for road construction, the government now owns about 17 miles of well graded road to the Lodge near the top of Pisgah. Realizing this as an ideal opportunity to begin a plan of development along pleasure and recreation lines, our Association offered to cooperate with the Forest Service in this work. The offer was cordially accepted and we are pleased to report that the Forest Service is working out a plan for road construction, game protection and mineral leasing that will give increased pleasure and benefits to the people in the use of these forests. Through this cooperation we have secured from the Department of the Interior a herd of twenty-five elk and eight buffalo for Pisgah Forest, to be shipped this winter. The expense of catching and delivering these animals on the cars will be met by the Biological Survey, and we are pleased to state that the Southern Railway Com- pany and the Burlington Line have agreed to give free trans- portation to Asheville. We need about seven or eight more buffaloes to complete the herd and we hope that when our friend, Mr. Seymour, president of the American Bison So- ciety, sees the beauties and adaptability of the forest in which they are to be placed, he will help to meet this need. It will be necessary to enclose about 250 acres lying on both sides of the road referred to, of which about fifty acres is fine pasture land. Our Association has undertaken to secure sufficient funds to build a fence for the enclosure, the cost of which will be about $3,000, and if any of our friends here desire to con- tribute to this fund, we will be glad to give them the oppor- tunity. It has been demonstrated that elk and buffalo will do well in these mountains. There has been a herd of buffalo and elk on the Big Snow Bird for several years and they are re- ported as being in fine condition. It is proposed to gradually turn the elk out, giving them the range of the whole forest, always leaving about twenty-five in the enclosure. I wish to call the attention of this meeting to the Gallinger amendment to the Agricultural Bill now before the confer- ence committee, providing for an appropriation of $3,000,000 44 Proceedings of the for the purpose of continuing the purchase of lands under the Weeks Law, and also to the amendments known as the Mineral Leasing amendment and the Game Refuge amendment, all relating to the national forests of the East. These amendments are of great importance in carrying on the work under the Weeks Law and we hope this meeting will pass suitable reso- lutions urging our representatives in Congress to support them when they come up in the House, which will probably be within the next few days. Dr. Pratt : You have heard references to a man from Washington made both by Mr. Seymour and Mr. Powell, and I am sure you want to hear at least a few words from one who has done so much for game protection, and who is interested in what we are trying to do here in the Southern Appalachian region. I am going to ask Dr. T. S. Palmer to say a few words. Dr. Palmer: Ladies and gentlemen, I came to Asheville to listen and to learn. I have no set speech, but I am glad to take this opportunity of telling you how much pleasure it gives me to come to North Carolina. This state was one of the pioneers in game protection. It may be interesting to mention to a Forestry Congress that there was legislation in North Carolina to protect game before forestry was even thought of — in fact, when the main object of the early colonists was the destruction rather than the conservation of the forests. The first law for the protection of game in North Carolina was passed in 1738, more than fifty years before Congress passed the first forest protection law, to which reference has been made by a previous speaker. About forty years ago, when game conservation by legislation reached such a high pitch of enthusiasm, North Carolina began to turn out local game laws with greater frequency than any other State in the Union. There are about 100 counties in the State, and each county has its own game laws — and some of them have had a good many. In some sessions of the Legislature there have been more than fifty separate enactments for the protection of game and upwards of 1000 such laws have been passed in this State in the last ten or fifteen years. I doubt if many people who do not hunt or follow such legislation can tell you what the present game Southern Forestry Congress 45 laws are, because they are subject to such frequent changes. Take for example the conditions in this immediate section, with Buncombe County as a center and the seven counties immediately adjoining. In these eight counties are seven different seasons for hunting deer, and these seasons vary from no open season to an open season of four months. In McDowell County to the east, there was no open season for hunting deer last year, and there will be none this year, because the deer are nearly killed out. Mitchell County has two weeks ; Yancey, one month ; Henderson, six weeks ; Bun- combe, two months; Haywood, two and half months; and Madison, four months open season. It is expecting a good deal to expect the deer to know the county lines and also the hunting seasons, so that they may run from one county to the next one when the season opens, and finally reach that county where they are protected all the year. If you will look at a map showing the distribution of forests east of the Mississippi River you will notice several states, as, for example, Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, where deer and elk were formerly abundant but where they are now exterminated. In Tennessee, elk and buffalo are completely gone and the deer almost gone. In New Jersey they were exterminated, but were reintroduced a few years ago ; in Delaware, they were exterminated fifty years ago; and in two or three other states they are almost gone. The deer supply has been reduced through over killing and lack of proper ad- ministration. One of the speakers has said that the problem of forestry is a problem of land; the problem of game pro- tection is a problem of land plus a problem of administration, and we have not yet solved the problem of administration and cooperation. Forestry and game protection go hand in hand. When the State of Massachusetts kills more deer, or you might say harvests more deer annually, than the State of North Carolina, and the little State of Vermont harvests a deer crop several times as large as that of North Carolina, there is certainly room for improvement in the latter state. We think that a great opportunity is about to dawn upon this section, with the acquisition of this great Appalachian Forest Reserve. There is a movement on foot to make some of these forests game preserves, and I hope this opportunity will be improved, not only by the Federal government and 46 Proceedings of the the States, but by associations and individuals, to restock this section of the country with certain kinds of big game, so that the buffalo will mean more than the picture on a ten dollar bill, and the elk something more than the emblem of a lodge. It may not be known to all of you that this movement to reintroduce big game in the Appalachian Mountains is already under way. A herd of elk was established in West Virginia, and one in Virginia, several years ago. Nearly one-third of all the elk shipped from the Yellowstone National Park last winter came East; one hundred head was sent to Penn- sylvania, fifty to Alabama, and forty went to Louisiana. I hope North Carolina will be in the list next year. Dr. Pratt: Any further discussion of this paper on the protection of the big game in the Southern Appalachian region? Mr. Peters : I am informed that there is a great deal of politics in State Game Commissions and similiar organi- zations, and that the resulting efficiency of these organizations has been very seriously interfered with. I am wondering if anything is being done to make these organizations more effi- cient. Dr. Pratt: I will ask Mr. Seymour to answer that ques- tion for New York. They tell me it is pretty well removed from politics. Mr. Seymour: We have a man in New York as Conser- vation Commissioner who is reputed a wealthy man, but you would not know he is worth more than an ordinary income. There is luck in names. Our New York Com- missioner is named Pratt — the same as the chairman of this Congress. He is a very fine man. The first time I met him I was bagging my bed in camp. He was near by and came over and helped me to get it in. He did it well, — understood what he was doing. Everything he does, he does well. He doesn't care anything about politics. He doesn't care anything about what he is making out of it. He is giving away most of his salary. There is very little politics in game conserva- tion today in New York State. It is the finest thing that ever happened to the State of New York to have a man of that stamp for Conservation Commissioner. That is the kind of work rich men ought to do. Southern Forestry Congress 47 Dr. Pratt : If there is no further discussion of this subject, there is one more paper to come up at this morning's session. That is on the subject of Biltmore Forest and Forest Plantations. As many of you know, Mr. George Van- derbilt was the patron of forest conservation and forest culti- vation here in the South, and it was through the public spirit- edness of Mrs. Vanderbilt, after the death of Mr. Vanderbilt, that the government was able to acquire what is known as the Pisgah National Forest. I am going to call on Mr. Verne Rhoades, Forest Supervisor, Pisgah National Forest. BILTMORE FORESTS AND FOREST PLANTATIONS* By Verne Rhoades, FOREST SUPERVISOR, PISGAH NATIONAL FOREST Biltmore Forest has been known to us for many years. It is frequently referred to as the cradle of the movement for forest conservation in the United States. While such a statement may be too broad, we may say without exaggeration that it was here that the first attempt was made to initiate and carry forward on a large scale, to a certain degree of perfection, and through a long period of years, a regular system of forest management which had for its primary object the per- petuation of the forest, of improving its condition which had grown from bad to worse through many years of careless cut- ting and abuse, of increasing its scenic attractiveness to meet the wishes of the owner, and all the while trying with some- thing more than partial success to make the forest operations pay their way. The chief interest to the forester lies in the fact that for America the forest work on this estate was un- usually intensive, and was conducted under unusually favor- able conditions. Because of its intensiveness it attracted wide attention both here and abroad. It is desirable before you visit the forest plantations that you have some acquaintance with the former forest, with the wishes of the owner, and with the reasons which guided the foresters of the estate in the formulation of their plans and in the application of certain methods. It is well to know * This paper was delivered before the Southern Forestry Congress in order to give the delegates, prior to their visit to Biltmore Forests, a brief, but com- prehensive outline of the forestry work on Biltmore Estate from 1890 to 1910. 48 Pkoceedings of the that prior to the purchase of the estate by Mr. Vanderbilt there were a great many small holdings owned by farmers who used their forest resources without reserve. The owners cut heavily for the firewood market at Asheville, and sold their best trees for the local lumber market. The woodlands were frequently burned to increase pasturage. Erosion had already become severe in the open fields and where over-grazing had exhausted the grass lands. The forest was characterized, where the large trees had been taken out and where fire had played an unimportant role, by stands of trees of all ages. Where fires had swept through after lumbering there was a second growth of sprouts and seedlings of even age under old trees whose crowns were large and widespreading. Both the young and the old growth were often defective, crippled, and fire scarred. After the consolidation of these small holdings Air. Van- derbilt at once started a change in forest treatment. His first act was to enter into a contract with a firm of Northern nurserymen to plant up several hundred acres of the aban- doned fields for the two-fold purpose of adding to the beauty of the landscape and of producing future forests. A year or two later he engaged the services of Mr. Gifford Pinchot as consulting forester. It was Mr. Pinchot who first drew up a comprehensive plan of management for Biltmore Forest in 1893. The woods operations under his supervision con- sisted for the most part of improvement cuttings which were designed at the time to remove the old, heavy crowned trees that were obstructing and retarding the growth of the young trees beneath them. The products of these cuttings were disposed of locally. The scheme of forest practice was to treat the all-aged stands as an imperfect selection forest, while the balance of the woodlands were managed as a regular high forest where the trees of the same age were grouped together. Listen for a moment to his own words in explana- tion of his plan of planting. "The plan upon which the forest planting is to be under- taken is a wide one and is likely to produce important results. We are acquainted with a great number of exotic species in their garden character ; we know very few trees as to their adaption to forest uses. Of the silvicultural character of American Southekn Forestry Congress 49 trees we are almost equally ignorant. It is intended there- fore to plant blocks of an acre or more each of a very large number of American and foreign trees, assigning each to the character of land which it is most likely to occupy with ad- vantage. These blocks are to consist of both pure and mixed forest, and a record is to be kept from the planting of the seed showing the yearly conduct of each species. Such an experiment may be expected in the course of time to add many important species to the useful forest flora of the country. The forest planting may add new species to our list of commercially valuable trees and discover new uses for those already known. It will add greatly to our silvicultural knowledge of the trees which it will contain." This plan was an ambitious one, but owing to the departure of Mr. Pinchot a few months later to enter the employ of the Federal government, only two or three plantations were made under his supervision. The position vacated by him on the estate was thereupon filled by Dr. C. A. Schenck, a German forester, educated and trained abroad. Mr. Pinchot's working plan was later revised in many particulars. Among the changes to be noted were the following: With respect to planting, the method of making acre plots was discarded in favor of a plan which sought to grow the native species on a much larger scale. But little attention was paid to foreign species. Writing to Dr. Schlich a few years after he had begun his work on the estate, Dr. Schenck says : "On the Biltmore plateau, except in northern coves the primeval woods were shortleaf pine standing at the rate of 20 or more big trees to the acre, with an undergrowth of scrubby oaks, hickories, sourwoods, and black gums. The aim on this plateau is to obtain as coppice under standards a vigorous growth of hardwoods, which do not promise to develop into good saw-logs under Biltmore con- ditions ; and with the pines and individual fine specimens of hardwoods as standards forming an upper story over the cop- pice. Where the moisture of the soil is sufficient, as on northern slopes, to warrant a successful growth of hardwoods, I want to exclude the pines and foster the reproduction as high forest, of white oak, yellow poplar, the hickories, and the chestnut, probably two-storied. A third type to be considered in this system of management is the planted type. This will 50 Proceedings of the be largely of conifers with a slight admixture of hard- woods." Thus we see that he had drawn away from the former plan since he actually did plant coniferous trees ex- tensively. This plan with certain modifications from time to time was followed for fifteen years. In order that we may be enabled to judge of the results of the planting experiments impartially let us consider for a moment some of the more important of the local conditions on the estate which faced both Mr. Pinchot and Dr. Schenck. In the first place there were a number of old clearings, situated principally on the slopes and on the tops of ridges which had been cultivated in years past, and then after the soil was practically exhausted for field crops, the land was pastured and generally grazed to still further exhaustion. Deep gullies, which made ugly uninviting scars on the hillsides, were fast cutting the soil away. Mr. Vanderbilt, with the desire to have the landscape views from his house and from alongside his drives more pleasing, gave instructions to have the waste places planted up as quickly as possible. When a few planta- tions had been made the owner often expressed the fear that the young trees would never get above the sedge grass or grow large enough to hide the barren fields from sight. As a con- sequence, the owner's desire to have the eroded slopes covered quickly was most naturally the controlling influence in the work of forest planting. Dr. Schenck frankly relates that he "got scared" for his reputation more than once when it seemed to him that the hardwoods would never succeed. There were no planting precedents in this country to guide either him or Mr. Pinchot. The plan of close spacing, often with mixtures of pine and hardwoods, was adopted by Dr. Schenck in 95 per cent of the plantations made under his supervision. He gave as his reason that if one species failed there would 'be enough of the others to keep the ground covered. The spacing is, as a rule, much closer than that advocated by the Forest Service and by the forest departments of many of the Eastern States. A study of the mixed hardwoods and the pine plantations leads to the conclusion that the hardwoods do not succeed well where the spacing has been close. There are several instances where the hardwoods planted in pure groups on good Southern Forestry Congress 51 soil have made fine progress, as may be observed in the case of red and white oak, black cherry, and sugar maple. There pure groups demonstrate that successful plantations of such species can be readily made where the site is favorable and where good nursery stock is available. But in the majority of instances on the estate there have not followed the results that were anticipated when the mixed plantations of pine and hard- woods were made. Even where the mixtures have grown thrifty and where the species have raced crown and crown for a dominant position, we are not yet justified in saying that the admixture is wholly an economic good. Before the time for the second thinning it may be that developments will show it to have been detrimental either to one or perhaps to both species. The failure of the hardwoods is generally to be found in those plantations where close spacing, together with the more rapid growth of alternate rows of pine, has not permitted their normal development. The dense interlacing crowns of the conifers have shut off all light from the hardwoods, so that like plants in a darkened cellar they either succumb or else developed as anaemic specimens which have no present worth or future value. When we consider carefully the close spacing which was followed we are confronted with the condition as to the fi- nancial practicability of the method under local conditions. We have seen that the dense planting has probably been one of the reasons for the high death rate, or at least the unsuccessful development of the hardwoods when planted in admixture, and hence we must argue that had there been more growing space in the beginning, better results would be visible today. There can be no revenue from early thinnings because in such a well wooded region as Asheville there is no market for the small trees taken out first. The question arises whether it would not be wiser to adopt a wider spacing and thus save the extra expense which the handling of a greater number of trees in a dense plantation would call for. If the height growth is as rapid and the diameter growth is even more rapid, and the species make clean boles as readily as in a dense plantation there seems to be no good reason, both silviculturally and financially, under present conditions for not using a wider spacing. 52 Proceedings of the When we consider the case of the pine plantations either as mixed white and yellow pine, or either of these species in pure stands, it is difficult to say enough in praise of their development. While some may interpose the objection that close spacing is not necessary here, still we cannot but ad- mire their uniform and rapid growth in both height and diameter. The death rate has been negligible up to the period when the crowns interlocked. The value of these pine planta- tions in reclaiming the soil is notable, and their future financial success is assured provided no calamity befalls, and provided they receive proper silvicultural treatment in the future. Of the non-indigenous species we find larch a fast grower with a shapely crown. Firs of various species are persistent but slow, with Douglas fir far in the lead of other species. Scotch pine and jack pine do well but do not equal the native shortleaf in rapidity of growth, in straightness of bole, or in shapeliness of crown. Western yellow pine in alternate rows with white pine has failed completely through disease. Among the hardwoods, black walnut in pure stands has made a poor showing except in one instance where the soil was moist and rich. Planted along on the abandoned fields it is no good. In mixture with sugar maple occasional speci- mens hold their own with the maple. Black cherry shows a tendency to fork too quickly and does not succeed except on the most favorable sites. Cucumber and yellow poplar have done surprisingly well on the poor dry soils but we cannot read the future for them. White ash does fairly well along the banks of a running stream but poorly elsewhere. White and red oak thrive in pure groups but have not developed in alternate rows with pine as a rule. Chestnut is a total failure in spite of much painstaking labor and thought. I want some of you to tell me why. On the whole the failures in the plantations have been more than outmatched by the successes. There are many highly in- teresting object lessons to be seen and reflected upon, while both the forester and the lumberman may receive much benefit from a close study of their history. In conclusion let me say that these plantations and con- servative cuttings ought to mean a little more to us than mere object lessons in planting. There is a deep significance Southern Forestry Congress 53 in their testimony to the patriotic impulse, the strong sense of public duty, and the feeling of personal responsibility to succeeding generations of Mr. George W. Vanderbilt, whose interest and generosity caused them to be made. Dr. Pratt : Is there any discussion of Mr. Rhoades' paper, or any question you wish to ask him? Of course, we will have a chance to make a pretty thorough investigation of this to-morrow. If there is no discussion, I will ask the Secretary to give out the notices. (Notices given by Secretary Holmes.) Meeting adjourned until 3 p. m. AFTERNOON SESSION, 3:00 P. M. Joseph Hyde) Pratt, Presiding Meeting called to order by President Pratt. Dr. Pratt: The first speaker at this afternoon's session is very well acquainted with our conditions here in the South. He was one of the men to begin the forestry work here a good many years ago. He became interested not only in state work, but in national work, and today he is president of the American Forestry Association. I take pleasure in introducing to you Mr. Charles Lathrop Pack, who will now address you. GREETINGS FROM THE AMERICAN FORESTRY ASSOCIATION By Hon. Charles Lathrop Pack PRESIDENT AMERICAN FORESTRY ASSOCIATION Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen: I cannot tell you how gratified I am to be back here in Asheville. The first time I stood on this spot where I am standing now was in October, 1883. There was no Battery Park Hotel at that time, but there was this beautiful hill and the grand mountains — old Pisgah and the others were here just as they are now. And Asheville was here with, I think, about fifteen hundred people. There were no pavements on the streets ; there was hardly a bank in town. I recall the time when, shortly afterwards, my family came here to make their home, their life home, 54 Proceedings of the and the purchase, about that time, by my father, George W. Pack, of the property which is now known as Aston Park. Very few of you ever met that grand old gentleman, Mr. Aston, one of the best assets this town ever had. And when it was found that the owners of the property would take $7,000 for it, the question arose as how to get $7,000 to Asheville, so I was sent North and brought the $7,000 to this place in a suitcase, largely in one and two dollar bills, and the largest bill was $5.00. The money was paid over, and my father and I had the satisfaction of seeing the money go into circulation down here. And over there on the public square, often towards noonday we would stand together and question each other as to whether Colonel So and So, or Major So and So, had received any of the money yet, and I assure you we could tell how fast it circulated — see it circulate — because the men with the money stood up straighter and walked faster. The land was later presented to the city of Asheville by my father, and named Aston Park. I could tell you many interesting things in regard to those early days in Asheville. Our family were the first Northern people to come here. The grandest hotel in town was the- Hotel Swannanoa, and when I came here they charged a dollar a day and changed the table cloths once a week. And Mr. Ruben R. Rawls, who is still living, was astounded when he was offered $2.00 a day for five people if he would re-paper the bedrooms and have a little better food. And about as soon as he got the house re-papered, other visitors from the North began to arrive. I became greatly interested in these mountains, where nature has done so much for man. I recall, about 1885 or 1886, going up the Pigeon River, (some of you have been up there, perhaps, fishing, in the Smoky Mountain region) and staying with a moonshiner. Theoretically, of course, there is no moon- shining in North Carolina; practically, — well, we don't talk about it. But I stayed with this moonshiner. We arrived about noon and he invited me and my friends to dinner. We had roast sucking pig and broiled guinea fowl and fine corn bread and good sweet potatoes — the table fairly groaned with the good things of North Carolina, and there is no state where there are more good things than right here. And after dinner we were taken out down the gallery at the side Southern Forestry Congress 55 of the house, and he opened a little door and wheeled out a keg on to the veranda. lie then passed around little baby gourds, and said, "Gentlemen, help yourselves." Well, that was corn whiskey, about as clear as water and nearly all alcohol. Well, I was doubtful about the results, and when nobody was watching me, I tossed the gourd full of whiskey on the ground behind a veranda post with a clinging hop vine. I thought I was unobserved, but a little fellow about four years old, in a yellow slip of homespun, came pattering along the veranda, and ran through the gangway calling out, "Grand- ma, the little fellow can't drink as much as Mama." There are a great many interesting things in regard to this region of Appalachia. And I am sure it is a great pleasure to me to bring to you the greetings of the American Forestry Association. Some of you, perhaps, do not know about the American Forestry Association. It has members in every state and territory in the Union, including Hawaii and Porto Rico and Alaska. It has thousands and thousands of members. Perhaps you will permit me right now to tell you that in the last five and a half months over 2,500 people have joined, paying $3.00 to $100.00 apiece. It is an American As- sociation that stands for all that is best in forestry, and I bring you this afternoon the hearty greetings of the directors of the American Forestry Association, wishing you God speed in the splendid work you are doing. I think, as Forester Graves told you this morning, that there is no part of the country that needs scientific forestry more than the southeast, and I do not know of any part of the United States where forestry, properly conducted, can do more for its people than it can in this region. And you will do well to organize in every Southern State a forestry association, or at least a fire protection association, so that you can get your equitable share of the money for fighting forest fires and preventing them that is appropriated annually by the United States Government for that helpful work which the Government undertakes in cooperation with the States. Many of the Southern States have received none of that money, and therefore have none of the benfits, simply bcause they are behind the times. I have lived for the last fifteen years in New Jersey. I know some of you who live in a part of the country 56 Proceedings of the where you have more blessings, don't think that New Jersey is even a part of the United States ; but be that as it may, we are a great State in many ways. Forty per cent of the area of New Jersey is in forest. Some people think of us as raising politicians and "cain," and other sorts of agricultural products, but we raise timber, also, in New Jersey ; and we have a forest fire system which I think is second to none. As Forester Graves can more fully explain, we receive, through his department, help that comes through appropriations in connection with the Weeks Law. This is a benefit received every year, and it is in that connection that we realize we are a real part of the nation. There are a great many forestry questions that are coming up of interest and importance. You all know something about the great destruction of the chestnut that has taken place in the East — the so-called chestnut blight. Up in our part of the world — in New Jersey — and in some other states, you rarely see a chestnut tree that is alive. When you look off across a wooded country, you simply see the bones of the former chestnut trees standing in the air, without life and in most cases without bark. The ravages of the chestnut blight were not stopped. And now, people of North Carolina, you have the beautiful five leaf pine — white pine, as we call it — and you want to look out, because there is another great scourge, and that is the five leaf pine blister rust. It is all over New England and elsewhere, and spreading rapidly. It got a big start before the scientific men spoke out loud about it. You must be wideawake to the danger, or you may soon have only sick or dead chesnuts and sick or dead white pines to look at. I saw a forest in Massacheusetts the other day coming down through Lenox, beautiful white pine trees, such as you see in some parts of Western North Carolina, and the greater portion of them were infected with this terrible blister rust pest. You will want to be, organized in every state in the mountain region for many reasons, but you particularly want to hurry up your organizations so that you can properly face this danger. There are other men with greater technical knowledge than I have who will talk about this white pine blister rust at this Congress. But I beseech of you not to Southern Forestry Congress 57 underestimate the importance of this terrible calamity which threatens us with the possible extinction of the white pine. Now, gentlemen, there are a great many things I might talk about, but you have many more experienced speakers than I — people who have a live message, and therefore I will say only a few words more. The forests of America are in- creasing in potential importance, particularly on account of the Great War. Do you realize that in Russia, in the Balkans, in Belgium, in Galicia, in France and England — everywhere — there is terrible destruction of forests not only on the bat- tlefields, where whole forests have been felled, and there is much the same scene of desolation as some of your mountain sides used to have when the tobacco crop farmers deadened the trees? But that is not all. England and France formerly imported a great deal of their lumber from Russia and the Rhine, and they are now cut off from that source of supply. The ocean freights are so high and the shortage of ships so great that a comparatively small amount of lumber has been shipped to England and they are cutting down the fine old picturesque woodland parks over there. One of the most picturesque, as well as the saddest, things of the war is this : There was organized in Canada a body of woodsmen — 2,5900 men or more. Some of them months ago paraded the streets of Ottawa clad in khaki trousers and Mackinaw shirts. They carried saws and axes, or peveys or canthooks, in addition to fire arms, and that 2,500 men have been taken to England — they are there now ; and what are they doing ? They are cutting down the historic old forests of England because England has to have the timber for mine props and for other necessary things, on account of the terrible shortage of lumber and wood at this time in England. What will England look like when you and I go back there after this great World War is over, and find that the forests have been cut so that we can- not recognize them ? I received a letter only Saturday from one of those Canadian men who is working in the south of England, in the forests, and he was permitted by the censor to send a letter to me. He said, "Really, my friend, we men of British Columbia, who have been used to cutting down the forests of Canada, really feel sad to cut down these magnifi- cent park or shade trees, but such is war." 58 Pboceedings of the Now all this has a great relation to the forests of the United States. I do not need to tell you that the potential value of our forests will be greatly increased by this terrible destruction of timber, and the uses for lumber that will come after the war. So it is important that we think more of our forest reservations — more of the great heritage which we should leave to posterity, and we should take care of these estates of the people which mean so much to us, not only from a finan- cial and economic standpoint, but from other standpoints. You, here in this region, have been greatly blessed because you live so near to nature. Aind I think every one of you will agree with me that the frequenter of the woods, the American forester, the man or woman who can climb these hills and see these grand products of nature, and all true frequenters of the woods, are men and women of artistic feeling. The tree has ever been the symbol of life, strength, beauty, and the eye of man cannot continue to look upon these monuments of nature without their beauty being reflected in his life, making him a happier and a better man, and their destruction, ladies and gentlemen, means not only the removal of one of our natural resources from a practical and utilitarian standpoint, but also from the viewpoint of morality, of happi- ness, of beauty and of spirituality. And I am sure you agree with me, that there is no compensation for such a loss. I thank you. Dr. Pratt : Following our custom in regard to papers and addresses, the address of Mr. Pack is open for discussion. You may discuss it or ask him questions or bring out any- thing you may wish. Mr. Powell: I have a resolution I think would well follow this talk of Mr. Pack's, and, if you will allow me, I would like to offer the resolution now. RESOLUTION Whereas, an amendment to the Agricultural Appropriation Bill has recently been approved in the Senate appropriating $3,000,000 for the purpose of continuing the purchase of forest areas under the Weeks Law; and Whereas, the continuance of these purchases is of very great importance to the public welfare of the Eastern part of the United States ; Southern Forestry Congress 59 Therefore, be it resolved that the Southern Forestry Con- gress, composed of delegates from practically all the Eastern states, earnestly urge the enactment of this measure into law. Dr. Pratt: Do you make a motion in regard to that? Mr. Powell: I offer it as a resolution. Dr. Pratt: You have heard the resolution. Is there a motion that the resolution be adopted? Motion made and seconded that the resolution be adopted. Dr. PraTT: Any discussion of the motion? Mr. Pack: Will you permit me to say just a word? This matter is of the greatest importance. I had a conference with a committee of men on Sunday evening at Washington on this subject. You have Congressmen from North Carolina and East Tennessee and West Virginia who will, of course, vote for that sort of resolution and work for it ; they have got to. They know perfectly well you won't send them back to Washington if they don't. If any of you know any of the Congressmen that live farther west, men who are not particularly interested in the Appalachian region, by all means wire them a copy of this resolution. There are many men from the central district of the country who, with a little urging, would vote right on such a subject, but with- out urging are very apt and quite likely to vote against it. They don't see any reason why they should buy some lands on the headwaters of these streams and fix a playground for you and me. And some of us, if we lived out West, might feel the same way about it. I think this resolution should be acted upon favorably and the officers instructed to send tele- grams to members of the House of Representatives from this region. I think the Mayor of Asheville and the Gover- nor of North Carolina and everybody should cooperate in this essential work. It means so much to all of us. It is easy for us to get together here and jolly each other, who are already converted, but the cause that gets no new converts makes little progress. Now, if you can convert one Congress- man from somewhere, it will be worth ninety and nine Con- gressmen that we know are with us. The resolution was unamimously adopted. A motion was made that the President be instructed to send 60 Proceedings of the telegrams to the President of the United States and the fol- lowing members of the House of Representatives : Hon. Champ Clark, Speaker of the House of Representatives; Hon. Claude Kitchin, Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee; Hon. John J. Fitzgerald, Chairman of the Appro- priations Committee ; and Hon. Asbury F. Lever, Chairman of the Committee on Agriculture. The motion was unanimously carried. Dr. Pratt : I might say that in addition to sending copies of this resolution to the gentlemen mentioned, that we will also send copies in the name of the Southern Forestry Con- gress to all members of Congress from the States represented here. Before I call on the next speaker of the program, I am going to ask a man who is here representing the Blue Ridge Association, which is interested with us in the formation of a Forest Protective Association, and which is interested in many ways in the work we are carrying on, to say a word. He has an invitation which he wishes to extend to the members of this Conference. It relates to a visit to the Blue Ridge Association grounds near Black Mountain. It is a place I have visited, and where I have found they treated you royally and hospita- bly. If you stay there during the summer, you will always find something going on that will be of interest to you, — confer- ences of one sort or another, and all of importance. I will ask Mr. Quillian to extend the invitation to you on behalf of the Blue Ridge Association. (Mr. C. Fletcher Quillian then, on behalf of the Young Men's Christian Association in the Southern States, extended to the delegates of the Congress "a cordial invitation to visit Blue Ridge.") Dr. Pratt : We are very much obliged for and appreciate the invitation extended us, and I sincerely hope some of you will be able to accept and visit the grounds of the Blue Ridge Association. I am sorry to have to announce that the next speaker who was to have addressed us is unable to be here, Mrs. T. W. Lingle, President of the North Carolina Federation of Women's Clubs. Her subject was, "The Part of the Women's Clubs in Forestry Conservation." We have found that the SOUTIIEEN FORESTKY CONGRESS 61 women of North Carolina, as well as those of other states, have been and are taking a very live interest in our conserva- tion problems. Among the delegates to this Congress ap- pointed by the Governor of North Carolina were many of the women of the State ; and, outside the city of Asheville, a much larger percentage of the women appointed by the Gov- ernor are attending this Conference than of the men, which indicates the interest the women have in this forestry work. We are mighty glad to have them here, and particularly those who have come to the Congress from outside Asheville. The question came up this morning as to whether the women were privileged to attend the trip tomorrow. I might say here that everything in connection with the Congress is open to the women just as much as to the men. They are delegates in every sense of the word. There is plenty of work to be done for all of us. One thing was mentioned to me this morning that was not brought out in the meeting. Mr. Seymour was speaking of the conservation of wild life and how we should begin to teach the children through teachers of the public and normal schools. One of our women delegates stated that he left out one im- portant way in which this subject should be taught, and that was through the mothers of the children. Get the mothers and all the women of this and other states interested in the work we are trying to do, and you will find that our accom- plishments and successes will increase by leaps and bounds. We will not then be obliged to look back by decades to see if we have made any advance, but we will be able to look back year by year and see an advance made in the work we are endeavoring to accomplish. I will now call on Mr. Maddox, Forester of the State of Tennessee, who will discuss the subject, "The Erosion Problem of the South, and Its Relation to Forestry." 62 Proceedings of the THE EROSION PROBLEM OF THE SOUTH AND ITS RELATION TO FORESTRY By R. S. Maddox, FORESTER, TENNESSEE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY "Ye who love the haunts of nature, Love the sunshine of the meadow, Love the shadows of the forest, Love the wind among the branches, And the rain shower and the snow-storm, And the rushing of great rivers, Through their palisades of pine trees, And the thunder in the mountains," — Longfellow. to you these thoughts of mine are addressed. But unlike the poet's country of meadow, forests, rushing rivers and great pine trees, I have another land to describe — one furrowed by gullies both great and small, land eaten into and washed away by the falling rains which should nourish it — whose extent in West Tennessee alone is estimated at between a quarter and a third of a million acres. To the reclamation of such areas the Forestry Division of the Tennessee Geol- ogical Survey is in part dedicated. Taking Tennessee as fairly typical of the problem of erosion in the South, it will be my object in this paper to point out to you why forestry should be a most prominent factor in the restoration of waste lands, namely, cleared lands which have been eroded to such an extent that they have been abandoned. RESULTS OF EROSION In the first place these eroded regions are a menace to pros- perity. We could liken them to a belligerent enemy gradu- ally extending his battle front. They occupy what should be some of our best lands, causing depletion in property values, and they reach ever outward to destroy still more rich country. The public highways are in danger from them. There are many places where the roadbeds have been moved in order to escape their encroachments ; but this gives only a temporary relief. In a few years this same process will be repeated, more road beds will be moved, more eroded areas creep up to destroy the new highways, and unless something is done to prevent such continuous waste, parts of the South will become desolate and the destruction much more extended. Southern Forestry Congress 63 Not only do these eroded sections eat into good areas, but they destroy other valuable lands through deposits from them. In Middle Tennessee and East Tennessee there is a flat country, bottom lands, over which have been swept and left quantities of gravel and stone through the rapid run-off of water. In West Tennessee there are bottom lands that once produced abundant crops of corn and wheat, which today are swamps grown up in willow, sycamore, gum and maple. Why? Because the sand and clay washed from the wasting lands above them were deposited in these flat cultivated fields and stream beds, causing interference with the drainage and rendering them incapable for the present of further culti- vation. A local change in temperature is also noticeable as re- sulting from these wasting lands. Over them in summer hangs a shimmering heat almost palpitating in its effect, quite unlike that which hovers over an ordinary field. In winter their mantle of ice and frozen ground only adds cold to the wind that blows unobstructed over them. Loss of timber is still another effect of eroded land. It has been the custom of farmers in Tennessee, and I dare say other states as well, to replace their worn-out fields by new ground. This new ground is secured by cutting, often ruth- lessly, into their timbered areas. On many of the farms on the hillside three stages of this kind of clearing can be ob- served. On the lower edge of the hill is an area lying in gullies, perhaps having a few scattering trees of inferior spe- cies. Being interpreted this means that that land was first cleared for cultivation, then worn out and finally turned out. Immediately above this plot is a field just breaking on the lower side into gullies. This was the next land to take the place of that first mentioned. Still higher up a third section can be seen embracing the hill top. This is either newly cleared to take the place of the partially depleted land just below or else it yet contains a stand of timber waiting patiently for the axe to complete the merciless cycle of destruction. The result of land erosion is an increasing drain upon our remain- ing timber, already none too abundant. 64: Proceedings of the causes of erosion We must look for the causes of erosion to the clearing of timberland. Injudicious cutting has occured in various ways. There is a type of land in the hilly and mountainous portions of the State too steep to admit of clearing for agricultural purposes, yet much of this has been cut off and cultivated with the result that it has washed into gullies and has been abandoned. Clearing timber from shallow soil may also be classed as unwise cutting of our woodlands. Here the underlying strata of rock is so close to the surface that forests are the only means known to date by which the soil and water can be economically held. Where such clearings have been done agricultural methods have not been successful in maintaining the soil for production. This has resulted in rocky, sterile land. Causes of erosion can also be traced to forest fires. While this source of damage is to a great degree familiar to all, yet it will bear mentioning here both because of the little at- tention it has received in the South, and because of the ways in which it happens. First the deliberate setting of fire to forest areas occurs in many sections with no object in view except to have a fire. Also many cattle men set fire to woods in order to destroy the leaf litter and to secure early grass to improve the grazing, as they say. The permeability of the soil is thus impaired. Much of the obstruction to run-off has been removed and erosion is the natural result. In this connection destructive lumbering must be men- tioned. As is well known, it is a system of cutting everything available for lumber immediately. No precautions for the protection of young growth are taken, no provision for a future stand of timber is made. This means that when rains fall the natural obstructions to run-off have been removed and the equilibrium established between erosion and the forest cover is destroyed. Incalculable damage frequently takes place before vegetation can grow to reestablish normal conditions. This state of affairs is often aggravated by fires induced by the presence of limbs, brush and other kinds of trash left from logging. The intensity of the heat from this accumulated rubbish largely if not wholly destroys the remaining vegetation Southern Forestry Congress 65 and thus further prolongs the period and the force of erosion before the area can again become normal. REGENERATION OF THESE LANDS After a careful consideration of the effects and causes of erosion we must necessarily come to the question of regen- eration— restoration. Here it is the plain duty of forestry to take a hand. Protection of our timber is one of forestry's main objects and just so surely as the system of fire prevention seeks to protect and promote the growth of standing timber, just so surely checking erosion is going to protect our re- maining woods, which under the present system are being daily reduced in value. This can easily be seen from one viewpoint alone. If present agricultural lands can be kept in a suitable condition for agriculture, there will be no necessity to ruth- lessly plunder our woodlands for more cleared land. In addition, the restoration of eroded areas means more land to be reforested. While it is true that some of the country reclaimed will be more suitable for agricultural purposes than tree growth, yet it is also true that much of the area to be reclaimed will be classed as forest land. This is a fact that must be recognized for several reasons. Much of this eroded area should be kept in timber for the protection of agricultural land, regulating the drainage and preserving it from the dangers of erosion. Much of this land, too, is naturally more suited to timber growth than to agriculture, while still other portions can be reforested and left in timber for many years to come even if not permanently. The process, then, of restoration means forestry — growing trees. In the process of regeneration there are several methods which are being tried out. To digress just here for a moment to West Tennessee, it may be of interest to know that this section of the state is rolling in character and of a sandy-clay soil. The sand and clay is mixed in such proportions that the soil is very easily eroded, especially where it is neglected. As a result there are many fields now lying out as waste. Many of these areas will no doubt be reclaimed for tree growth and others for crop production. In general the reclamation work here consists in first throwing up dams in the gulleys. These dams are built strongly enough to hold the stream flow, catch- ing the earth that the water washes down from the slopes, 66 Proceedings of the in a perfect network of brush and twigs. As soon as enough earth is secured, some form of vegetation is set to growing in order to hold the earth in a permanent way after the tem- porary brush dams have decayed. If tree growth is to be established the object is to build the dams, as above described, and set the area with those trees that will if possible, early become of commercial value as well as restore the land. Black locust is especially adapted to this use in many places. It enriches the soil, holds the earth intact and can be used for fence posts, poles, etc. Poplar, walnut, sycamore, red gum and other species are also good, depending upon the locality and results desired. SUMMARY. At every point erosion touches forestry. Its results and causes, as have been seen, are forestry issues, and attacking the problem means the regeneration of many acres for perma- nent tree growth. Restoration seeks to maintain a temporary stand of timber during the process, and even where areas that must become permanent agricultural land are reclaimed it still has a direct effect upon standing timber, for, as it adds more land to agriculture it also lessens the necessity for ad- ditional clearing of the woodlands. This reclamation means a more uniform stream flow and a reestablishment of the drainage equilibrium. It means that a more conservative method of private lumbering will be brought about and promis- cuous grazing with its attendant evils will be stopped. It means the suppression of forest fires and the elimination of at least a part of the far reaching harm which comes to our fish, game and birds. The relation between forestry and erosion seems clear. Forestry does not have to wait until a definite rocky slope needs restocking or a stand of timber needs cutting scientifically before it can do effective service. It is the forester's business to help create and maintain proper conditions so that the conservation of our natural resources will be secured. It is to this branch of the work that Tennes- see's Forestry Division is at present giving a great share of its attention. Dr. Pratt: The subject dealt with by Mr. Maddox is a very important one, and we now have ten or fifteen minutes in which to discuss this paper. North Carolina is apt to claim Southern Forestry Congress 67 a good many things, and to claim that she is first in a good many ways, but when it comes to deep gullies, I am perfectly willing that Tennessee shall have first place. Is there any discussion of Mr. Maddox's paper? Mr. BeslEy : To mention a concrete case which will em- phasize the points Mr. Maddox brought out in his paper. We all know that the erosion problem is a very serious one, but we often are not sufficiently acquainted with facts to enable us to give concrete cases. Where we are, they ought to be brought out. Last year, I had an opportunity to observe a point on the Patapsco River in Maryland, where a dam had been built ten years prior to that time. The silt which had been eroded from the watershed not more than 100 square miles in extent, was sufficient to fill this reservoir created by the dam 25 feet high, level with the top, so as to render entirely ineffectual all the many thousands of dollars expended in the construction of the dam. This accumulation of silt 25 feet deep at the dam and 100 feet wide, extended back for a distance of one-third of a mile, but, of course, it was not so deep back at the farther point, — probably about three or four feet. That gives you some idea of the immense accumula- tion of silt from a very small watershed area. The result was that this water-power plant built at this point was made absolutely ineffectual. And this silt had come down from rich farming sections above this point, and in doing so filled the channel of the river to the extent that floods were very frequent, the channel being no longer able to carry off the water. This river is the one on which Baltimore is located. In order to keep the channel open for navigation, the govern- ment and city together have spent something like fifteen million dollars in the last twenty years in taking out silt brought down by this one river. The people who owned the dam behind which the silt had accumulated made an opening at the bottom and let the water wash the silt on. There are, I think, four other dams below this point, all built for the creation of water-power. Of course, the silt was washed out of the first one and accumulated behind the next dam, putting them practically out of business ; this will be repeated by the next and so on, until the silt has finally worked down into the harbor of Baltimore, there requiring a great ex- 68 Proceedings of the penditure of money to remove it. So you see the problem is a far-reaching one, even though there are but a few cases where we can actually measure the results. It has been said that the amount of silt eroded from hill farm lands is 500 pounds per acre per annum. You can figure out from very large areas what that would amount to in a given time. Dr. Baker : I would like to make an observation as a result of study of stream regulation, which means prevention of erosion, in certain parts of Europe. During studies in Savoy in Eastern France, it was exceedingly interesting to see how mechanical obstructions were put into gullies and streams in various ways to prevent erosion. This morning, as Professor Maddox was reading his paper, it occurred to me that it would be an extremely interesting experiment to de- termine the power of vegetation of various kinds in preventing erosion, filling gullies, etc. If over the hills or in the mountain sections of Savoy, and the same is true in Switzerland and in the mountainous sections of Germany, an unusual rain starts gullying, immediately a mechanical obstruction, usually a barrier of brush or wood, is put into the gully and it is sur- prising how quickly the soil accumulates and erosion is stopped. Of course, the placing of mechanical barriers is followed im- mediately by planting of trees or smaller vegetation. Mr. Maddox : One word further in regard to eroded land that is not thought to be of any value for farming. The landowner should be made to realize that something will grow on what is frequently termed "gully dirt." Almost any land- owner, it matters not how poor a farmer he may be, can be con- vinced that such dirt can be made fertile in a comparatively little while, if caught and held. Call his attention to a number of dams he himself has seen along the public roads where weeds, briers and grass are growing luxuriantly on that kind of dirt which obstructions have caught from gullies. In that way you can convince almost any farmer. By building such obstructions in gullies you can get plant life to thrive and fre- quently better than on what might appear to be better soil. Mr. Graves: In my judgment the points brought out by Mr. Maddox regarding the relation of erosion to forestry are of very great importance, and I wish to say a word regarding the larger aspects of that problem. Southern Forestry Conoress 69 There is, as you know, a group of engineers who take the position that forests have very little influence on the conser- vation of water resources. Many of these engineers entirely overlook the erosion problem, ignoring the damage which is already occurring in many parts of our mountains and the in- fluence of erosion on torrents and floods. We do not have to go to books or to theory to show the influence of forests on erosion. We can go to our own mountain regions and find ex- amples so spectacular that I feel that even some of our en- gineering friends could no longer shut their eyes to them. We have in the west a number of National forests set aside primarily for the protection of the water resources. One of the greatest purposes is the regulation of the use of the vegetative cover to prevent erosion. Of course this pro- tection is taken care of through the proper handling of the forest cover. In some instances, however, in the southwest the forests have relatively few timber trees on the watersheds, which are covered mainly with a dense growth of brush locally called chaparral. Frequently people have ridiculed the Forest Service because these areas have been incorporated as National forests and yet contain very few trees. Their importance in the protection of the local interests which use water for irri- gation and other purposes is very great, so great in fact that in some instances the local communities are contributing many thousands of dollars to aid the Forest Service in protecting them from fire. As a practical example of what happens if the vegetative cover is destroyed, I might mention a fire which occurred in the fall of 1913 on the slopes of a canyon in south- ern California. Only 700 acres of brush land was burned over and yet the following spring the rains sweeping down over this denuded area caused a flood which did an enormous amount of damage,whereas previous floods had simply caused temporary high water which did little or no damage. On this occasion the watershed was literally torn to pieces, the stream channel cut in places from 10 to 15 feet deep, agri- cultural lands and orchards torn to pieces, and fine irrigated land covered with a deep deposit of debris which ruined it. There was a damage of $40,000 or $50,000 done in a few hours as a direct result of the burning of 700 acres of brush land. I could also give many instances of the effect of unregulated grazing on our western mountain lands which have been fol- 70 Proceedings of the lowed by very serious erosion and damage by floods. Similiar flood damage has been done in the east as a result of forest destruction followed by erosion. I repeat that we do not need to go to Europe for examples of the injurious effect of erosion following forest destruction. We have a multitude of ex- amples in this country. Mr. Seymour : I am going to talk a little about the orchard business again. I have a model orchard around a hill. We keep that in grass for two reasons : to hold the soil and to furnish humus to fertilize the trees. That has been found to be the best thing to do. I want to recite to you Roosevelt's illustration about this matter. He took a table that was nearby, took a glass of water and slanted the table and threw the glass of water on the table. Of course, the water ran off on the floor. Then he put a tablecloth on the table, threw a glass of water on it, and it all stayed right there. Dr. Pratt : I will now read the Committee appointments : COMMITTEE ON RESOLUTIONS. R. C. Jones, Chairman Virginia J. W. Tourney Connecticut Thomas A. Cox North Carolina H. S. Graves District of Columbia Dr. T. S. Palmer District of Columbia Miss Julia A. Thorns North Carolina J. E. Barton Kentucky Henry E. Hardtner Louisiana John L. Kaul Alabama Boiling Arthur Johnson Illinois L. J. Young Michigan R. S. Maddox Tennessee Gallatin Roberts North Carolina Mrs. R. S. Hosmer • New York J. H. Foster Texas COMMITTEE ON PERMANENT ORGANIZATION. J. G. Lee, Chairman Louisiana J. G. Peters • District of Columbia Edwin P. Cox Virginia Edmund Seymour New York F. W. Besley Maryland J. A. Viquesney West Virginia W. D. Tyler Virginia G. A. Loyall Tennessee Southern Forestry Congress 71 Mrs. Gordon Finger North Carolina Mrs. W. P. Wharton Massachusetts Mrs. W. T. Lindsay North Carolina PUBLICITY COMMITTEE Neptune Buckner, Chairman North Carolina Dr. Hugh P. Baker New York Verne Rhoades North Carolina W. D. Clark • Massachusetts Donald Gillis North Carolina REGISTRATION COMMITTEE E. H. Frothingham, Chairman District of Columbia Mrs. J. S. Holmes . . . • North Carolina L. L. Bishop North Carolina The last address this afternoon is by one of the men from Louisiana, who has been carrying on some work in connection with forest management, who is going to talk to us on "A Practical Example of Forest Management in Southern Yellow Pine." I take pleasure in introducing to you Mr. Henry E. Hardtner, of Louisiana. A PRACTICAL EXAMPLE OF FOREST MANAGEMENT IN SOUTHERN YELLOW PINE By Henry E. Hardtner, PRESIDENT URANIA EUMBER COMPANY For the past ten years, I have endeavored to make a care- ful study of forest conditions in Louisiana, and have made experiments as to the effect of fire and grazing on young forest growth; the relative value of land for timber and agricultural purposes ; the taxation of forest lands, and the need of additional legislation in order to maintain a permanent timber supply. I have tried to observe the changes in stream flow and water supply on our denuded watersheds, and other matters closely allied to forestry. Gradually the problems are worked out as the experiments ripen, and from time to time the findings are announced to the general public and to the various state departments, as well as to the Forest Service at Washington. The lumber industry, for many years past, has not been a profitable one, and has yielded the manufacturer very little, if any, profit. Why this deplorable condition exists, or its 72 Proceedings of the remedy, I will not undertake to discuss. I wonder if any great number of people, or the manufacturers, even realize how much longer our forests will last, and the ruinous policy they are pursuing in denuding the forests, with scarcely any re- turns therefrom. Take Louisiana, for example — the State Board of Appraisers, for the year 1914, reported the yellow pine acreage as follows : Class A 259,545 acres @ 20,000 feet 5,191,300,000 Class B 418,686 acres @ 12,000 feet 5,026,232,000 Class C 624,664 acres @ 10,000 feet 6,246,640,000 Class D 1,070,351 acres @ 6,000 feet 6,422,106,000 Denuded 4,502,216 acres @ 1,000 feet 4,502,216,000 Total 6,875,482 acres 27,388,494,000 Let us presume that there are errors in classification, that there are lands not classed as pine which should be ; that the mill cut will exceed the log scale or estimate ; that there will be closer utilization, etc., and in order to get full estimate, let us double the total stumpage, as reported by the Board of Appraisers, and we have 54,776,988,000 feet. The estimate is high, if anything, for the Board of Appraisers and the as- sessors are very watchful, and the timber lands being largely in the hands of operators, the acreage and classifications are as nearly correct as can be figured. The annual cut of yellow pine in Louisiana is nearly three billion feet, gathered from available statistics, and will con- tinue around that mark for years to come, as all the mills are equipped to run night and day, and no doubt as soon as pros- perity smiles, the cut will approach four billion feet. So at the present rate of cutting, our virgin forests will be ex- hausted in eighteen years. I doubt if there is a single manu- facturer in the State who can operate his mill twenty years longer, and the timber supply is already in the hands of manu- facturers so there is no surplus to draw from. The same con- dition exists in all other Southern States — in most of them it is worse. We are face to face with a serious problem. Many millions of acres of valuable timber lands in the Southern States, cap- able of giving employment to thousands and placing millions of dollars in circulation, are soon to be made almost worthless. Not all of these acres are valuable for farming, and fully fifty Southern Forestry Congress 73 years must elapse before even a small portion are in demand for agriculture. We might as well face the truth : Fully 50 per cent of our hill lands are unfit for agriculture and should be kept in forest. It is a good thing for any State to have forest lands and grow trees, for it is a source of great wealth and of great value in other ways. There should be a census taken of all lands to ascertain their present and prospective value. In this way we would know which lands were agri- cultural, and which should be planted to timber. No man should be allowed to hold large areas for speculative purposes. If the lands are chiefly valuable for agriculture, let them be classed as agricultural lands. If they are valuable for timber, let them be classed as such and provision made to encourage the owners to grow timber. We have a great many people who place a value on lands chiefly for the taxes that the owner must pay. For instance, one of Louisiana's large land owners, who is prominent as one of the Nation's great conservationists, wanted to take advan- tage of the State's encouraging offei? to fix the assessment on lands dedicated to timber growth at one dollar per acre for thirty years. He made known his wish to the assessor, police jury, and other officials, that he wanted to grow timber on 10,000 acres of denuded lands. He was told very plainly that they did not want forests — that they wanted farms and would raise his assessment on other properties if he persisted in grow- ing timber and having an assessment of one dollar per acre placed on such forest lands. Of course our friend had to give up the idea. These officials could only see the taxes coming in from an assessment of two dollars per acre as at present, which must continue for many years, the land not even yielding good pasturage. Their vision was not great enough to see a valuation of one dollar per acre for thirty years, and then for the next thirty years when the timber was maturing, an average assessment of perhaps fifty dollars per acre. They could not see the amount of work that would be given to the people, the money placed in circulation, and other vast bene- fits. They could not realize that the state would eventually get three or four times as much in taxes. As a matter of fact, timber cannot be grown profitably until the question of taxation is first settled. In some states 74 Pkoceedings of the the lands only are assessed, and an additional tax is levied against the yield when the timber is cut, and this is the cor- rect way. Tax the timber when cut. Our Louisiana law was framed to fit the constitution. An assessment of one or two dollars per acre for thirty years and actual valuation there- after, which would perhaps average fifty dollars per acre for the next thirty years. This amounts to practically the same thing as a yield tax in force in some other states. Until the question of taxation is fixed, there will be no effort made to grow timber in any state. There should be a reasonable annual tax on timber land with a deferred tax on the timber, to be assessed and paid when the timber is taken therefrom, in order to prevent the constant cutting of growing timber by private owners who cannot afford to conserve it under the present system of taxation. Successful agriculture is determined by the cost of produc- ing a crop, and the same principle will apply to production of timber. We are all very proud of our Southland and inclined to boast of our resources — but too often we depend upon strangers to do the real work of development, and when we see their success, we wonder why we were so blind. There is no use to misrepresent the resources and possibilities of any State to any one — not even to ourselves. We might as well face the fact that not all of our lands are agricultural, and that forests must be renewed, and in those sections where lands are handled for their true worth, you will find permanent pros- perity. We have lands which may become profitable for agri- culture fifty years hence when conditions are different, but until that time does come there is no harm in producing a crop of timber rather than have the lands idle. In my efforts to reforest denuded lands, I found it neces- sary to leave a number of seed bearing trees to each acre. The next step was to prevent fires. I was amply rewarded in my efforts in this direction but in a different way from what I ex- pected. A 300-acre tract surrounding my home on which the virgin longleaf pine was cut in 1902, leaving plenty of seed trees, now has a full stand of shortleaf pine saplings, five to ten years old. I have often wondered at this change. I knew that there had been longleaf pine seed crops and that fires had been prevented. Nearby there was a tract of 4,000 Southern Forestry Congress 75 acres of denuded longleaf pine land which burned over an- nually until 1913, and on which there was scant reproduction of any species. Four thousand acres longleaf forest with plenty of seed trees, burned annually — no reforestation. Three hundred acres of longleaf forest protected against fires for twelve years and complete reforestation of shortleaf. The solution was simple. There were a few shortleaf seed trees on the branches, which bore seed every year, and the wind scattered the seed in every direction. The longleaf pine trees also bore seed which were scattered. As soon as the seeds strike the ground, they germinate and, if cared for, com- plete reforestation will soon result. This was the case on the three hundred-acre tract. There were, no doubt, as many long- leaf seedlings as shortleaf. The seed of longleaf pine are strongly convex, oblong, oval, somewhat less than half an inch long. The kernel is oily, rich in nutritious matter and palatable. When the seedlings are one year old, the roots and short stems are spongy, sweet and tender, and the hogs soon destroy the full crop. If a small proportion of longleaf pine seedlings survive the first year, the hog is sure to get them the next season, so I am convinced that the arch enemy to long- leaf reproduction is the hog. Shortleaf pine seeds are very small and the year old seed- lings have a slender stem and root, and are not at all relished by hogs. It took me ten years to find out the reason why this tract did not reproduce at least a few long leaf pines. It was hogs. In 1913 there was a big crop of longleaf pine seed which germinated in November and December; and there must have been 5,000 to 20,000 seedlings to the acre in December, 1914, nice, large, juicy ones ; and then came the hogs from the swamps and one hog would average five seedlings a minute and there were droves of hogs all busy. Here I had labored since 1913, with an army of men to prevent fires, which I con- sidered the only enemy worthy of note, and all at once before my eyes, in every direction I saw the real enemy destroying seedlings by the million. The earth was covered with freshly up-rooted seedlings, and it was very plain that the hogs had heretofore prevented reforestation. In May, 1915, in order to save some of the seedlings of 1913 and prove my experiments, I had Urania plot No. 7 containing 2,500 acres fenced with 76 Proceedings of the hog proof wire, leaving the same number of acres on the outside. Two months ago, namely in May, 1916, the longleaf pine seedlings under fence were numerous, while on the out- side they were very scarce. There has been complete de- struction of the unprotected seedlings. What more evidence is needed? Fire now seemed a friend and I commenced burning over a few acres in this fenced plot and the locomotives would set fire to a plot and burn as much as forty acres. There were a dozen such burned areas commencing in October, 1914, and ending April, 1916. The dried sedge grass was heavy, and the fires hot, but from 50 to 90 per cent of the seedlings survived and in a few days the buds put forth new straw and are today healthy and vigorous. The green straw would burn off level with the ground, but the bud was not injured. Of course these experimental burnings were usually at a time when the ground was wet and the sap down or just beginning to rise, which was favorable to fire resistance, but I do not think the seedlings would have been destroyed even though the soil had been dry. A two- and three-year old seedling will resist fire much better than a year old, for there is a heavier covering of straw over the bud. While I am opposed to fire at any time, and do not advocate its use, I am confident that even one year old longleaf pine seedlings will survive a fire, especially if it occurs during a wet spell, and their resistance to fire is increased the older they grow. I am also convinced that the longleaf pine seedlings will not survive the hog, and reforestation is impossible in a country where hogs roam at large. The remedy is : First pre- vent the hog, then prevent the fire. If any further proof is necessary to show why longleaf pine forests do not usually reforest in longleaf pine, let us view United States Forest Service sample plots C-l, C-2, C-3, C-4, ("Roberts"), one-fourth acre each on cut over longleaf pine lands with occasional seed trees surrounding them. The heavy longleaf pine seed crop of 1913 resulted in an excellent stand of seedlings of this species. On January 1, 1915, the average number of seedlings was over 3,000 to the acre. These plots were established to trace the development of young long- leaf pine reproduction. Plots C-l and C-4 were burned over on February 10, 1915. The damage from fire was scarcely Southern Forestry Congress 77 noticeable, but in March, 1915, the hogs began to eat the roots of the seedlings on un fenced plots, C-2 and C-3, destrying fully 50 per cent, and in March and April, 1916, completed the work of destruction so that no seedlings are now left on these two plots. Fenced plot, C-4, which was burned, and fenced plot, C-l, unburned, have as perfect a stand of two- year old longleaf pine seedlings as one could want to see, fully 5,000 to the acre, an increase over the count made when the plots were laid out. One to three-year old shortleaf or loblolly pine seedlings will not survive a fire, but hogs are not a serious enemy. Longleaf pine is the gem of all the pines and if given a chance, will grow as rapidly as shortleaf or loblolly pine and produce a much better grade of wood. Very little effort, however, has been made to grow it for the reason that it was supposed to be of slow growth and difficult to handle. Another experiment which we are making is in thinning a 21-acre plot of shortleaf and loblolly pine. This plot was in cultivation 25 years ago and the trees now growing on it are 24 to 25 years old. Thinnings should have commenced 15 years ago, as the stand was heavy and the growth in the last 15 years has been much suppressed. We cut out about 100 trees to the acre, leaving 200 to 250. From the 21 acres we secured : 180 cords wood @ $1.25 = $225.00 555 tram ties @ .05= 27.75 200 posts @ .03= 6.00 Total $258.75 The cost was $205.00, or a profit of $53.75 or $2.55 per acre, sufficient to pay all taxes and other expenses. The tim- ber removed was from two to twelve inches in diameter, breast high, and could have been used for other purposes at a greater profit, if facilities had been at hand for proper treatment. The thinnings will greatly accelerate the growth of the remaining trees, which at a low estimate will add one inch of wood every five years, or four inches during the next twenty years at the end of which time the timber can be cut. Such an increase in growth would raise the yield from 300,000 feet to nearly 900,000 or 42,000 feet per acre, at an age of less than fifty 78 Proceedings of the years. Accurate measurements have been made of every tree, the trees numbered, and many photographs taken. Meas- urements will be made at intervals of five years, or oftener if necessary. A complete record is at hand for examination at any time. A condensed statement of acre No. 8, plot No. 1, is as follows : Inches in Diameter Number of Inches in Diameter Number of Breast High Trees Breast High Trees Under 3 46 10 7 3 29 10.5 8 3.5 5 11 8 4 12 11.5 3 4.5 4 12 4 5 11 12.5 3 5.5 5 13 4 6 15 13.5 2 6.5 18 14 2 7 8 14.5 2 7.5 0 15.5 2 8 25 16.5 1 8.5 17 17 1 9 11 22 1 9.5 6 This acre of 251 trees will yield, at the present time, 13,544 feet. Adding four inches, the estimated growth in 20 years, we will have 42,388 feet. With stumpage now selling at $5.00 per 1,000 feet, we may reasonably infer that 20 years hence when this acre of timber has matured, it will easily have a value of $10.00 per 1,000 feet, or $423.88. If converted into lumber and delivered to Northern markets, the value will be at least $1,200.00, 80 per cent of which value will have been paid out for labor and supplies. I am not prepared at this time to say what the cost of growing timber will be, but I presume it will not exceed $2.00 per 1,000 feet. A table showing volume of board feet which can be cut from small trees and on which my calculations are made is as follows : Southern Forestry Congress 79 Inches in Di( imeter Number of 16 ft. Top Diameter of Volume bd. feet Breast High I^ogs TOP IyOg '/h in. kerf 5 1 4 8 6 2 4 24 7 2 4 40 8 2 5 51 9 3 4.5 66 10 3 5 94 11 3 6 113 12 3 7 180 13 3 8 240 14 4 9 315 There are a dozen other experimental plots in the Urania forest which were laid out by the United States Forest Ser- vice and the Conservation Commission of Louisiana, in co- operation with the Urania Lumber Company. In these plots are seedlings a year old, and trees from 10 to 30 years old, all well arranged and a complete record kept. One demon- stration plot is along one mile of road; a strip 100 yards in width being thinned on the south side, while the north side is untouched. The comparison is very interesting and convincing, and one must acknowledge that it is as necessary to cultivate timber as cotton or corn, and that when the work is done properly the yield will be greatly increased. It is just as easy to grow 50,000 feet of timber to the acre in 60 years, by assist- ing nature, as it is for nature alone to produce 5,000 feet in the same time. When we hear of a virgin tract of timber 200 years old estimating 15,000 to 20,000 feet per acre, we think it something unusual, but there could as well be 40,000 feet. In virgin tracts there are many blank spots, the trees are not equally distributed and fire demands its toll, all of which ac- counts for the small yields. In cultivated tracts the blanks are filled up, consequently there is no waste space. The Federal Government under Section 2 of the Weeks law, offers to assist the States in protecting the forested water- sheds of navigable streams from fire. In order to secure as- sistance of this kind, a State must have provided by law a sys- tem of forest fire protection and have appropriated funds for the purpose. All of the Southern States should take advan- tage of this law and the readiness of the Federal government to co-operate should be an incentive to immediate action. Dr. Pratt : Mr. Hardtner's interesting paper is now open 80 Proceedings of the for discussion. I am sure he will be glad to answer any questions any of you may wish to ask him. I may say that the investigations we have made in North Carolina have led us to the same conclusions that Mr. Hardt- ner had arrived at. The razor-back hog has uprooted and destroyed many, many acres of longleaf pine in North Caro- lina. For example, in New Hanover County there is a stock law, and in the adjoining county cattle, sheep and hogs range freely. In the former, longleaf pine is plentiful, and in the latter you can hardly find a longleaf pine, while the conditions are otherwise very similar. Is there any discussion of this paper? Any questions? If not, the next business session of the Congress will be Thursday morning at 10 o'clock in this room. Meeting adjourned. THURSDAY, JULY 13 MORNING SESSION, 10 A. M. J. G. Peters, Presiding Dr. Pratt : This morning I am going to turn over the ses- sion to a man who has been very much interested in the work of the various states, especially the co-operative work that the states are doing with the Forest Service. As this session takes up particularly the protection of our forests from fire — not, as the program reads, "Forest Fire Protection," but the pro- tection of forests from fire — the Committee has asked Mr. J. G. Peters, who is Chief of State Co-operation in the Forest Service, to preside. I take pleasure in introducing Mr. Peters. Mr. Peters : Ladies and Gentlemen : We have heard at this Congress a recipe for keeping our tourists in the United States, which is that our hotel keepers must bake better bread, repair the springs of their beds, and especially lengthen their bed sheets. The recipe for keeping our forests is to protect them from fire. The first talk this morning is very properly on the subject of the organization of fire protective systems. If we assume that fire protection is a good thing, that it is beneficial to the Southekn Forestry Congress 81 public, we are naturally interested in securing the most efficient character of organization with which to start and operate the work. This subject has been assigned to one who has given it a great deal of thought and study. He is chairman of the Legislative Committee of the American Forestry Association, and it gives me pleasure to introduce him — Mr. H. H. Chapman. ORGANIZATION OF STATE FOREST PROTECTIVE SYSTEMS* By Prof. H. H. Chapman YALE FOREST SCHOOL The theory justifying the organization of State protective systems is that forest lands will not reforest themselves nat- urally under the conditions created by modern lumbering and settlement. If this is not true and our Southern forests persist in reproducing themselves in spite of forest fires, grazing, and the destruction of seed trees, then we are wasting our time with State protective systems. The determination of actual scientific facts regarding forest fires is the first step towards State forest fire protective systems. There is a double tendency to error in judging Southern conditions when applied to the coastal plain pine region. Foresters whose conclusions are based on knowledge of Northern pine or of hardwood stands regard fire as an un- mixed evil to be totally prohibited at all costs. Laws to this effect are urged and State protective systems advocated based on the hypothesis of instant detection and suppression of every fire, no matter how small. On the other hand, superficial ob- servers who have grown up amid Southern conditions and have never attempted a close and careful study of specific tracts, knowing that fires have always been present on these pine soils and seeing abundant young growth in many local- ities may leap to the conclusion that fire is not only a necessary evil but a positive benefit and take issue with those who advo- cate the suppression of burning. As usual, the truth lies be- tween these extremes. What are the facts ? Fires have always been present, most frequently on longleaf • Nothing in this paper applies to the hardwood and mountain regions of which Asheville is an example. 82 PROCEEDINGS OF THE pine stands. So true is this that the very structure and growth of the seedling is designed to secure in the shortest possible period after germination, the greatest protection against fire. The young plant can put out a new crop of needles and sur- vive even after every vestige of foliage has been burned off in spring fires, a thing that no other pine can do. Longleaf pine seed cannot germinate and take root on a carpet of hardwood leaves or a two-year accumulation of pine needles, it withers up before reaching the soil, but upon ground burned bare of this dead vegetation seedlings are immediately established. Hence fire prepares the seedbed for the seed. But the recur- rence of fire in the following year or two almost completely destroys these seedlings. A few escape when growing in openings where thin grass sod does not hold the blaze. The resistance of even one-year seedlings to fire is greater than one would imagine. Yet on the whole studies show that fires in the first year account for 95 per cent of every heavy crop of seedlings that spring up after the periodical seed years customary for the species. But beyond this initial stage the damage done by fires de- pends upon their frequency and the season of the year. An- nual fires which burn off the foliage of the seedling stunt its height growth to one-third or one-fourth of normal and event- ually weaken it to the point of complete exhaustion and death. On the other hand, an accumulation of a few years' litter in absence of fires greatly increases the possible damage done to the young trees when fire occurs. The postponed fire is then sufficiently hot and lasting to penetrate the protection of the bark and destroy the tree by girding the cambium. The in- jurious effect of fires is increased tenfold if they occur in Au- gust or September as contrasted with December or January, owing to the increased dryness of the vegetation and soil. In such seasons and with a high wind, pines of merchantable size which have previously resisted fires from their seedling period on are killed. Coupled with this increase in hazard which will occur through successful fire prevention, we have a fire season lasting throughout the entire year. One hundred inches of rain may fall in a season, and yet be distributed in such a manner that it secures temporary relief from fire risk only for Southern Forestry Congress 83 two or three days at a time.* The local population are ac- customed to burn the woods for a variety of reasons, to im- prove grazing, to exterminate ticks, to destroy cover for "varmints," or just for fun. They are tenacious of customary rights, resentful of control, of a low standard of living, many sections being entirely populated by negroes, and the task of successfully preventing all fires by state edict, even when backed by a state force, is next to impossible. When added to this we encounter reasonable scientific doubt as to the wisdom of such complete elimination of fires, the problem requires close consideration. What is the solution? Certainly not that advocated by the practical observers, of doing nothing. Fires must be controlled and used in Southern pine for the double purpose of securing reproduction and diminishing the fire risk to standing timber. No one will advocate that fire be discon- tinued in cooking and manufacturing because it is apt to escape and destroy the home or factory. The use of fire should be under the owner's control. There can well be a closed season of nine to ten months, during which every effort should be made to prevent fires, but during December and January there may be much land that will be benefited by burning. This does not mean indiscriminate burning annually of all forest land in these months. The burning should be at the owner's option. On areas recently cut over where reproduction is sought, the land after burning should be specially posted and protected for a period indicated by the species and con- ditions. Nor should young pine, even longleaf, be burned over every year, even after it is large enough to survive the treatment. An interval of two, or even three years may prove sufficient to keep the hazard down while permitting some soil protection and preventing injury to foliage. (Hogs are fatal to two-year old longleaf seedlings, and none can be grown in spite of fire protection, where hogs run loose even in small numbers.) With shortleaf or loblolly pines the damage done by fire in enormously increased. The seedlings of these species do not reach a size giving immunity even from mild winter fires until at least five to eight years old. Summer and fall fires * The fire hazard, however, varies tremendously with soil and vegetation. Longleaf pine needles on soil typical of this species will burn in any month of the year. 84 Pkoceedings of the destroy them when 15 to 25 years old. Fires following long periods of protection and burning late in the season will kill mature trees two feet in diameter. On typical sites occupied by these species, fires burn less frequently than on longleaf stands. The moister soil will produce more shade and brush while the needles are not so inflammable. In some sections fires recur in shortleaf stands about once in 6 or 8 years. This interval is sufficient to permit the establishment of seedlings under a forest canopy, but when grown on old fields the trees reach a much larger size and may come through. The prevalence of second growth pine of these two species on abandoned fields has a close relation to fire protection in this initial stage. Fields abandoned after cultivating cotton or corn are free from grass sod or forest litter. The seedbed is ideal, but most important of all is the fact that there is no fuel for fires. The young trees finally produce a mat of needles, but by this time they are from one to three inches in diameter and safe from the fires which consume their own litter. By contrast it may be observed that abandoned pastures with an established grass cover seldom stock up with a full dense stand, but produce a sparse, scattered growth, owing to the de- struction of a large proportion of the reproduction in the early period by fire running in the grass. On cut-over lands reproduction is enormously reduced both by fires after logging and by the combined effect of absence of seed trees in close cutting and competition of scrub oak and other worthless growth which may make it impossible in the future for the pines to establish themselves. Here again, de- tailed studies showing just what actually takes place are the only reliable basis of conclusions, and it is absolutely safe to generalize from such studies, while observations from a car window or deductions gleaned from census statistics are sub- ject to grievous errors. My conclusions regarding the need for State organization in the Southern coastal pine region, and specifically excluding mountain hardwood types, are : First, the creation of the office of State forester to be filled by a technical man capable of studying actual conditions in a way to get at lasting results. Second, and subject to his suggestions after investigation, Southern Forestry Congress 85 the regulation of fires by penalties for burning other people's land, and of possibly the establishment of a closed season for fires. Third, the posting of lands upon which the owner wishes to control fires and assistance in seeing that his wishes are respected. The enforcement of any fire law in some States of the South will for a long time have to depend upon appointed fire wardens, acting without much State supervision, for there will be but little money to organize a force of district or county foresters or inspectors similar to those used by Northern States. The South must depend to a very great extent upon the edu- cation of the timberland owners in the proper use of fire, and the best results will at present be obtained from individ- uals or corporations who assume at their own expense the management of the fire problem on their lands. The one fundamental step at present is the organization of efficient State forestry departments under the same character of non-political control as is secured in the work of State agri- cultural colleges and experiment stations. Experience in the South has already indicated the need of this course. Five Southern States have placed their forestry work under com- petent professional guidance. Two — Tennessee and North Carolina — through the forester appointed by the State Geo- logical Survey; one, — Kentucky — by means of a board which is required to appoint a trained forester ; two others — Texas and Virginia — by giving to the State University the respon- sibility through its governing board of selecting a forester. In all of these States local problems are being intelligently worked out, educational work pushed with vigor, and real progress made towards true forest conservation. Five Southern States have done nothing — South Carolina Florida, Georgia, Arkansas, and Mississippi. The two remaining states — Alabama and Louisiana — were the first in the South to attempt State forest organization, yet today, July 12th, 1916, they have accomplished nothing. Why? Neither State has employed a State forester — and without him laws, forestry boards, and organizations of "fire wardens" have been a dead letter and will remain so. In 1908, Alabama created a State Forestry Board of seven men, including the 86 Proceedings of the governor, a member of the State Tax Commission, the State game and fish commissioner, the commissioner of agriculture, a lumberman, a member of the U. S. Forest Service, and a professor at Alabama Polytechnic Institute. These men met at least once, and that is the last that has been heard from them. Not only were they required to serve without receiving any traveling expenses (in addition to serving without salary) but the total appropriation for the work of forestry and fire protection was limited to $500. This, I assume, may have been spent to good advantage by the secretary, Game Warden Wallace. With practically no funds and nobody to do the work, you will get nothing as a result. Another initial mistake made by Alabama was in seeking to combine the duties of game warden and fire warden. It can't be done successfully. The excuse is that of economy — but we must have a system capable of solving a social and economic problem in which public sentiment and cooperation are both foundation and superstructure, or through failure to get tangible results the entire effort will be wasted. Not but what game wardens may be useful as an auxiliary force — and they should be required to render assistance and be in- corporated as part of the State's force. But we might as well honestly face the fact that a game warden is not popular in the South, nor in many other places. The enforcement of forest fire laws calls for sympathetic cooperation with the local population which will be impossible at present without a separate force. This need not add to the expense materially, for fire wardens usually do not work on a salary, and the cost is limited to the time actually required by their duties. What is true of the wardens is equally true of the State commissioners themselves. Louisiana, as early as 1904, cre- ated a State Forestry Commission consisting of the Register of the Land Office and four others, and charged it with the duty of State fire protection, copying the law of Minnesota then in force in constituting the Police Jurors of the various Police Jury wards of the Parishes of Louisiana as fire wardens of their respective wards. This system of ex-officio, involuntary fire wardens has always failed, and Louisiana was no exception. There was no technical head to the work, so in 1910 the State sought to remedy this defect by creating a conservation com- Southern Forestry Congress 87 mission, one of whose duties was to appoint a State forester at a salary of $1,800 per year. Although in 1912 this con- servation commission was strengthened, reduced to three men with good salaries, and controlled an expenditure averaging $100,000 per year, yet up to the recent session of the legisla- ture the appointment of a State forester has not been made, nor has any appreciable sum been spent on forestry. In 1910 the state levied a tax on forest products which has netted around $100,000 income annually. Henry E. Hardtner, then chairman of the Conservation Commission, wrote (January 29, 1911) regarding this fund, "The conservation fund will be used to protect forests from fires, purchase of reserves, plant- ing denuded areas, etc." It was clearly the intention of Mr. Hardtner and of those who passed the law that this tax should furnish the needed funds for State forestry. Then why had this commission utterly failed to organize the forestry department? They said that it was because the revenue from this fund was not available for expenditure but must go into the state treasury. This was true, but that state- ment did not apply to other revenue expendable by the com- mission totalling $100,000, nor does it explain why this com- mission never appeared before the legislature to urge the re- appropriation of revenue from this license tax fund to be used for forestry. In May, 1916, a movement was started to remove the forestry department from the hands of a commission which had failed to manifest the necessary interest in forestry. This effort failed, but so widespread and deep an interest was roused that it resulted in a definite appropriation of 20 per cent of the revenue derived from this timber tax which the commission is now obliged to use for state forestry work.* What is the explanation of this twelve years previous his- tory of failure and incompetence? Simply the lack of proper State organization. A combination of forestry with fish and game protection in a single commission inevitably results in squeezing forestry to the wall by diverting the funds and in- * In addition this new law reauires the employment of a technically trained state forester with two years actual experience, and creates an advisory board of four men to assist the Conservation Commission, the Board to be composed of the Professor of Forestry at the L. S. U., two representatives of the lumber- men, whose taxes are being spent, and one farmer. This board must O. K. every cent that is expended, and the fund will amount to $20,000 annually. The state can now make rapid progress in forest fire protection. 88 Proceedings of the terest of the commission to the fish and game. Once intrenched, an organization of this kind is often able to maintain its grip on the forestry interests in spite of evident neglect and indif- ference and bitterly resents any statement exposing this in- competence. I make these statements largely in the hope that States which have not yet organized a forestry department may not fall into the error committed by their neighbors but may pat- tern after the successful states of Texas, Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, and North Carolina, and keep their forestry work separate from fish and game interests, employ trained men as foresters, and remove the forester's office from the reach of partisan political considerations. In this way only can the Southern States hope to solve the forest fire problem, which calls for great tact and discrimination, but which promises wonderful results for the future if carefully handled. I want to say one thing more. There are twenty-four States which have organized forest work. In two or three States, this work is still combined with fish and game pro- tection. My remarks constitute no reflection, whatever, upon fish and game commissions. So far as I know, their work is absolutely satisfactory. We want efficiency in both depart- ments. Unless there are exceptional conditions, that can not be secured permanently without a separation of the forestry work. As I say, I mean no reflection, whatever, upon fish and game work, but fish and game organizations, if they are wise, will not seek this combination. Certain states have been cited as having a successful combination. New York controls an immense forest reservation. The work of forest protection is just as separate from fish and game in that state as in the United States Service. There is no connection. There are separate fire wardens and separate fish and game wardens and separate heads. That works out, of course. The combination is merely on paper. Now, just a word in conclusion. I represent the American Forestry Association. What Mr. Graves said last night I fully agree with. There is need in every state of the United States of mobilization of the force of public sentiment behind the work of forestry and conservation in this country. There will never be greater need than in the immediate future. We must Southern Forestry Conoress 89 recognize that with these organized forces which wish to tear down the principle of national conservation and put in its place the old style doctrine of private ownership of every resource we have, as the only way of developing them, we cannot rest in security with the thought that all is well and nothing re- mains to be accomplished. We have got to be mobilized to be efficient. The American Forestry Association's platform is sound. We have more than eleven thousand members now. If you feel that you, as an individual, are helpless, mobilize — join the American Forestry Association. Mr. Peters : This has been a most interesting paper, on an exceedingly important subject. I feel quite sure there will be some discussion. There are other papers to follow, and since we have a full program and would like to finish by noon, or as soon thereafter as possible the Chair would be grateful if those who are called upon, or who speak of their own ac- cord, would confine their remarks to periods of five minutes each. The Forest, Fish and Game Warden of West Virginia, who is later to give a paper, has met one of the problems Mr. Chap- man mentioned in a way that I think you would be interested in hearing about. I refer especially to the law passed last year, which provides for deputy fire wardens who have no fish and game duties, who are appointed in addition to the fish and game wardens. Will Mr. Viquesney give us a word on this subject? Mr. Viquesney : Mr. Chairman, as I appear again on the program, I will stand right here for a moment and talk on this subject. I have always heard in these discussions that forest, game and fish departments could not be made a success when com- bined together until I have almost gotten to the point of be- lieving it myself. We combined these subjects under one de- partment in West Virginia when we were helpless on account of appropriations and could do nothing else. We were only doing the best we could with what the legislature gave us. With my dealings during the past eight years with all of these subjects I have tried to be impartial, giving each of them their due share of attention, but of later years possibly I am partial to the forestry part of this work, as in a way it has 90 Proceedings of the become the important part of my work as Forest, Game and Fish Warden. We are amending our laws as fast as possible, segregating this work and placing each part of it in the hands of experts on the different subjects, the Forest, Game and Fish Warden retaining a general supervision over the whole work. We have a law now, after some years of trying, whereby we can have separate fire wardens, whose only duty it is to look after forest fires, although in cases of emergency we use the forest, game and fish wardens for the same purpose. It does not make so much difference where we are as it does which way we are going. I know we are headed in the right direction and are, at the present time, doing great work in protecting our forests from fire. In this job, the governor nor any other official in the state interferes with my work. In fact, I have no boss, unless it is my wife; and having been married for twenty-three years, I have learned never to talk back. If I desire to come down here and spend a week among the beautiful hills of North Carolina and learn how the States of the South are handling their forestry work, I have no one to tell me that I cannot come. I heartily agree with the gentlemen who have spoken that separate departments have worked the best where it is possible to handle the matter in this way. I know we have made great strides in protecting our forests, game and fish under one head, and we will show you in a few years longer, that we can make a success of forestry, even though it is combined with the game and fish department. As I appear upon the program and will have the opportunity to speak further upon this subject, I will not detain you longer now. Mr. Peters : The State of Tennessee had a forest, game and fish law which remained inoperative for a period of some eight years. Nothing in forestry was ever done under that law, and it was finally repealed. The State Forester of Ten- nessee can doubtless tell us something about it, and I am going to call on Mr. Maddox. Mr. Maddox : Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen : It happened to be my lot to go into Tennessee to take up forestry work with the State Geological Survey, September 1, 1914. Southern Forestry Congress 91 But up to that time, in fact, including the time that I was with the State Geological Survey in forestry work, up until the last legislature, the state still maintained forestry under the game, fish and forestry department. In order to become informed as to what had been done in the line of forestry, I went to the fish and game warden and asked him for information as to what had been done, and I was informed that nothing had been done ; that there had been no appropriations made for conduct- ing forestry work, and that his work had been devoted chiefly to the fish and game end. At the last legislature, 1915, fish and game was made into a separate department leaving out for- estry. In other words, the department of game, fish and for- estry was reorganized, leaving out forestry. Since that time, the work of forestry has been continued with the State Geo- logical Survey, and the department of game and fish has been operated as a separate department. And we hope at least, now since the department of game and fish is a separate de- partment and forestry is alone, that forestry will go along even more successfully than it has already gone on under the State Geological Survey. Mr. Peters : Mr. Chapman in his paper told to a great extent, the situation in Louisiana. I am wondering if there are any additional points of interest the representative from Louis- iana could tell us. How about that, Mr. Hardtner? You know some very interesting inside history. Mr. Hardtner : I quite agree with the paper read by Professor Chapman. I was glad to hear him speak so boldly along such lines. Five years ago I don't think he would have read such a paper as that, but I quite endorse everything that he says. In our 2,500-acre plot that we have in Urania we have longleaf seedlings now nearly three years old. We find they have grown very well under cover of black jack and scrub oak and other bushes. However, in order to assist in reforesting that area, I will have all of the bushes on those 2,500 acres cut down before the longleaf pine seed crop of 1916 falls. We hope to have a stand of at least 5,000 or 6,000 seedlings to the acre, after this year, on the entire 2,500 acres. Louisiana was one of the first States in the Union to create a conservation commission by legislative enactment. When Governor Sand- 92 Proceedings of the ers went into office, a conservation commission was appointed for the purpose of studying conservation in all of its phases and making a report as to what was best for the State to do. It happened that the governor selected me for the first chairman of the conservation commission. I have held many offices in Louisiana, but they have all been honorary; the state never pays me. When I came here I paid my own way. I hadn't been married but about two weeks when there was a national conservation meeting at Seattle, and I went clear across the continent to attend that. I stayed three days and came right back. And I have attended nearly every con- servation meeting since. When the next legislature met, two years later, this commission prepared a number of conservation bills and made a report. The present governor's assistant, Harry Gamble, prepared these laws after consulting with the conservation commission. Now, it happened that there had been a new parish created up in my country, and I had been chairman of the executive committee on parish division, and I presume in recognition of my services, my constituents elected me a member of the legislature. So my commission made a report as to what was best to do, and then when I became a member of the legislature they appointed me chairman of the committee on conservation, and I, as chairman of the commis- sion, had a chance to explain these bills to the legislature. Well, we passed 29 or 30 acts, conserving everything in the State. We passed a forestry act, a mineral act, and an act de- claring the waters to be the property of the state. I went to the governor and said, "We need money to carry these laws into effect." He patted me on the shoulder and said, "Well, Henry, you know the State has no money. If you can find a way to get money, I will O. K. it." So our secretary and I and one or two others retired to the wilds of Urania and com- muned with nature and came back and advocated a license tax on all minerals and timber severed from the soil. We thought we would get $50,000 or $75,000 a year. That, I believe, was the first severance, or license tax ever levied in any state. We came back and told the governor about it. He said it was all right. Then the lumbermen came to the capital from all over the United States, — people interested in Louisiana lands came there to see what that meant. Being a lumberman myself, I Southern Forestry Congress 93 convinced them there was nothing very radical in it. It was only a small tax, and they consented to have that tax imposed. It passed the legislature by a big majority. Then we discovered it was unconstitutional ; we had no right to impose such a tax. So we immediately framed up an amendment to the constitu- tion. Then we didn't have but a couple of weeks to put that through. Now, you know how hard it is to put an amendment through the legislature, but I introduced it and commenced to work. It was the hardest work I ever did in my life. We finally succeeded in passing the amendment, which was sub- mitted to the people and ratified. Then some of our selfish friends carried the matter into court and wanted the court to pass upon the constitutionality of the act, and while they didn't declare it unconstitutional, they said we would have to re-enact it, for the purpose of curing some defect. So two years passed again and we did nothing, but at the next session of the legis- lature, we re-enacted it, and now we have $200,000 a year for all conservation purposes, $20,000 of which is for forests. But it happened that a reform administration came in about that time — Governor Hall. And while I have been an insurg- ent all my life, I happened to be with the regulars that time. This new administration thought they had to re-enact many of the conservation measures and a committee of prominent men were charged with the duty of preparing laws that the people wanted. Governor Hall was devoted to conservation but his legislature was not so friendly, and I think made a failure in their attempts to enact conservation laws. Notwith- standing all this, progress was made. They permitted the con- servation commission to spend $150,000 a year, provided they collected it from hunting and fishing licenses. The commission collected only about $100,000 a year, which was not enough for all purposes. So for four years there was little done for the forests. Then a new administration came in — Governor Pleasant. Mr. Gamble, the first secretary of the commission, prepared some new conservation acts which I think cover ev- erything, and while we have been delayed four or six years, we are better able to proceed now than we were then. The amendment this time gives one-fifth of the tax that is collected from the timber licenses, separating the timber from the soil, for forestry purposes, which will amount to about 94 Proceedings of the $20,000 a year, and as Mr. Chapman explained how it is to be expended, I won't go over that. Then they give one-half of the balance of the conservation tax to a rural progressive board. The idea is that as this money comes from the de- pletion of the soil, some of it ought to be put back, trying to give back to the soil some of the resources taken away from it. How the board is going to spend that money, I don't know. They will have $70,000 or $80,000 a year to look after these waste lands that have been depleted of their great resources. Dr. Palmer: Mr. Chapman has told you that 24 States have organized for forest work. In fish and game work, we now have State commissioners or State officers in 46 of the States, and we have an experience of nearly forty years to look back on. We did not originate this system ; the work of game protection was grafted on the original fish commissions. But I invite the attention of any persons interested in forestry administration to the record of fish and game work in the United States, to see what has been and what has not been done. History repeats itself and you can find in our record of forty years nearly every combination that has been suggested, and you can duplicate almost any suggestion which is likely to come before you. We have considered and have tried a single commissioner versus a board, and boards of 3, 5, 7 or 8 members. You will find how the question of a salaried com- mission versus non-salaried State officers has worked out in practice. There are game commissioners who work for noth- ing and game commissioners who draw salaries of several thousand dollars a year. The game commissioners in one State have received salaries as high as $10,000 annually, but I believe the highest now is $8,000. We have had commissioners elected by the people and commissioners appointed by the Governor, bi- partisan commissions, and so-called non-partisan commissions ; we have had short terms of office and terms as long as eight years. I want to add a word to what has been said in regard to conditions in Alabama, Tennesse and Louisiana. It may seem presumptuous in a member who is not a forester, and who is a resident of California, to add anything to what has been said as to conditions in the Southern States. But I happened to be in Alabama in 1907, when the game and forestry law was SoUTl-IEKN FOBESTBY CONGBESS 95 passed; I happen to know the original conditions in Louisiana and I was in New Orleans at the time the law of 1910 was drafted; I was also in Tennessee when the first law was in force, and I have been in close connection with the officers in these states all the time. It seems to me that if you had all the facts before you, foresters would take a different view of the lack of forestry work in these States, because in not a sin- gle instance was there any desire or any intention of slighting forestry. This was the problem in Alabama in 1907 : The State had a system of local game laws almost as complex as that of North Carolina and not a cent of appropriation for enforcement. Game was shipped out of the State wholesale ; and there were no State officers, no local organizations, no anything to prevent it. The question was how to raise funds, establish a State Commission and start the work of fish, game and forestry. The sportsmen did it, paying the Commissioner a salary of .$2,500.00 a year and all the expenses of the department through a system of hunting licenses, without asking the State for a cent of appropriation. Forestry, I believe, was added simply in the hope of drawing attention to the work, and in the ex- pectation that sooner or later it would be taken off the hands of the Game Department. There was no appropriation for fores- try, and not a dollar was received from the fisherman although some fish work was carried on ; every dollar was collected from the hunters. The effort in Alabama was simply to start the work in forestry. In Tennessee, the Commissioner told me that in drawing the law of 1903 he was unable to ask for a cent from the legislature, but he hoped to draw attention to the necessity for united conservation work. Tennessee had a multiplicity of game laws and no funds for enforcement. The Commissioner advanced from his private means the funds necessary for car- rying on the work the first year, and whatever he collected from the hunters went back into the department to pay, in part — because it did not meet — the salaries of local game war- dens and other expenses. What Tennessee has not done should not be charged against her. This first work for forestry was merely publicity work, in the hope that a forestry depart- ment would soon be established. 96 Proceedings of the In Louisiana, the original commission, in charge of fish and game, was receiving a fairly good income from hunting li- censes from commercial fishing licenses, and from oyster leases. As Mr. Hardtner has told you, the departments were combined in 1910 and the State attacked the general problem of conserva- tion, but the income came from the hunters and fishermen and from the oyster men. Another point that Mr. Hardtner did not mention, is that not only did the State make no direct appro- priation for forestry, but it took from the game commission money collected from the hunters to the extent of $30,000 and put it into the treasury for another purpose. Not only have game commissions been confronted with the question of raising their own funds, but they have seen legislatures dip into these funds and take sums of ten, twenty, thirty, and seventy-five thousand dollars at a time, to build roads, or pay for other pub- lic improvements in which the sportsmen were not directly in- terested. So in considering these problems of the South, do not look at them from the standpoint of today but consider the condi- tions existing when the laws were first passed. I do not think lack of progress in forestry in the Southern States is any criti- cism of game and fish commisions. On the contrary, I think these commissions are entitled to considerable credit for taking up this work in the hope that by giving it publicity it could be started and sooner or later would be taken off their hands. Mr. Peters: Is there any further discussion of this sub- ject? Mr. Maddox : I think that Mr. Chapman and I are the two who seemed particularly to criticize the game and fish com- mission. I am glad Dr. Palmer made his talk as clear as he did. In my remarks I said there had been no appropriation made for forestry under the fish and game laws in Tennessee, and therefore the work had not been carried on. I do not know whether the work would have continued that way, or whether it would have continued at all ; but my remarks in the end were not to criticize the department of fish, game and forestry. The point that I wanted to emphasize, if I empha- sized anything at all, was that forestry is now separate from the fish, game and forestry department, is going on as a separ- ate department, and is taking a different trend. But the laws Southern Forestry Congress 97 that were operating, or existing, under the department of fish, game and forestry, before the reorganization were not men- tioned at all in the reorganization of the fish, game and for- estry department. I don't know any reason for that. I am unable to say whether those same laws are operative and in effect now. Mr. Peters: Any further discussion? Dr. Palmer: I do not wish to convey the idea that I am opposed to the separation of these departments. On the con- trary, I am heartily in favor of such a separation. Tennessee has now separted forestry from fish and game protection and so have Colorado, Oregon and North Dakota. The combi- nation has been tried time and again, more or less successfully, in New York, Michigan and West Virginia, but the best re- sults are always obtained where there are separate departments. There is no feeling on this point on the part of the fish and game commissioners ; they are always glad to help and to co- operate. Mr. Peters: If there is no further discussion on this sub- ject, we will pass on to the next one: "What the States Can Do in Forest Fire Protection." I take great pleasure in introduc- ing the State Forester of Maryland, Mr. F. W. Besley. WHAT THE STATES CAN DO IN FOREST FIRE PROTECTION By F. W. Besley, STATE FORESTER OF MARYLAND The duty of any State to protect its forests is analogous to that of every city which protects its property. Here in the South is a forested area of approximately 178,000,000 acres, representing practically 57 per cent of the total land area. It comprises one of the most valuable assets of the South and yet one that is nowhere fully appreciated. I recently heard a man who is familiar with conditions in the Southern Pine Belt remark that were it not for the exist- ing fire hazard all his money long ago would have gone into second-growth pine lands in the South. He said : "It is cheap, the timber is increasing in value, and it ought to be a good proposition. But there is a danger from brush and 98 Proceedings of the forest fires that no one man can guard against. The attitude toward. them in general is very careless, as if they were a ne- cessary evil, and I can't afford to take a chance on them with- out spending my time right on the spot to see to their protec- tion." His attitude was not uncommon. The new South has new resources which have a rapidly mounting value. Their safe- guarding through State and county action, private initiative, an interested public sentiment, and every means we know is most essential to successfully developing this region — whether the timber is down along the coast, or in the mountains of the Southern Appalachians. This property is held by several classes of owners, some of it in large timbered areas, but much of it in smaller holdings. It is all land which pays taxes and is entitled to its full measure of protection. A large share of it is in continuous forest areas so that a fire on one property may spread to dozens of other properties unless proper control measures are adopted. This fact makes it distinctively the duty of the State to exercise authority and to come to the assistance of individual owners in saving their property from damage, the cause of which they are in no wise responsible for. Often, even where this dan- ger of fire spreading over large areas is greatest by reason of the character of the country, there is the least interest on the part of private owners in fire protection. The mountain and hilly lands of the South under forest cover have nearly all been cut over, some of them several times, and forest fires have run over them so repeatedly that there is often a feeling of helplessness ; that fires are inevitable ; and even if by the ex- penditure of money in fire protection on their part there would be a possibility of reducing the fire damage, many look upon it as an experiment of doubtful value and are indifferent to pro- tective measures. To others it is a question whether fires do any appreciable damage, and of course until such owners can be convinced of the damage caused by fires they are not going to be enthusiastic over fire protection. This feeling of indifference toward forest fires will give way to interest in forest protection when the State assumes its full share of responsibility in enacting competent legislation and in providing an effective organization for fire protection. Southern Forestry Congress 99 Public sentiment in its favor will grow as rapidly as its benefits can be carried to the people who own the forest land. The forest fire problems of a State will differ widely as to details, but in any case the end to be attained is the greatest measure of fire prevention, although the pressing and immedi- ate problem is to perfect a satisfactory organization for control- ling fires that do occur, and always will occur. Since probably nine-tenths of the fires are the result of thoughtlessness or care- lessness there are great possibilities in preventive measures. To this end, every available means of reaching the nine-tenths who are careless should be employed. This involves the general publicity campaigns through the newspapers, particularly the local papers ; distinctive, "catchy" posters in public places and along highways ; lectures and addresses to local communities ; forest fire laws and literature on fire protection generally dis- tributed among the people ; and personal interviews by forest wardens with the residents of forest sections. In this connec- tion the forest patrolmen can perform a most valuable service, to my mind their most valuable service. These men who are constantly traveling about over their district have every op- portunity to come in close contact with every resident of the district, and should lose no opportunity of interesting them in fire protection, securing their full co-operation as it is gen- erally possible to do. They should also work through the public schools by securing the cooperation of teachers and disseminat- ing forestry literature and impressing the importance of fire protection upon the school children. I know that this can be done, for it was done in a mountain section of Maryland, which a few years ago had the worst fire record of any in the State. Practically every form of fire danger existed in the district. There were fires from railroads, logging railroads, hunters, fishermen, brush burners, and incendiary fires set for the purpose of improving the range for cattle and sheep, and there was little respect for fire laws anywhere. Link Sines, a lay preacher, who knew every one for miles around and who was familiar with every foot of ground, was appointed Federal patrolman for a section of ap- proximately one hundred square miles. This man made fire protection a part of his creed, which he taught in the schools, Sunday Schools, and churches, and talked it to every resident of his district. In three years time the attitude of 100 Proceedings of the the people toward fire protection was completely changed, and instead of being the worst fire section of the State, fires were reduced 60 per cent and it is now, in many respects, a model of co-operative effort in fire protection. When Link Sines calls for fire fighters, no matter at what hour of the day or night, men will respond not only from a desire to help him in the good work he is doing but also because they have learned that fire protection helps the game and permits new forests to grow. The forest patrolman is undoubtedly a most important link in any system of fire protection, and what was done in this case may be done in numerous others. No matter how per- sonally enthusiastic and efficient he may be, the forest warden or patrolman in the South must have additional backing. This region lends itself with peculiar readiness to mountain lookout stations, from which the forests he could not cover in several days' journey are laid out plain before his eyes. The ability to see them and to see such fires as may be started in them is not enough : his observations must be backed with telephone communication, with all necessary means for rapidly assembl- ing such assistants and equipment as he may from time to time require. This unfortunately is very often not the case. Where there is the most imperative need of real forest protection there is generally the least enthusiasm for, and interest, in it. And here is where the personal element comes in. The selection of the State's fire wardens is of the greatest importance, for any system of fire protection must depend in large degree for its effectiveness upon the personnel of the protective force. In States where the naming of the wardens rests with the State Forester or with a Board of Forestry, it is possible to secure good men who are genuinely interested in fire protection. Where wardens are appointed for political reasons there will be little respect for the laws and little ac- complished in fire protection. It is much better to have no warden in a community than one whose office is not respected by virtue of the man who holds it, and what it stands for. In practice, the authority of the State cannot be expected to be much stronger than its local representative. This is most important in the mountains, where a single individual may have as wide and good an influence, when properly directed, as this lay preacher wielded in Maryland. In other less timbered sections desirable conscientious citizens may be found who, Southern Forestry Congress 101 when the need has been explained and their public spirit arous- ed, may usually be counted upon to give such of their time as may be necessary to the fulfillment of the duties of wardens. And these duties are not always on the fire line ; in fact, usu- ally not. With a man of initiative and reputable standing among the residents who is talking, advocating, and living himself the gospel of fire protection, there always comes a much diminished need for fighting forest fires. It will be a long time, however, before preventable fires are prevented, and there will always be need of invoking good laws, of effective organization, and financial support. Several of the Southern States have made a beginning ; good laws have been enacted, and the work of organizing is well under way. The main difficulty is the lack of appropriations for doing the work that the States are ready to do. The problems of fire protection will be as varied as are the causes of fires. In general the forest fires of the South fall under five different causes : railroads, brush burning, hunters and fishermen, sawmills and logging engines, and incendiary. There will in addition be a large number from miscellaneous causes, as difficult to control as they are to classify. In most of the States there have been more fires from rail- roads than from any other cause, and although there has been a notably decreased percentage of railroad fires in the last five years, the railroads are still one of the chief sources of fire danger. Most forest laws require the use of spark arresters to prevent the escape of sparks as far as practicable, but no de- vice has yet been produced which will do this effectively with- out seriously interfering with the most efficient operation of the locomotive. Their use has greatly decreased the number of fires, but other means must be employed to supplement them. Where it is practicable to use oil burning locomotives the difficulty is satisfactorily solved, but this is rarely practi- cable. There are two effective methods of controlling railroad fires : one is the use of fire lines, and the other patrolling the railroad right-of-way. The fire line to be effective must pre- sent a strip free of inflammable material for a width of 100 feet on either side of the track. Since railroads seldom own rights-of-way of the required width, it is necessary to secure rights from abutting owners. This, with the expense of clearing and maintaining the lines, has limited their use. A fire line 102 Proceedings of the 100 feet wide was constructed along State lands in Maryland at a cost of less than $30 per mile. These figures should be doubled where fire lines are needed on both sides of the track, as is generally the case. The clearing consisted of burning the leaves and dead wood on the 100 foot strip in October and served effectively during the fall and spring fire seasons. The reburning of this line will cost less than $20 per year, and since the work can usually be done by the section crews at no cost to the State or no additional cost to the railroads it con- stitutes one of the cheapest methods of controlling railroad fires. Patrolling the right-of-way after the passage of trains is the other method advocated for lessening railroad fires, and is probably the cheaper where the fire season is short and trains far apart. Where each train is followed it is probably more effective; a combination of the fire lines and patrol is of course still better. Brush burning is a prolific source of fires in agricultural sections, especially where the clearing of land is in progress. A law which clearly fixes responsibility for damages, and cost of extinguishing fires that escape from such sources, with a rigid enforcement, is the best remedy. In some of the North- ern States brush burning is only allowed under a permit sys- tem during certain closed seasons. In other cases an owner must give notice to adjoining owners of intention to set fire on his own lands. A provision of this sort should today be in- cluded in the forest laws of every State. Hunters in the fall and fishermen in the spring scatter fire through the woods and need special watching. Where a hunter's license is required each applicant should be supplied with a leaflet containing a statement in regard to the forest laws and the proper precautions for him to use in the forest to avoid fires. Much can be done through sportsmen's clubs and similar organizations to make hunters and fishermen more careful when in the woods. Sawmills and logging engines increase fire hazards in the best timbered sections. The laws of most states require the screening of sawmill and logging engines when operated in or through forest lands ; this is reasonably effective where the law is enforced. If each is held to a strict accountability for fires that escape by means of fines and damage suits, much may Southern Forestry Congress 103 be accomplished in preventing fires. Before the beginning of the fire season the local warden should visit all the sawmills in his district and see that they are properly provided with spark arresters. A few successful prosecutions will be most effective backing for the law. Incendiary fires are the most difficult with which all forest officials have to deal. It is an easy matter for any one who is intent upon starting a fire in the woods to do so and escape detection. The incendiary may be prompted by a variety of motives for setting fire, as for example, burning off the range to improve grazing, spite work, to get a job fighting fire, or simply to satisfy a desire to see the woods burn. Fires set for improving the range can not be easily stopped until state- wide laws are enacted requiring every owner to fence in his own stock, making him liable for trespass and damages where his stock wanders on other property. Cases are well known where individuals not owning a foot of land and paying no taxes are making a practice of pasturing cattle and sheep in the forest lands of others, and why should they not burn over the woods to make better range for their stock where there is no law to prevent stock from running at large. A premium is placed upon the destruction of fences and the burning off of the range on the part of irresponsible persons, and it is im- possible to control fires. There have been so many abuses and so much damage resulting from incendiary fires, in which the burning of the range was the motive, that it will not be many years before all of the Southern states will enact legislation per- mitting no one to allow his stock to run at large. Usually the penalties for incendiary fires are so severe and the individuals in any community so well known by the forest wardens, that there are likely to be few cases where a man sets fire for the purpose of securing pay for fighting it. The forest warden naturally inquires into the cau; e of the fire, and if he finds some one of questionable reputation on hand ready to be employed it arouses suspicions, which are likely to be very uncomfortable for the individual. In one section of Maryland where incendiary fires have been frequent the for- est wardens in that locality have been instructed to prepare so- called black lists containing the names of those who are in any way under suspicion, and they have written instruction not to employ any of these men for fire fighting. This takes 104 PllOCEEDINGS OF THE the responsibility from the local forest officer for refusing employment to these men, and places it upon the central office, proving an effective barrier for preventing their employment. It seems rather startling that real forestry with its main emphasis placed on fire protection is less than twenty-five years old, notwithstanding the fact that forest fire legislation was enacted in many of the states more than one hundred and fifty years ago. For example, North Carolina in 1777 by legislative act declared that "the burning of the woods is de- structive to cattle and hogs, extremely prejudicial to soil, and oftentimes of fatal consequence to planters and farmers by destroying their fences and other improvements." This act made it unlawful to fire the woods except on one's own proper- ty, "and then notice must first be given to adjacent owners at least two days before the firing, and effectual care must be taken to extinguish the fire before reaching any vacant or un- patented lands." The same State five years later imposed heavier fines for the same offenses and made the offender liable to the injured party for all damages suffered. I quote this from Bulletin 3/0, Cornell Experiment Station. This law, like most of the early laws enacted in other states about that time, did not have sufficient public support to insure its enforcement, and shows the need of an educational propaganda coupled with legislation to secure proper results. There is a growing tendency to extend the police powers of the state, for the benefit of the whole people, over matters that were formerly considered of purely local significance, 'this has helped to solve many problems where local indiffer- ence or lack of authority accomplished nothing. The forest fire situation was a case in point. Forest fires are a public menace and should be treated as such. He who causes them through his carelessness or indifference should be regarded as a public nuisance and the laws of nearly all of the States make the deliberate setting of fires for destroying the forest a crimi- nal offense. The number of convictions, however, are few in comparison with the number of offenses. The experience in the Southern States which have adopted forest laws and organized for fire protection work is the best index of what can be done in other States which have not adopted forest policies. Maryland, the first Southern State to pass comprehensive laws for dealing with her forest prob- Southern Forestry Congress 105 lems, established a forestry department in 1906, and at the very outset the problem of forest fire protection was recognized as of the first importance. Since that time several other Southern States have established forestry departments under laws similar to those enacted in Maryland, and there is abun- dant precedent in the mass of accumulated experience which should enable all the other Southern States to take up this im- portant work and in doing so to avoid mistakes made in neigh- boring states having the best of experience to guide them. Experience has shown that it is not difficult to secure good forest legislation, provided it does not promise to cost too much. Such legislation does not usually come in response to a general demand but is instituted and secured by a few public- spirited individuals who recognize its need. It is better to start with a modest appropriation which does not offer an attrac- tive bait to the politicians, and then after the organization has been perfected and a demand created for increased facilities the way is prepared. A forestry organization depending upon political strength to maintain it is destined to have a checkered career. State forestry in Maryland began with an appropriation of $3,500 for each of the first two years, and was gradually increased as the needs of the work required. The appro- priations were so small as to be unattractive to the politicians but were sufficient to lay a substantial foundation for perma- nent results. A few months ago the forestry department successfully passed through a crisis in its history, which every forestry de- partment must meet sooner or later. The department had reached a point where it was of sufficient importance to exer- cise a wide influence throughout the State. In a general re- organization of things it was attempted to place the forestry department under a newly created Conservation Commission. When the friends of forestry protested that it should not be linked up with fish and game, a combination that seldom, if ever, works well, that proposition was dropped. Then a State Board of Agriculture backed by all of the agricultural inter- ests of the State and many commercial organizations attempted to absorb the forestry department. Had it not been for the efficient work of the Board of Forestry in laying a substan- tial foundation and rendering a valuable service to the people, 106 Proceedings of the creating friends everywhere, the Forestry Board would have been abolished and the work placed under this untried State Board of Agriculture. The attempt failed and forestry in Maryland has successfully passed through its first crisis and maintained its independence, and is today stronger than ever before. Not only did it maintain its independence, but when there was a general cutting down of appropriations in practi- cally every department, due to a large deficit, the forestry de- partment secured an increase of 40 per cent in its appropria- tions, and as a climax the new Democratic Governor named as his new appointees on the Board two Republicans who had served on the Board during the previous Republican admin- istration— re-appointed because of their devotion to State forest work, and guaranteeing to forestry freedom from poli- tical influence. I believe that this Congress will give great impetus to the forestry movement throughout the South, and if, as a result, the states already enlisted in the work become more effective, and other states not yet organized join in, our highest expec- tations will be realized. We will be satisfied with nothing less. Mr. Peters : This very interesting topic is open for dis- cussion. If I may be permitted to add a few remarks at this point, my personal feeling is that one of the most important things the States can do, especially the Southern States, is to urge their legislatures to pass adequate appropriations for forestry work. Frequently we find reasonably good laws on the statute books, with absolutely no funds with which to operate them. If anything worth while is to be accomplished in fire protec- tion or along other lines of forestry, you have got to have money. And my wish is that the discussions which have taken place here will so impress you that when you return home you will get in touch with the members of your legislature at the proper time and urge them to make adequate appropriations for this exceedingly important work. Mr. Seymour : I appreciate this paper because it brings up the educational part. You will never get appropriations or good laws until you educate the people up to the point where they demand them. I think it is the best paper on fire pro- tection I ever heard. There is one thing in this fire protection and conservation Southern Forestry Congress 107 work that I am proud of, although my part of it did not amount to much. Mr. Frederick M. Spiegle, the artist, came in my office one day and brought a picture to show me. This picture was called "The Friend of the Forest." The subject was a camping party leaving camp. In the distance was a canoe, the dunnage ready for transportation, and a moose's head. In the foreground was the place where they had camped, with the debris of the forest lying around and a smoldering fire. The principal figure was a strong young Canadian guide with a pail of water putting out the fire as the last thing be- fore he left. Mr. Spiegle asked if he could hang the picture in my office for a while, and I told him he could. Shortly after- wards my brother, William W. Seymour, then Mayor of Tacoma, Washington, came in from the West and saw the picture. He immediately said "That picture should be sold to Mr. Weyerhauser, of the Weyerhauser Lumber Company of Tacoma" (one of the largest timber companies in the world). He immediately sat down and wrote Mr. Weyerhauser, and the consequence was a telegram came back to send on the picture. The lumber company had it lithographed and changed its name to "Putting out the Fire," and put it on calendars, etc. These calendars and pictures were distributed to every school house, every railroad station, every hotel and public place in the State of Washington. The same operation has since been repeated by the Lumber Association in the State of Oregon. When George D. Pratt became Conservation Commissioner of the State of New York, he had Mr. Spiegle paint another pic- ture very similar to this, the subject being the same; also a companion picture showing the result of fire in a forest, depict- ing practically the same locality. These pictures have been widely circulated all through the Adirondacks in the State of New York by the Conservation Commissioner. I saw a letter addressed to Mr. Spiegle last fall, in which it was stated that that picture had done more to educate the people of the country in fire protection than anything else that had ever been done. It was an inspiration of genius, and the picture should have circulation in every lumber State in the Union. Mr. Foley: Mr. Besley and I have known each other so well for so long that I am aware that he did not intend to 108 Proceedings of the indict the railroads as severely as his figures seem to, and I am sure that he has no objection to my assuming to correct any wrong impressions you may have obtained. As a forester employed by a railroad, I wish the rest of you to go away satisfied that each fire caused by an activity of a railroad is an accident. All foresters know that the statistics about forest fires are not as accurate as we would like them to be. We know that many fires attributed to railroads are not caused by the oper- ations of transportation companies. Every fire that starts near a railroad is alleged to have been caused by it. Individuals who wish to go blameless for setting fires find it handy to start one where a railroad will be blamed for it. As Mr. Besley knows, there are portions of the territory through which the Pennsylvania Railroad passes where land is bought and sold on the basis of its value as a source of claims against the rail- road for damages from forest fires. Woodland with good timber on it, but out of reach of locomotive sparks, is often not as valuable as a smaller piece of woods with poorer trees that is close enough to the railroad to be fired or to be alleged to have been fired by a spark from a passing train. To avoid repeated claims for injury to such woodland until the damages paid total many times the value of the property, railroads sometimes feel forced to buy the land. It is remarkable how less often such properties burn over when their ownership changes, though no change in railroad operation takes place. Some of our regular forest-fire-damage claimants have been known to brag that the P. R. R. paid their taxes each year. The operation of the steam locomotive involves risk from fire. For many years many minds have honestly tried to per- fect devices which would eliminate the liability of live sparks being emitted from locomotive smokestacks and live coals falling from the ash pans. Like other common carriers, the Pennsylvania Railroad has adopted from time to time such of these devices as its mechanical engineers have considered prac- tical, and is continuing the search for applicances which will reduce the risk from fire to a minimum. If oil-burning loco- motives would solve the problem involved, within the limits of reasonable comparative costs, they would no doubt be adopt- ed. In places electric traction may be found feasible. Perhaps the day will come when electricity, made possible by water- Southern Forestry Congress 109 power developed in these forested Southern mountains, will put an end to the fire problems in the operation of Southern rail- ways. All railroads are no doubt willing to do what the Pennsyl- vania does in cooperating with State forest officials toward the prevention of forest fires. In the States which our lines traverse, the fire wardens acquaint us with the numbers of locomotives which are known to have started fires. These loco- tives are generally of old types, relegated to use on lines of minor importance. They are kept track of and as soon as they go to a repair shop for general overhauling, they have the latest fire prevention appliances installed if they have not ceased to be useful ; so, as fast as is practicable, such locomotives as warrant fitting with up-to-date spark arresters and ash pans are so equipped. Mr. Besley very fairly referred to the fact that the railroad right-of-way is seldom 200 feet wide. If all railways had 100 feet of space under their control on each side of their tracks, the railroad-forest-fire problem would be practically settled, for that is about the distance which locomotive sparks are generally considered liable to go, except when expelled on the top of a hill whence they have a chance to roll downward. The cost of land when desired for railroad right-of-way gen- erally makes impracticable the purchase of enough to insure the falling on railroad property of any sparks which may be emitted. Sparks which alight on the railroad right-of-way do not start many serious fires, for most railways try to keep their property clean. They hoe, mow, burn, or otherwise de- stroy the vegetation which makes them look untidy. They know that such rubbish is not only a fire risk, but it is not pleasing for travelers to gaze upon. And when a railroad keeps its right-of-way clean, but sees adjacent property overgrown with dry plants or littered with logging or milling debris, which are extremely liable to ignite from many causes other than locomotive sparks, it has a sincere desire to see on other statute books legislation like that adopted in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, where the State forestry officials may declare a public nuisance any property which is a fire menace. The laws referred to make it possible to force the cleaning up of any property which is in an extra-hazardous condition, whether owned bv a railroad or an individual. 110 Proceedings of the If the education of public opinion reaches the point where an appreciation of the seriousness of forest fires brings after it legislation requiring the railroads to remove all risk of fire from their operations, it is to be hoped that an appreciation of the cost will prevail and will be reflected in the public accep- tance of and insistence on the need for increased rates of pay for transportation which the railroads must have to meet such expenditures. I would leave with you the impression that railroads, as particularly exemplified by the Pennsylvania, which employs foresters and uses their knowledge and point of view wherever possible in its operation, are officered by men as public-spirited as any other citizens and as willing to do as much in prevent- ing the destruction of wooded property. In the South, as well as all other sections of the country, these progressive railroad men thoroughly appreciate their dependence on the forest for material with which to conduct their operations and for the traffic which comes to them through the marketing of forest products. Actually, the railroads of this country have done a fair proportion of their share in helping conserve the forest resources of our country, and they are doing a great deal now. Mr. Peters: If there are representatives here from any of the Southern railroads, we would be grateful to hear from then on this topic. Mr. Richards : As a representative of ten thousand miles of railroad in the South, I think it is well known that our interest in forestry has been manifest for a great many years. This is an educational movement, bringing the people of the South to realize the importance of protecting their forests. It is a movement looking to the upbuilding of the South through the regeneration of her forests. I read a few days ago a bulletin issued by the Department of Agriculture, written by the present chairman of this meet- ing, Mr. Peters, on forest conservation for the States in the Southern pine region. If you people have not read this bulle- tin, I would advise you to secure a copy, I understand there is a supply here, take it home with you, read it, and then promul- gate the recommendations made by Mr. Peters in this bulle- tin. To show you our interest in this particular publication, I have already started this movement, taking 500 copies of this Southern Forestry Congress 111 bulletin and distributing them through the South in the various states through which our road runs, calling the attention of the individual to whom the bulletin is sent to the merits of the publication, asking him to read it carefully, then call together the people in the community and read the publication to these people who assemble to hear what he has to say on the subject. The reason for doing this is obvious. We will assume that the 500 people will each gather together 40 people. There are 20,000 people to whom you bring the information contained in this bulletin, which has been prepared by a gentleman who has studied the situation throughout the South. It is stated here that the general obstacle in the way of the conservation of the forests is forest fire. In another place the author says that the average yearly damage from forest fires in the states in the Southern pine region may be estimated at 3,500,000 acres burned over, with a money loss of $6,500,000. Now, if this bulletin is read and thoroughly understood by the people in the rural districts, the farm land owners, small operators, mill men and others interested in the future development of the South, the result will be an ever increasing number of people in the South interested in the development of forest protec- tion. We must go back to the rural districts, back to the indi- viduals upon whom the success of the movement depends. We must educate our people up to realize the importance of pro- tecting our forests. We have in the states through which the road in which I am interested, the Southern Railway, runs, 150 million acres of timberlands. It is estimated that there are something like five hundred billion feet of timber standing. I hope to see the time twenty-five years from now, when we will have 150 million acres of forest lands in the South, all managed in such a way that their yield will be regular and perpetual. We should then be the greatest section of the United States in forest production. We are greatly interested in the subject. It is one of the economic problems that we have to handle, and you will find, ladies and gentlemen, that the rail- roads of the South are taking a deep interest in the subject and have been doing so for many years. I hope you have seen that sign over there, "Everybody loses when timber burns." I would like to see that placard in every section of the South, and so far as we are concerned, 112 Proceedings of the we are ready to use our influence and work for the distribution of placards of that kind all through the South and educate our people to realize the importance of everybody joining in this great co-operative movement looking to the development of our forest interests. We want to see a State forester in every state in which we run, as against the present number of three or four. I believe this can be done. Let us see if we can't help you educate the people to realize the importance of this subject and not let another year pass without having some kind of an organization in your State. Start in a small way, and four or five years from now you will have a large organi- zation. It may be that our system will have to be revised, but we will never have the power to organize if we don't start in to do something; and I assure you that so far as the Southern roads are concerned, they will do everything they consistently can to uphold the cause which this Congress is called to promote. Mr. Pack : I am very glad to see the spirit in this meeting. It is only a few years ago since we thought the railroads were our enemies. Now, we are beginning to find they are our friends. As these speakers were talking, I was thinking of an occurrence on a mountain side outside of Asheville a few years ago. There were two colored people, Amos and Samantha, who had been married only a couple of years and lived in a little log cabin of one room, with the rough rafters overhead. And Samantha supported Amos by taking in washing. And after living together, as I say, for two or three years, Amos got rather tired of Samantha, and so to scare her he said he was going to commit suicide — as he said it, "susancide" — and so one day in order to bring Samantha around, he got the three family wash tubs, of three different sizes. He piled them on top of each other in the middle of the cabin floor and then got the clothes line and threw it over the rafter, and then put a slip noose around his neck. The next operation was to kick the tubs out from under him. And as the rope got tighter and tighter, he commenced to holler, "Samantha, Sa- mantha, don't pull ; push, push, push !" Now, gentlemen, the railroads used to pull, and now they are pushing. Southern Forestry Congress 113 Mr. Peters : Are there representatives here from other Southern railroads, for we should be glad to hear from them? The best work in fire protection is unquestionably pro- duced by organized effort, by the States, private timber owners, railroads, and Federal government, all working together. This is generally recognized ; it needs no argument. May we hear from some of the private owners who are present? I shall call upon a director of the Mount Mitchell Fire Protective As- sociation, Mr. Stikeleather. Mr. Stikeleather: Mr. Chairman: In reply to your invitation to say something on Fire Protection, I came to learn rather than to add anything to what has been said. As your chairman has just remarked, the best fire protec- tion that we can have is the organized effort of the govern- ment, the state and the property owners combined, and the Mount Mitchell Fire Protective Association is one of these units. Two years ago, we were very fortunate and had fine work. This past year splendid work was done under the most un- favorable circumstances. The past year has been the most disastrous year that the Mount Mitchell area has ever known. There was a drought in the spring of about sixty days. The great hazard to this area is the logging railroad belonging to Messrs. Perley and Crockett and I think Mr. Besley's in- dictment is rather against logging railroads than regular rail- roads. Our wardens counted twenty-three fires that were set out by a single engine in a distance of less than one-half mile. The United State government has a warden who patrols this line, and he has done very good work in connection with our own wardens. Now in this question of fire protection it is the practical work that really counts. Education, however, as some one has suggested, is very essential, because our mountain people have always felt that the forests were somewhat common property. They felt that they had the privilege of hunting, fishing and ranging their cattle without regard to ownership, and the old idea in the mountains was to burn the forests off in order that the grass might come out again in the spring. We have had to fight this inclination on the part of the cattle owners, and to overcome this idea has been part of the educational work 114 Proceedings of the done by the wardens and our overseers generally. But this feeling still exists somewhat and then there is always the probability that if the country people are prohibited from hunting and fishing, they may set out fire in retaliation. I know that our wardens at the intake have warned us when we told them that they must arrest trespassers, that there was danger of having fire set out by these very men they arrest. The City of Asheville owns about 17,000 acres of land that is in the Mount Mitchell area. We have three wardens who patrol and protect this property. For many years no effort was made to arrest trespassers because of the very danger referred to above. Now there are very stringent laws prohibiting tres- passing on the watershed, but the great difficulty is to secure evidence. More and more this old feeling is being eliminated. The country people are cooperating with us and are beginning to realize the harm resulting from forest fires. The Mount Mitchell area is a very important unit in the government's general plan. The way these units are organ- ized and planned is somewhat as follows. There is one par- ticular man at the head of the organization ; he appoints fire wardens in each of the watersheds in the area under his charge. This man is chosen with regard to his character and influence in his neighborhood. He in turn secures six or eight men, whom he can call upon in case of fire. Telephone connec- tion, of course, with the various watersheds is necessary, and concerted action by the various units is important in arresting a fire. In the case of the disastrous fire which occurred in the spring upon the lands of Perley and Crockett and spread to the city watershed, we found the work of the Mount Mitchell Pro- tective Association of great help to us. The speaker got in touch with the wardens at Reems Creek, Old Fort, Black Mountain, Bee Tree and Ivy. In each case we asked these men to organize a force of men, go to the scene of the fire and give their assistance. We had more than a hundred men fight- ing fire and only about 500 acres of the city watershed was burned over. But for the help of these men, many thousands of acres would probably have been burned over, as the country was as dry as a bone. I speak of this in order to give you some Southern Forestry Congress 115 idea of the practical work which is done in cases of great dan- ger by a well organized protective association. This very disastrous fire that I refer to originated from the engine of the logging road that goes from Black Mountain into this territory. The gentlemen who run this road have been derelict in not using the proper spark arresters and not having their right-of-way cleared off. There are very stringent laws governing these matters and it is more than likely that we shall have to appeal to them in order to force these gentlemen to resort to safety appliances in the operation of their railroad. We would be glad to have your co-operation in endeavoring to correct the danger resulting from lack of proper appliances by the Mount Mitchell railroad. I want to add that I was very much interested in Mr. Besley's paper. He has handled his subject as one who knows what he is talking about. Mr. Peters : Another one of the recently organized pro- tective associations in North Carolina, the Tryon Forestry Club, has a representative here, and I am going to call on Mr. Lindsey. Mr. Lindsey: Mr. Chairman, and ladies and gentlemen: Just before I was called on, I noticed that Mr. Peters drew his watch, and Mr. Holmes tipped out and got a club and put that club on the desk, so I am going to try to confine my re- marks to two minutes instead of five. The Tryon area is the smallest protected area that has a United States fire patrolman. In 1913, some three thousand acres of the ten thousand acre boundary we now protect were burned by forest fires. While the pall of smoke was still hanging over our beautiful valley, the landowners of this area got together and formed the Tryon Forestry Club. The idea was advanced, I believe, by Mr. M. V. Richards, of the Southern Railway, some years ago, that it would be better to have small clubs rather than county organizations. Where you know practically every hill and valley in the protected area, then you really have a chance to protect. We organized upon this idea and appointed fire wardens for the different sections of the township. We were to protect our own interests, es- pecially, but of course, if a neighbor's property was burning, we would go to his assistance. 116 Proceedings of the The wardens were generally busy in their crops, or for some other reason didn't have time to go, but even so, it was a great step in advance. The great trouble we had was in regard to arresting people after we found the man who had' caused the trouble. Even if we had the power, in a small community it is very hard to arrest your neighbor. But if a United States fire patrolman were there, he could arrest any man who broke the law. Our delegates attended the forestry meeting at Montreat with the avowed purpose of asking — if necessary on bended knee — for such a patrolman, we agreeing to fight the fires. Mr. Peters and the State officials kindly permitted us to have that man, and Mr. John Riis has acted as fire patrolman. In 1913, we lost fully three thousand acres of timber ; not totally destroyed, but as you went through the woods you would find very little timber that was not damaged. In the last year Mr. Riis has reported five fires caused by our friends, the railroad. And I say advisedly they are our friends. Through Tryon Township the grade is heavy, and the locomo- tives are bound to use a great deal of coal in getting up Saluda Mountain and sparks don't know where that 100-foot right-of- way line is. Two fires from unknown origin ; one sawmill fire ; one fire from a burning hotel — the Mimosa Hotel. Total number of fires, nine; total area, 212 acres. We really think that is a wonderful record. One hundred acres were charge- able to the Mimosa Hotel. The building was as dry as tinder. Naturally, we tried to save the people first and then the cot- tages, and then the woods, and by the time we had saved the cottages, the fire was in all directions through the woods. That would bring it down to 112 acres burned from ordinary causes. We agreed that we would try to educate the people to the necessity for fighting fires. Mr. Riis has done a great deal of educational work. A club has been organized at Saluda, and another is about to be organized at Columbus. The State legislature ought to make some appropriation for fighting fires on the other man's land. It is a pretty heavy drain on the members of the Club to fight on the other man's land. But you have to get behind your members in the State legislature. Let that be one of the platforms upon which a man runs — what he is going to do about forest fires. I would like to give one or two illustrations of the effec- Southern Forestry Congress 117 tiveness of our system. While it was very dry, Mr. Riis of course would be on duty as much of the night and day as possible, but we had to allow him some sleep. One night Cap- tain Sharp, an Army officer who is interested in forestry, re- ported to me that he saw a fire. It was as dark as pitch, but from his hilltop it looked as if it were on Tryon Mountain. I immediately called the patrolman, and he said he would go to another hilltop and get another angle on the fire. From the two reports we located that fire within a very short distance. Then I telephoned to our friend and representative here, Mr. Elliott, to go out on his veranda and see if he could see the fire. He said he couldn't see it, but he could smell the smoke. He sent his men to Howard Gap, and there was no fire there. Then he sent them east. In fifteen minutes they found the fire. A man was burning corn stalks in an open field at one o'clock in the night, for fear the Tryon Forestry Club would catch him if he did it in the day time! That was the only time he could burn his corn stalks — at one o'clock at night. Our patrol- man didn't arrest that man, but our Secretary, Mr. Cobb, on whose land the man was burning the corn stalks, sent him word if that ever happened again we would not arrest him but we would skin him alive. May I ask one question? I am in the vineyard business and it is absolutely necessary, not only to preserve the vine- yard from erosion, but to prevent fires, to have the land cov- ered in the winter time by some green crop growing upon the land instead of dry grass. Now, I have used various cover crops, and I am always perfectly satisfied to go to bed if my fields are covered in the winter time with a green mat. The best thing I have used, up to the present time, is Burr clover. I don't know whether it would grow in hardwood timber or not, but it has solved the problem for me in my vineyard. It is worth about $25.00 an acre to turn under, and it makes a good mat of green upon the ground in the winter time. Couldn't that idea be followed out in our forests ? In the forests above my place we have the pea family and various plants that grow wild, but in the winter time this mass of pea vines burn as badly as the leaves. Now, can we encourage the growth of any kind of winter cover crop in the forests? Not in pine forests, because I doubt if it would grow in pine land, but it 118 Proceedings of the might. The Burr clover grows in the low country and in the hill country it would be fine. Mr. Peters : Are there any other suggestions on this point ? There are a number of other private owners here who have been working for fire protection, and I hope we shall have time to call on them this afternoon. The session has been prolonged, owing to the interesting discussions that have taken place. We shall now proceed to the next subject, "Publicity and Education in Forest Protection in the South." It gives me pleasure to introduce the State Forester of Kentucky, Mr. J. E. Barton. PUBLICITY AND EDUCATION IN FOREST FIRE PROTEC- TION IN THE SOUTH J. E. Barton, STATE FORESTER OF KENTUCKY Four years ago, in an article prepared for the Southern Lumberman, in discussing for its Christmas number the ques- tion of forest fires in the South, I made this statement: "The timber lands (of the South) must be managed so that there will occur a minimum of fires. . . . This we propose to accomplish by a campaign of education wherein the economic losses to the community from forest fires are made clear ; by securing the cooperation and support of all the interests ad- versely affected by forest fires and of all good citizens of the State; and lastly by organizing a system of patrol of forest areas during the danger seasons and the adequate suppression of such fires as occur in their earliest stages." Last December in a second article prepared for this same publication entitled "Guarding the Southern Forests Against Fires/' the question of publicity was summed up as follows : "Publicity with re- gard to forest fires is the greatest factor in calling the atten- tion of the public to this evil and of correcting it. All agen- cies may be made to work to this end, schools, railroads, news- papers, magazines and books. The chief feature of all pub- licity must, however, be an argument along purely economic and business lines. Forest protection pays. It is property in- Southern Forestry Congress 119 surance." When I returned to Kentucky in 1912 to take up work in the Eastern hardwood forests after an absence of over eight years in the West, my knowledge of Eastern conditions was somewhat vague. But judging from my experience in the West in regard to forest fire protection there was one thing that seemed to stand out from all the rest. This was the fact that unless the general public was interested in fire protection and unless all agencies were enlisted in the actual work very little could be accomplished in this direction. This necessity spelled publicity of many kinds and in various directions. My four years of work in connection with the organization and initiation of a forest policy in Kentucky has only served to deepen and strengthen my conviction that publicity and edu- cation are even now the only means of bringing about an estab- lished forest policy in any state and in solving what is at the present time the greatest problem of any forest policy in the United States, and that is forest fire protection. In most States we have not reached that stage of progress where for- estry is a well understood profession and where forest pro- tection in the light of property insurance is looked upon as a necessary institution as is insurance on buildings, ships, house- hold goods, livestock, etc. With this settled conviction the feature of the work of the office of the State Forester of Kentucky which has, perhaps, received most stress, has been publicity and education, and I am satisfied, in surveying the accomplishments of the past four years, that this one thing has been more successful in grounding a forest policy in the State than anything else could have been. I have in mind plans for even a larger campaign in this direction within the next few years. The means and agencies which have been utilized to ob- tain the publicity desirable have been many and varied. In the first place there are the ordinary channels of news, and in the capital city of the State there are always competent cor- respondents for various newspapers who are glad to handle through their newspapers items in regard to forestry work, and particularly fire protection, which are interesting, readable and which have the necessary feature of being news. It has been our endeavor to furnish this news in as entertaining and interesting a form as possible and to put it in shape so that 120 Proceedings of the the correspondent will have the least trouble possible in round- ing it into shape. This last feature is an item, especially in those seasons when the correspondents are rushed for time. It is a simple matter in the State forester's office to make a large number of carbon copies so that the correspondent is saved the trouble of making these out for all the papers which he represents and a detail of this kind is appreciated. I do not think there is any piece of advice which will go further in the long run than the advice to make friends with the news- paper correspondents. Outside of the regular channels for news there are a num- ber of agencies at work through which it is possible to operate. The country newspapers represent a medium which it is high- ly desirable to reach because the chances are that all the in- formation in the country newspaper is read and that in a great many homes it is the only newspaper which finds its way there. The editors of small newspapers are on the lookout for material to fill up the interior pages of their publications. Information and news which pertain to the State and which are of general interest to the community are exceedingly acceptable. It is, however, necessary that this information be in the form of plates already set up, since the facilities of the average coun- try newspaper are usually very limited. I have found it most de- sirable, therefore, in reaching the country newspapers to oper- ate through distributing agencies like the American Press Association and Western News Union. Material for such agencies should be supplied usually in the quantity to form a page. The page is set up and then the plates are distributed by the company to the various county newspapers. I think it is safe to say that practically every newspaper to which these plates are sent will use them wholly or in part in their publi- cations. Illustrations are undoubtedly an important feature of such a page. I have noticed that a great many times illus- trations were used when a considerable portion of the reading matter was not. For this reason the illustrations should be as clear and as informative as can be obtained and the labelling of the illustrations themselves is a matter on which consider- able thought may be advantageously expended. Then there are such publications as the Sunday magazine supplements in which entertaining and attractive special articles may find a Southern Forestry Congress 121 place. These magazines are handled through syndicates and attain a wide distribution. Feature stories, too, may often be handled through the Sunday papers. Undoubtedly the schools form one of the most fruitful means through which general education along the lines of for- est protection may be effected. As far as possible education in this direction should be made to dovetail into regular courses of study and not introduced as an entirely unrelated and foreign feature. There is, moreover, something to be said in regard to the manner in which the material placed in the schools is put up. My experience has shown me that material prepared in the form of pamphlets of a page or two pages is a great deal more effective than material put out in book or bul- letin form, except in unusual cases. Pamphlets which may be taken by the children into their homes are successful in ex- tending the field covered. Also it is important that the ma- terial be supplied in an entertaining manner. Accidentally, in connection with the State fair, one year, I discovered that the commercial geography classes were looking for information in regard to the forests of the State, their products, etc. The result of this discovery was several talks before these classes of the various schools and eventually the publication in pam- phlet form of the information which they seemed particularly to desire, together with other information with regard to forest fire protection which has undoubtedly carried a lesson with it. Over fifty thousand of these pamphlets were put into the schools of the State. Again, the work in the moonlight schools in Kentucky has grown into a matter of very wide interest. It was suggested by the founder of these moonlight schools, Miss Cora Wilson Stewart, that articles be prepared dealing with several subjects in relation to forest protection and forest work in general. These articles were prepared with at- tractive and suitable illustrations and they have now found their way into a large number of schools and among the class of pupils where lessons of this sort will be of undoubted benefit. In the matter of publicity I have found the railroads of great assistance in the distribution of forest fire warnings. In carrying out their promises in this direction the majority of the railroads have been very faithful. This has resulted in the 122 Proceedings of the distribution of forest fire warnings in practically every rail- road station in the State. The newness and variety of these forest fire warnings is a desirable feature and the character of the warnings themselves deserves considerable attention, since, as is the case with street car signs, people are attracted by what is new, what is striking, and what is pleasing. I am coming to the opinion that one new forceful and attractive forest fire sign a year is much more desirable than a large number of drab toned notices. One of the most successful notices which has come to my attention is the one put out some time ago by the Western Forestry and Conservation Association. There is something about the notice which is particularly arresting and attractive. Individuals who have seen this notice in my office where one is posted have asked for copies of it. The county wardens and other officials form, of course, a natural channel for the distribution of all warning notices and literature. The mailing list maintained by the office of the State Forester forms another channel. Again, I have found that one of the mediums through which a lot of information gets to the right people is the list of county agricultural agents. These are a highly intelligent body of men who come into con- tact with the people where they live. I have not found a single instance where these county agents were not interested in forest fire protection and other forestry matters. They are uniformly willing to make a distribution of material relating to forest fire protection. I make it a point to see that the county agricultural agents receive all the publications and in- formation put out by the office of the State Forester. The publication of bulletins, circulars and pamphlets has been car- ried on as is customary in all State forest departments. The State fair has been one agency for the distribution of printed information and also for an ocular demonstration of some of the features of forestry and especially fire protection. In connection with the State fair an attractive novelty for dis- tribution undoubtedly attracts more attention than printed ma- terial. I have found the sanitary drinking cups in great de- mand. While I am inclined to doubt that the lesson on the drinking cups received much consideration, nevertheless, there is reason to believe that it soaked in occasionally enough to make it worth while. Southern Forestry Congress 123 The telephone companies offer another medium through which some publicity may be obtained. In dealing with the large companies, such as the Bell Telephone Company and its subsidiary corporations, I have found them very willing to undertake anything reasonable in this direction ; but I have not had so much success with the small companies operating in a limited local territory. The County Protective Associations which have been form- ed in Kentucky have also been the means of education and publicity and in a great many cases they have influenced the newspapers to publish material relating to the work. The women's clubs have been of enormous assistance in questions of both publicity and education and too much cannot be said of their work in this direction. The ways through which publicity and education may be accomplished will undoubtedly vary widely and in a large number of cases it is in unexpected directions that some of the most effective work may be done. These unexpected oppor- tunities it is impossible to forecast. They will have to be seized when presented and it is necessary to be continually on the watch for them. Talks and lectures are one of the means which may be utilized on every hand ; and it is often possible by a timely talk at some unexpected opportunity to make a ten strike in a wholly unanticipated direction. It may be safely stated that the keynote of all successful publicity, as I have already said, is economic expediency. Forest fire pro- tection pays. It is property insurance. Mr. Peters: The Chair wishes we had time to discuss this topic just now, but I think we shall have to defer it until after lunch, in view of the fact that the Secretary of the Congress has some announcements to make. I shall therefore ask Mr. Holmes if he cares to make any announcements? Dr. Pratt: There is a little matter of business that I think ought to come before the Congress. With your per- mission, I should like to read a letter addressed to the Con- gress, through the Secretary of the Appalachian Park Associa- tion, from George F. Kunz, President of the American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society, which reads as follows : 124 Proceedings of the IMPORTANT THE AMERICAN SCENIC AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION SOCIETY New York City, 410 5th Avenue. July 10, 1916. George S. Powell, Esq., Secretary, Appalachian Park Association, Ashevillc, N. C. Dear Sir : When we stop to realize that the great Pisgah National Forest — that great mountain preserve in Asheville — was due to the instrumen- tality, foresight and generosity of the late George W. Vanderbii', it seems to me that the park should be named "Vanderbilt Park" or "Pisgah National Forest — Founded by George W. Vanderbilt." But as this has not been done, I shall be glad to subscribe the initial $10 toward a fund for establishing a tablet in the park or at one of the prominent entrances. After a conference with my es- teemed friend, Honorable Gifford Pinchot, I am able to say that he will also contribute a like amount toward such a fund. If you will present this matter at the Southern Forestry Congress, a sufficient sum can be raised at once to do something in this direc- tion. I will remit the moment I hear that your organization is willing to act. Believe me, Very truly yours, George F. Kunz, President. WHY NOT START THE FUND NOW ? I should like to submit this letter to the Congress for any action. Mr. Powell : I should like to .say that this letter was re- ceived yesterday afternoon, and in order that I might be able to state to this convention what the sentiment of the local people is, I consulted as many of our citizens as possible, and I found a unanimous sentiment against the changing of the name of the Forest. I also found a unanimous sentiment in favor of erecting a suitable tablet reciting and commemorating the historical facts in connection with the development of this forest by Mr. Vanderbilt and the taking of it over by the gov- ernment. And in order to get this clearly before the meeting, I have prepared the following resolution that I should like to offer: Southern Forestry Congress 125 resolution Resolved, That this meeting endorse the idea of erecting a tablet at the entrance to Pisgah National Forest for the purpose of reciting and commemorating the historical facts in connec- tion with the development of this forest by Mr. George W. Vanderbilt under a system of scientific forestry and the taking over of this forest by the National government, and Be it Further Resolved, That the President of the Southern Forestry Congress appoint a committee of seven with authority to raise necessary funds and erect said tablet. Mr. Chairman, I offer this resolution. ' Mr. Pack : Mr. Chairman, it seems to me that this is very fitting for two reasons. The fact that this example of scien- tific forestry is one of the beginnings of this sort of thing in America is a reason why some reference should be made to it. And another thing, I think some record would be very fitting recognizing the generosity and public spirit of Mr. Vanderbilt. Mr. Vanderbilt was a very different sort of man from most of the men I have known by that name. He was a student, a literary man, very modest ; he did not seek the companionship of people very much. He sought, rather, the companionship of ideas, and spent time with his books. But he was a public- spirited man. Once when I was with him in his first year here in Asheville he said to me, "Mr. Pack, my favorite poem is, 'Breathes there a man with soul so dead Who never to himself hath said : 'This is my own, my native land.' " You all know the poem. And Mr. Vanderbilt looked upon this place as his native land. It was a loss to this region, a loss to forestry, and a loss to the United States when he was called by the Great Reaper. And, Mr. Chairman, I should like to move as an amendment to the resolution, that such committee be composed, in the first place, of the splendid governor of this State as chairman, a man whom many of us know well and who so impressed us at the opening of this Congress ; that another member be Dr. Pratt, who called this Congress to- gether, a man who represents this region and is all the time doing splendid work for forestry ; that the others be members of and represent the Smithsonian Institution, the American 126 Proceedings of the Forestry Association, the United States Forest Service, the American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society, and the Appalachian Park Association. I move that in appointing this committee, the Chair be instructed to include these seven men. Mr. Peters: Will the proposer of this resolution accept the amendment? Mr. Powell: Yes, sir. Mr. Graves: I should like to second the motion if neces- sary. There is already a precedent for this sort of thing. We have had recently erected in the Grand Canon National Park a monument commemorating the work of Major Powell. I think this sort of tablet is an admirable thing, and I think the suggestion should be endorsed by the Congress. Mr. Peters : You have heard the resolution, which has been seconded. Are there any further remarks? No further remarks, and motion carried. Notices read by Mr. Holmes. Meeting adjourned until 2:45 P. M. Mr. William L. Hall, District Forester, in charge of the Appalachian and White Mountain National Forests, was next on the program. Mr. Hall was unavoidably detained in Wash- ington, but his paper was presented and would have been read to the Congress but for lack of time. It is here given in full. PROTECTION OF FEDERAL LANDS IN THE APPALACHIANS By William L. Hall, UNITED STATES ASSISTANT FORESTER As one of those responsible for the protection and develop- ment of the Federal Government's lands in the Appalachians I have experienced a constantly deepening sense of the injury caused by forest fires. I refer not only to fires of recent oc- currence but also to those of past generations, for the indica- tions are that fire is not merely a modern enemy of the forest. Possibly it is as ancient as the forest itself. Most perceptible of all forms of fire damage is the injury to the growing trees. Leaves and brush gather around the base of the trees, especially on the slopes. When the woods Southern Forestry Congress 127 burn this litter makes the heat so intense that the bark of the tree is killed for a space of a few square inches, if no more serious injury is done. Over this scorched area the bark loosens and drops off, affording entrance to both insects and the spores of injurious fungi. The wound may be so small that the tree will completely grow over it, but the fungi which have been admitted never cease to work, causing decay in the trunk, lessened vitality of the tree and deterioration of its lumber, while if insects once gain entrance they seldom cease operations until the most valuable part of the tree is damaged. On one sale of stave timber made in the Ozark National For- est in Arkansas 76 trees out of every 100 felled had a basal rot and 27 trees out of the 76 had worm holes. Only 24 trees out of the 100 were perfectly sound and suitable for the in- tended purpose. In five widely separated areas on the same forest an average of 65 per cent of the trees had rot and worm holes sufficient to cause culling in the first log of the tree. Fires still further injure standing timber by burning through sound bark and sapwood into the hollow or decayed butts. Once the decayed interior of the tree is exposed to the air the rot which originally caused the trouble appears to grow up the tree more rapidly while subsequent fires gradually widen and heighten the defect and destroy more bark at the base of the tree until it is finally killed. Even a more vital injury so far as the life of the forest is concerned is the destruction of the small seedlings and saplings in the stand. Unless we observe the stand within three or four years following the fire this may not at first deeply im- press us. The burned stems if not entirely consumed fall within a few years and soon decay. We may note merely that there are not many young trees in the stand. The vitality of a hardwood forest is very remarkable. The roots continue to live and after each fire sprouts reappear and grow rapidly, but if fires succeed one another every three or four years or oftener, the young growth is continually kept down and the roots finally die, so that after many years we have a stand simply of damaged mature trees with practically no young growth. Gradually the damaged trees blow down and the stand becomes thinner and thinner to the point where it ceases to give complete shade to the ground. At this stage light-lov- 128 Proceedings of the ing forms of shrub growth, such as laurel or scrub oak, crowd in and under natural conditions the forest is without power to re-establish itself. Many thousand acres in all parts of the Appalachians have reached this stage. It is a familiar sight on the ridges and south upper slopes. A third form of damage results directly from forest fires and while it is less visible, it is the most important and far reaching of all. I refer to the impoverishment of the soil. Burning the accumulated wood and leaf litter every year or every few years robs the soil of all the humus-forming and nitrifying material. There is left only the mineral substance which will not burn. It is on the higher slopes and ridges that this effect is seen at its worst. Lower slopes and coves are moist, have protection from the wind, and by reason of the action of gravity in soil and debris removal they accumulate fertility at the expense of the upper slopes and ridges. Fires are largely responsible for this condition. By keep- ing the upper slopes and ridges bare a great part of the time they expose them both to drying out and to erosion. Even the mineral soil is washed away, some of it lodging on the lower slopes or in the coves. This intensifies the difference in fertility and moisture between the upper and lower slopes, and fertility and moisture are the largest factors in determining the growth. In my view the difference in productiveness be- tween cove and ridge in our Appalachian forests is due to the action of fire more than to any other cause ; not fires of the last few years only, but fires through the last century and pre- ceding centuries. In appraising lands for purchase it is very common to find the coves of a tract bearing a stand of timber running from 10 to 12 thousand feet per acre and worth $40 or $50 per acre, while the ridges separating these coves may have no stand of merchantable timber at all or at best are apt to have not over 500 feet to the acre and the acreage value is not likely to be over $1.50 or $2.00. The difference is simply tremendous. Where natural conditions have afforded protection on the ridges, however, there has sprung up a kind of forest which in itself is fire resistant. There we have a forest fully equal or exceeding in value the forest of the best coves. I refer to Southern Forestry Congress 129 the spruce-covered mountain ridges and upper slopes, such as are common in West Virginia and in portions of North Caro- lina and Tennessee. Here the forest may have a value of $75 to $100 per acre. The destruction of this forest by cutting and fire transforms the growth into the poorest of ridge type. Co-ordinating with the deep sense of losses occasioned by fires there has come in my mind a very definite conviction of the necessity for fire prevention. Nothing short of prevention will do. As conditions exist a fire once set may gain uncon- trollable proportions if left alone for half an hour. In this region the period of extreme fire danger is seldom of long duration. It is generally limited to a few days of extreme sur- face dryness combined with high wind velocity. In the East there is no gradual drying out period in the absence of rainfall as there is in the West. We are likely to have showers at any time but we are also likely to have droughts of three or four weeks with enough indications of rain to keep up our hopes, only to have them finally shattered by a serious conflagration. There may come days when the wind attains a velocity of 50 to 60 miles an hour and then the losses occur. Any evil mind- ed person who carries a grudge against his neighbor or the government is likely to get busy on such a day. A smoldering fire in a brushpile, log, stump or camp within or near the forest is likely to be fanned up and carried away, becoming in half an hour a holocaust which at best cannot be stopped until nightfall, when thousands of acres may be in desolation. In the Massanutten Mountain in Virginia last April fires un- der just such conditions spread more than a mile in ten min- utes. Burning brands were carried by the wind for a space of half a mile. With the probability of such conditions prevailing in either the spring or fall of any season there is no use to talk about any kind of fire control except fire prevention. Deeply impressed as we are by these conditions it might be expected that the main consideration in all of our improve- ment plans on the newly acquired Government lands is fire protection. With fire protection we can have a forest in the future, without it we can not. Fire protection is therefore the first purpose of all improvements, such as telephone lines and trails. In order that our work in this direction may be efficient we are developing as rapidly as possible general fire 130 Proceedings of the control plans for each of the several forests. These plans have to do with the adequacy and arrangement of trails and tele- phone lines and with provision of tool-boxes and other equip- ment for fire prevention and control. The plan also involves the organization of a protection force, consisting in part of permanent assistant forest rangers and guards and in part of a temporary patrol force employed only during the most hazardous periods of the year. Even this by our latest plan is to be supplemented by a much larger force for an emergency patrol. The regular permanent force for any 100,000-acre tract, consisting of an assistant forest ranger and two or three guards, will be extended regularly during the fall and spring months by an additional force of five or six guards, and during times of extreme fire danger this force may be augmented by 12 or 15 additional men employed by the day and working only while conditions are extremely grave. This plan aims at pre- vention rather than suppression, but it also is effective for suppression when fires do occur. Our constant aim is to avoid hiring men to suppress fires. To do so puts too high a prem- ium on incendiarism. Fire prevention is largely taken into account in all plans for utilizing the forests. Every timber sale provides for leav- ing the ground in as good condition as possible as regards fire. Every effort is made to secure close utilization, knowing that any material removed from the ground is that much fire fuel removed. Unmerchantable dead trees and snags are felled, brush of softwoods such as spruce and pine is burned, and hardwood brush which is not readily burned, is lopped and scattered so as to most quickly decay. We have also begun to require timber operators to put in fire lines through and around the sale area and in all cases there is provision for se- curing the aid of the timber operation force in fire fighting in case fire occurs. Similar protective measures are enforced in all other kinds of use, whether for grazing, agricultural pur- poses or residence. First, last and all the time it must be under- stood by everybody, government employees, users of the forest of every kind and degree, and local residents, that fire must be prevented. Gradually this idea is taking hold. In all localities there is Southern Forestry Congress 131 an increased watchfulness for fires on the government lands. A fire on government lands occasions more of a stir in a com- munity than if it is on private lands, although I am glad to say that the feeling in favor of fire prevention not only on government lands but on private lands is rapidly increasing. This, of course, is not fire protection regardless of cost. We are paying very close attention to costs but we believe that whatever the costs may be they will be compensated by the results. Under the present condition where the govern- ment's lands are not especially well consolidated and where the units are not yet sufficiently large to give a high degree of efficiency in administration, the entire cost of fire protection for the government lands in the Appalachian region as a rule is about $.04 per acre per year. Many elements in the problem will grow more favorable as time passes so that in the future undoubtedly this cost can be reduced, and if we can continue to expend $.04 an acre for the next three or four years we shall secure a much higher degree of protection than we do now. I would not discourage any owner by the use of this figure. With the expenditure of $.01 and $.02 per year a certain amount of protection can be secured and the amount which is secured will be well worth the cost, but we feel that on behalf of the government it is advisable to spend as much as $.04 and to secure thereby more complete protection than could be had with less expenditure. In other words it should be the government policy to be adequately prepared for fire prevention. AFTERNOON SESSION, 2:45 P. M. J. H. Foster, Presiding Dr. Pratt: Before I introduce the chairman who is to preside at this afternoon session, I would like to ask if the Committee on Permanent Organization is ready to report. If they are, we will hear their report. Mr. LEE: The report is in the hands of the Secretary. report of committee on permanent organization Mr. Peters: Your committee recognizes the fact that the Southern States have special forest problems of great im- 132 Pkoceedings of the portance and that the solution of these problems can be fur- thered by discussions such as have marked this first Southern Forestry Congress. It therefore recommends (1) that the organization of this Congress be made permanent; (2) that a nominating committee be appointed to make nominations for the offices of president and secretary; (3) that the president be authorized to appoint an executive committee of seven mem- bers, himself and the secretary to serve as ex officio members; (4) that in addition fifteen vice-presidents be selected, one for each of the Southern States, the appointment of the vice- presidents to be made by the president of the Congress ; and (5) that the Congress be convened by order of the executive committee at such times as may in its judgment seem neces- sary. J. G. Lee, Chairman, J. G. Peters, Secretary. On motion, the report of the Committee is accepted and adopted. Dr. Pratt : The Chair will appoint the committee as recommended in this report, and ask that the committee get together and be ready to make a report at the end of the afternoon session. I will also state that at the end of the afternoon session the Committee on Resolutions will make their report. At this afternoon session your committee have asked to preside a man from the far South ; one who has been taking up and developing interest in forestry in the largest State in the country. I take pleasure in introducing to you Mr. J. H. Foster, State Forester of the State of Texas. Mr. Foster: Mr. Chairman, there is one remaining paper left over from the morning session, and in order that we may begin as soon as possible with the afternoon session, I am going to call immediately on Mr. Viquesney. Southern Forestry Congress 133 WHAT WEST VIRGINIA IS DOING IN FOREST FIRE PROTECTION J. A. VlQUESNEY, FOREST, CAME AND FISH WARDEN OF WEST VIRGINIA After a few preliminary remarks Mr. Viquesney said: We have nearly 25,000 square miles or nearly 16,000,000 acres of land in West Virginia and up until a few decades ago most of this land was covered with one of the greatest forests of the world. On the cold mountain ridges and pla- teaus, in the deep river gorges and along the banks of the cool mountain streams, grew the cone bearing trees, such as the hemlock, the pines, the balsam fir and the red spruce. Be- sides these were the giant oaks, hickories, maples, chestnut, and the famous yellow poplar and black walnut, intermingled with numerous broad leaf trees that in after years were found valuable for lumber and fruits. The number of millions of feet of timber that formerly covered the hills and mountains of West Virginia have never been computed, but in the year 1909 it was found that our original virgin forest of more than fifteen million acres had been reduced to about one and one-half million acres. The remarkable evolution in the manufacturing of lumber had already made it possible to practically consume the great belt of white pine that extended along the parallel ranges of the Alleghany Mountains and wonderful inroads were also being made in the hardwood sections of the State. With sev- enty-two steam railroads running each day hundreds of steam engines across the mountains of our State unequipped with spark arresters or fire protection devices, hundreds of forest fires burned unchecked, completing the devastation and de- struction already begun by the wasteful methods of our lum- bermen. The first fire data collected relative to forest fires in West Virginia was in the year 1908. The report of the West Vir- ginia Conservation Commission shows that 710 fires occurred within the State during that year, with a burned over area of 1,703,850 acres; standing timber burned amounting to 943,- 515,850 feet, worth at that time $2,903,500. The lumber, tan bark and improvements burned were valued at $490,175. The 134: Proceedings of the injury to soil and undergrowth was estimated at $1,703,850, making a grand total of the property destroyed from forest fires for the single year of 1908, $5,997,525. The loss from forest fires having become so enormous and appalling the legislature of 1909 enacted a law placing this subject under the control of the forest, game and fish warden. In the eight years since this law has been enacted, we have had less than one-tenth of the loss that occurred in the single year of 1908. The total number of fires which occurred during the years 1909 and 1910 was 293; number of acres burned over 182,730; value of timber and forest products destroyed, $150,927.19; amount expended in extinguishing fires, $4,983.28. The total number of fires in the years 1911 and 1912 was 113; number of acres burned over 65,156; value of timber and forest products destroyed, $64,547.49 ; amount expended in ex- tinguishing fires $2,290.02. The total number of fires in the years 1913 and 1914 was 364; number of acres burned over 304,276; value of timber and forest products destroyed, $261,962.40; amount expended in extinguishing fires, $8,681.21. The total number of fires in the years 1915 and 1916 up un- til June 30 of the present year was 408 ; number of acres burned over 153,885; value of timber and forest products destroyed, $151,163.90; amount expended in extinguishing same, $8,091.37. The grand total for the eight years since the law was en- acted is as follows: Total number of fires, 1,168; number of acres burned over, 705,847; value of timber and forest pro- ducts destroyed, $628,600.98; amount expended in extinguish- ing fires, $24,246.88. Sufficient money has been saved from this source alone, since the enactment of the forestry law, to pay all expenses of running the entire government. Prior to this time there was no organized effort to control forest fires, each property owner endeavoring to keep the fires from burning his own fences and improvements and allowing it to consume all of the forests without hindrance. It was the general rule to set fire to the forests, it being contended that Southern Forestry Congress 135 the burning improved the ground and made better range for the cattle. With several hundred deputies scattered throughout the forest areas of the State it was found that much good could be accomplished in extinguishing forest fires, but on account of the enormous cost of controlling these fires and the great dam- age they were doing to our forests, it has lately been deemed more economical to establish a system to prevent fires or at least control and extinguish them in their early stages. With this in mind the legislature of 1913 was asked for an appro- priation of $10,000 each year for this purpose, and through the generous co-operation of the Forest Service of the United States Government we have been able to start a system which it is hoped will reduce the forest fire problem to a minimum in West Virginia. On the 16th day of October, 1913, an agreement was en- tered into between the State and the Forest Service of the United States government to cooperate in protecting the watersheds of the navigable streams of West Virginia from destructive forest fires, the government appropriating the sum of $5,000 for this purpose, and the State agreeing to spend at least a like amount. The State at once began to construct and equip lookout stations on high mountain peaks, from which a Federal lookout watchman with field glasses could command a view of at least sixteen miles in all directions and by the use of alidades, pro- tractors, and maps could locate approximately any forest fire that originated in this territory, and with the aid of telephones could notify some one near it and have it extinguished. Up until the present time the State has constructed and equipped fifteen lookout stations and three patrol routes, and will en- deavor to double this number during the next year. The timberland owners seeing the great services rendered by the State and National government cooperating in this work formed an organization in March, 1914, known as the "Central West Virginia Forest Protective Association," be^ lieving that they could be more effectual as an organized body in combating forest fires than in an individual capacity. About seven hundred thousand acres of land is represented in this organization. A yearly assessment of one cent per acre is 136 Proceedings of the levied on the timberland owners which is used to cooperate with the State and National government in this work. Thus is formed a triple alliance of State, government and private owners. During last month, the timberland owners of southern West Virginia have formed an organization called the "South- ern West Virginia Fire Protective Association," and have already subscribed more than one hundred thousand acres to this organization. It is believed that before the end of the year, this association will equal, if not surpass in the aggre- gate, the first association organized. The wasteful methods of the lumbermen, and the destruc- tive forest fires, have rendered almost valueless hundreds of thousands of acres of land that with proper care could have been reforested and made more valuable than in its virgin condition. No question is of more importance than the protection of our remaining timbered and cut-over forest areas from fire, and the reforestation of depleted territory. We, in West Virginia, are using every means at our com- mand to bring about a better sentiment and a more up-to-date system of forest protection. We use several hundred thou- sand posters each year, with catchy phrases, in order to keep careless and thoughtless people from setting out fires, and if sentiment improves in the next five years as it has in the past five, the citizens of our State will as zealously protect our forests from fire as they now do their own homes. We are spending more than ten million dollars this year building good roads, and will be able in the future, to do much of the patrolling with automobile and motorcycle, in- stead of on horseback, and should it be determined that the aeroplane is a practical method of discovering forest fires, we have an abundance of atmosphere hovering over the mountains of West Virginia and will be ready to adopt that method. Mr. Foster : Are there any questions that anyone would like ask Mr. Viquesney? If there are none of pressing im- portance right now, I am going to ask you to defer any gen- eral discussion until after we have been through a few more of our papers. Before starting on our afternoon program, we are very anxious to have a few minutes talk from Mr. Hurt, Southern Forestry Congress 137 who is the General Manager of the Douglas Land Company, of Virginia. I will now call on Mr. Hurt. Mr. Hurt: I have been asked to say something in regard to what the company which I represent is doing in the moun- tains of Virginia. The Douglas Land Company is owned principally by Mr. Douglas Robinson (who married Colonel Theodore Roose- velt's sister), and when President Roosevelt was advocating the conservation of our resources, Mr. and Mrs. Robinson were very anxious that the Douglas Land Company, which at that time owned some 50,000 acres of land, should carry out some of the ideas of the President. I am a lumberman, and for fif- teen years I did the awful act of destroying forests, which you have come here to protect. But I did it with the axe and not with fire, and in that connection I became acquainted with forestry conditions, and the conditions that follow the axe. In order to promote the Appalachian Forest Reservations, I believe we were among the first who offered our property to the government. Some undertook to criticize us for selling at a profit and at a large price, but I believe the records will show that we sold about the lowest that has been sold, con- sidering the value. We have now reserved about thirty thou- sand acres, and there are some difficulties with which we have been laboring, and I have come down on this occasion (sent here by Mr. Robinson) to learn if we can work along several lines in maintaining our conservation, and thereby reap some benefits or returns to partly reimburse us for the expenses. At present we are conserving a valley containing about ten thousand acres of land, about five miles long and two or three miles wide. Our present object is to clean up the lower part of this valley, along the main streams, about two or three thousand acres, on which we will produce grass and herd cat- tle, as this is a grass and cattle section. We desire to preserve the sides of the mountain above the valley after they have been cut over. I should have said that we sold the timber on this land under restrictions of contract. It is now being taken off and in another year it will all be removed. We have left on the mountain sides quantities of hardwood timber. Picture a valley as described covered with a heavy blue grass sod and dotted with cattle, and timber on the sides of the mountains 138 Proceedings of the from which we get cool breezes in summer and springs of water to keep the streams flowing with sparkling cool water through the grass valleys below. The question came up as to how we could make these mountain sides give us a return on our investment, and fish and game suggested itself. We have the best trout streams in Virginia, and we have natural food for game, such as beechnuts, chestnuts, acorns, grapes, berries, turkey corn, buds, grass and insects, and we are in hopes that we can develop a plan by which we can have a fish and game preserve. I have noticed several remarks here regarding the inde- pendent, willful and malicious men of the mountain sections who propose to burn you out, or do some other awful damage if they are not allowed to have their own way, who seem to have some foresters on the run; they seem to be scared of them. I want to tell you that I have had more dealings with that class of men than anybody I know. I have found they are human, and just as scared as we are. I find they realize it when they are up against a proposition themselves, and they always take water — I have never known it to fail. Several years ago when I took charge of the Douglas estate, adverse landowners and squatters had taken possession of certain portions of the property, and one man, at the point of a gun, had run the manager out. This I was told, and after- wards found it to be true, and that manager never went back. Two or three years later I had more or less business in that section, and, coming into contact with this same man, I gave him to understand that I was there to settle my company's business with him, and we had a settlement. Later I went to that man's house, he invited me in, and I took dinner with him. We discussed business matters and I arranged with him to do some work and look after some business for me, such as clearing land, selling property, renting land, etc. Just how much are we going to put up with from these fel- lows who make threats to do awful things to us? Why can't we make the same threats if they insist upon warfare? I think I can say, and give you proof and evidence that we are a little too weak on that subject. We always want some one else to go in and get after our neighbor about things we ought to talk to him about ourselves. When Uncle Sam passes a law and puts Southern Forestry Congress 139 it in force, you see everyone sit up and take notice, and they are very careful about how they violate that law. Why is that? Because Uncle Sam doesn't give quarter to anybody when he undertakes to execute his laws. The result of that is, we have the highest respect for Uncle Sam's laws. If we make laws and execute them, why should not people have respect for them, just the same? If you protect your property, and do so in the right manner you will be respected for it. I do not mean to use a club on a man unnecessarily ; I do not mean to go into a neighborhood and show no respect for that section. But if you go into a neighborhood and help the people in their wel- fare and wellbeing, and show them that you are there to help them, and that you want them to respect your premises and what you are doing, I believe they will do it. We are running a school at our farm and paying the expenses, in order to fur- nish the best possible training to the children who are de- pendent upon us for it while we employ their parents, and we are undertaking to render all the assistance we possibly can to help the people realize what true life is and means. Under such conditions I am sure they respect us. Mrs. Douglas Robinson employs and pays a trained nurse to look after the welfare of the entire community, furnishing her with a horse to ride around from home to home. She not only ministers to the sick and receives with a welcome the new-born — and they are not a few, as the mountain people have the reputation for, and are doing their whole duty — but she teaches them to make proper clothes, cook wholesome food, and above all to keep clean the person and home. The result is that after four years, all in the community love her, and on meeting days, the people look as different as if they were from another community, and they are different, they are on the road to a better life. At one time I had forty-five suits in the Federal Court. I compromised every one of those suits and am now a friend to all those people and they are friends of mine, and nearly all of them have done more or less work for the company. Why not adopt such conciliatory policies instead of allowing our- selves to be run out of the woods? A gentlemen said in the beginning that these forestry ques- tions must be worked out in connection with farming and with farmers. I wish to emphasize that. A majority of the prop- 140 Proceedings of the erty in this country is owned by farmers and small holders. You expect a man to protect his timber and timberlands for the benefit and preservation of forests, and do not give him any assistance, and I think that is wrong. It is difficult for the State to give a man direct assistance through the state forester, because the holdings are small. But I earnestly believe that if you could reduce taxation on that property, or have some understanding by which he would only pay a minimum of taxes, he would wake up to the value of forest growth as recognized by the State and county in which he lived. In addi- tion to that, I believe we should show him where that prop- erty will pay him a return if he gives it any protection or con- sideration. Since our meat supply is growing scarce I con- ceived the happy idea of propagating fish and game, which should go far towards supporting the timber reservations. I realize the difficulties in their protection, as I have lived in the mountains all my life, but believe it can be done. I wish, however, to emphasize the necessity of cutting down taxation on property that is to be kept as a timber reservation. This is a very important item. There is an inclination on the part of county officials to tax large property owners. I ran up against this in handling the Douglas property. I was told once, "We are going to put a tax on your property and make you sell it." And they did so. We sold a good portion of it. The reason was "taxation." I met one of the commissioners in the road and got into a conversation with him about the property — he didn't know who I was. He said he did not care anything about his job, but he accepted it in order to make the Douglas Land Company pay its part of taxation. We have one piece of mountain land containing 9,000 acres, assessed value $4.00 an acre, and taxed accordingly. We have been trying to sell this same land at $3.00 or $3.50 per acre, and farm lands in our section are only taxed about one-fourth of what they would actually sell at. There is a feeling among the county officials that men who own or control large boundaries of land should be made to divide them up in a way which would practically destroy their timber value. Mr. Foster : I think we owe a debt of thanks to Mr. Hurt for giving us an insight into the life and character of the mountaineers and the way in which he and his company Southern Forestry Congress 141 get along with them. I think he is right in a great many points he has brought out. Those who have had experience with mountaineers say they are kindly folk, and that a great deal can be done by friendly cooperation. Are there any questions? If not, I am going to read a letter from the general manager of the Pocahontas Coal & Coke Company, of Roanoke, Virginia. POCAHONTAS COAL AND COKE COMPANY Subject: Propagation, Conservation and Disposition of Timber Upon Coal Bearing Lands Roanoke, Va., July 11, 1916. Hon. Joseph Hyde Pratt, State Geologist, President Southern Forestry Congress, Asheville, N. C. Dear Sir: I regret exceedingly that our president, Mr. Johnson, could not attend your meeting of the Southern Forestry Congress to be held at Asheville, named for Tuesday, July 11th, to Sat- urday, July 15th. In his absence, I have prepared the following communi- cation as to our experience, methods and purposes, which I trust may be of some little aid in the study of the important question of forest conservation and protection, as well as dis- position of timber. The Pocahontas Coal & Coke Company is the owner of some 325,000 acres of coal bearing lands and mining interests in the States of West Virginia and Virginia. The Company does not mine or ship coal, but leases its lands and mineral interests for coal mining purposes, and in so doing, depends upon coal royalties for the larger propor- tion of its revenue. Somewhat more than one-half of its total territory is now under lease for the purpose of coal de- velopment. In making coal mining leases, it is the general policy to except and reserve all boundary, corner and line trees, and all trees which may be selected for seed trees ; and to except and reserve also all walnut trees of whatever size, and all mer- chantable poplar, cucumber, ash, lynn, white oak, red oak, 142 Pkoceedings of the chestnut oak, chestnut and hemlock trees which measure more than 14 inches in average diameter, together with the right to remove the same. It has further been the general policy of the company to sell its merchantable timber 14 inches and over in diameter, and where practicable to do this to have the timber removed prior to leasing the lands for coal mining purposes, in order to prevent inconvenience to the coal mining lessee that might be occasioned in the removal of the timber. The sale of the larger timber has been of decided benefit in revenue while the coal development was proceeding to a point where the increase from coal royalties would be sufficient to support the property. All boundary and line trees are also reserved from the operations of timber contracts. The purchaser agrees to cut and remove the timber in a workmanlike manner, and with due regard to the protection of the timber not removed ; to not commit undue waste or suffer the same to be done ; to so manage ad dispose of debris as not to unnecessarily interfere with or obstruct the owner in the use and enjoyment of its lands; to protect streams from ob- structions and pollution through or by deposits of sawdust or other refuse material from its operations ; and the purchaser assumes the adjustment of any and all damages which may result from its acts, or from its negligence under failure to exercise reasonable care and judgment. The coal mining lessee is given the right to use all such tim- ber, not excepted and reserved as above, as may be necessary for the purposes of the lease, but for no other purpose, to- gether with the right to use the lands in the propagation and protection of the timber. Where reserved timber on lands leased for coal mining purposes is not already covered by contract, it is now the policy of the company to sell this timber to the coal mining lessee to be used for the purposes of the lease, but for no other purpose, and in so doing to make the price of the timber at- tractive to the lessee, in order that it rather than an outside party may have the benefit of the same. A very large proportion of our ownership is in mountain Southern Forestry Congress 143 lands, to a considerable extent unsuitable for agricultural pur- poses. The coal mining leases run for large periods, and but some 15 per cent of the acreage under lease has thus far been mined out, and it has been felt that the interests of the coal mining lessee in the timber bearing value of the property at the present time, and for many years to come, is much greater than that of the owner, and while a number of our lessees have shown considerable interest in preserving the timber bearing value of the property, but little has been done in the way of organized effort for that purpose. I am pleased to say that we are earnestly considering methods of obtaining the cooperation of our coal mining lessees and timber contractors in the adop- tion of a system of fire protection, and our coal mining lessees in the adoption of methods that will insure a good stand of timber at all times upon those portions of the property which should properly be devoted to timber propagation — thus, it is felt, carrying out, to a very considerable extent at least the policy of both the Federal and State Governments for the conservation and propagation of forests. Respectfullv, ' W. W. Coe, General Manager. I am now going to announce the following persons as having been appointed to the Nominating Committee, which is to report at the close of this afternoon's session on the Permanent President and Secretary of the Congress: Professor J. G. Lee, Louisiana, Chairman. Mr. J. G. Peters, District of Columbia. Mr. J. E. Barton, Kentucky. Mr. F. W. Besley, Maryland. Dr. H. P. Baker, New York. Mrs. Gordon Finger, North Carolina. Mr. W. D. Tyler, Virginia. Will this committee kindly get together, so as to report at the close of the afternoon session? We will now proceed to the business of the afternoon ses- sion. It is with regret I announce that it will be impossible for us to listen to the paper from Professor Bryant, of Yale, who is not present. The second number on the program 144 Proceedings of the which is to be delivered by Mr. Frothingham, is postponed until tomorrow, and will be given in the field. The next speaker, therefore, will be Professor J. W. Tourney, Director Yale Forest School, who will speak on "The Regeneration of the Southern Pine Forests." THE REGENERATION OF SOUTHERN FORESTS By Prof. J. W. Toumey, DIRECTOR, YALE FOREST SCHOOL Agriculture is as old as the race. We know from long experience that the fruitfulness of tillable land is measured by the intelligence and labor combined in working it. No- where do we expect the grains, fruits, and vegetables as a free gift of nature. If we would reap we must sow, is uni- versally accepted as the foundation of husbandry. The savage depends upon wild or chance crops ; civilized man upon planted or cultivated crops. A single acre of arable land provides the civilized man more necessities and luxuries than the savage gathers from 100 acres of wilderness. As a nation we are just beginning to learn that land where timber formerly grew or is now growing is embraced in two separate and quite distinct classes, namely the agricultural land and absolute forest land. The former is capable of de- velopment for the profitable production of farm crops, the latter is not. The former should be cleared of its forest growth as rapidly as agricultural development and increased population warrant ; the latter should be kept perpetually in forest crops. Forestry is comparatively new. We have not yet learned that the productiveness of absolute forest land is also meas- ured by the intelligence and labor combined in working it. We are, however, beginning to realize that there is a clear line of economic cleavage between farm land and forest land. Thus, vast areas, particularly in the East, once cleared for farms, are now idle or slowly reclothing themselves with timber. These farms were carved out of potential forest land, upon which the attempt to develop permanent agriculture has proved an economic failure. How much of the South is potential forest land we do not Southern Forestry Congress 145 know. We do know that under the radical change in labor conditions following the Civil War thousands of acres once under cultivation have grown up to forests and now bear some of the finest stands of pine to be found in the South, while other areas once under cultivation have remained idle due to the absence of reproduction or its fragmentary character. One of the striking characteristics of the South is the vast areas of idle land, not only land once under cultivation but also potential forest land from which the timber has been cut and which is not reproducing a second crop. Timber has been and now is one of the greatest resources of the South. Under present methods of exploitation and lack of fire regulation by which it is a destructive agent of vast significance rather than a silvicultural agent of importance, the time is not far distant when there will be a marked falling off in the annual cut. It is only a question of time when all the virgin stands now growing on the absolute forest land in the South will be exploited. The disappearance of these stands should be ex- pected because the economic use of land requires the cutting of virgin timber as rapidly as needed in the upbuilding of the country. The most ardent believer in forest conservation has no quarrel with the South regarding the rapid cutting of her forests because the withholding of them from the axe and saw has no direct bearing whatever upon forest conserva- tion in its truest sense, which is conservation through use. If the Southern forests are to continue as a great resource, means must be found for perpetuating them on all land not cap- able of profitable development for the protection of farm crops. In other words, the absolute forest land in the South must be managed with the view of producing regular sustained yields, either annual or periodic. These cannot be attained by chance. The Southern States have too many examples of the effect of unregulated forest exploitation and the want of fire regulation upon the succeeding crop, to continue to trust much longer to chance crops to maintain her great forest resources after her virgin stands have been exploited. The ultimate fate of the timber resources of the South depends upon the repro- duction secured with the removal of the old crop from absolute forest land and a management under which the reproduction 10 146 Proceedings of the will develop into acceptable stands. There is no question but we are in accord in the need for better reproduction in the South. There is no known way, however, for securing a satis- factory sustained yield from absolute forest land without some sacrifice. I mean by this that expenditures must be made that cannot be realized upon for many years in the future. Is the South willing to make these expenditures in order to sustain her great forest industry? The question of reproduction in the South is primarily an economic one. The private owner of absolute forest land from which the timber has been cut and which is not reproducing a second crop through natural means knows that an expediture of from $3 to $15 per acre for seeding will under adequate protection, produce a fully stocked stand. He knows that if he cuts a part of the present stand and leaves the remainder to provide seed and shade, he can attain natural regeneration wherever fire can be controlled and used as a silvicultural tool. No one doubts but that the various silvicultural systems for attaining natural reproduction will work in the South. We can get re- production of any kind and character if we have the will to pay for it. We are not so sure that the cost incurred, when we take into consideration the economic conditions in the South and the attitude of the public toward forest fires, will be a profitable investment for the private owner of absolute forest land. We should remember that the private owner looks to the yield in forest products alone for returns from his investment, while the public owner secures also the vast indirect value of the forest which in many cases may be more than that derived from the sale of forest products. The South taken collectively can afford to practice silviculture and thus attain better reproduction long before the private owner can afford to or will practice it. Although it would be a most admirable thing for the fu- ture prosperity of the South if the private owners of abso- lute forest lands would reestablish acceptable forest stands upon them and give them adequate protection, under present conditions it should not be expected. The investment reaches too far into the future and the uncertainties of profit due to the absence of fire control, unscientific methods of forest tax- Southern Forestry Congress 147 ation, and in some instances the unrestricted pasturage of swine in pine forests are too great. The South cannot afford to wait on private interests for progress in forestry and the carrying out of enterprises essen- tial for a future timber supply. The stimulus for better re- production, which lies at the foundation of better forestry, must center in the public and not in the private individual. As the community derives a double value from the forests, name- ly, the indirect and direct value, the State and lesser govern- mental units are remiss in their duty to future generations if they permit the absolute forest lands after exploitation to remain permanently idle. What is needed in the South today more than anything else in order to place forestry upon a permanent foundation is a stronger public sentiment favorable to forestry, — a real desire on the part of the public for a permanent forest in- dustry, a desire backed by adequate funds derived from taxes to sustain state departments of forestry and other organiza- tions, without which real and enduring progress in forestry is impossible. There is already a slow movement in this direc- tion but it needs impetus. In these days state departments of forestry, manned by competent foresters, are as essential as state departments of agriculture. The organization of the state for better forest laws, better fire control, and better re- production is impossible without them. Not only should every southern state have a strong, well supported department of forestry, but every state should ac- cept the policy of the public ownership of absolute forest land. I do not mean by this that all absolute forest land in the South should be publicly owned but I do mean that some of it should be. It is time now for the South to realize, as has already been realized in New England, New York, Pennsylvania, and in other northern states, that the reproduction of the forest is a public concern, that it vitally affects the public. The public must point out and lead the way. If the idle potential forest lands of the South are to add even a modicum of their pos- sibilities to her future timber resources, the policy of state ownership must be accepted and a beginning made, possibly at first by acquiring a limited acreage in different parts of the state as demonstration forests where the many as yet unsolved 148 Proceedings of the problems relating to the economic reproduction of southern forests can be worked under the direction of a competent forestry department and where the public can see the results of forestry practice. Let me repeat : The improvement of reproduction in the South centers not in the sporadic attempts of individuals but in efficient, well sustained departments of state forestry and the acceptance of the policy of the public ownership of ab- solute forest land. There are thousands and thousands of acres of absolute forest land in the South that have been exploited and are without reproduction and consequently idle. Artificial repro- duction by private enterprises, however, will remain of minor importance for some time to come. There are a few restricted localities, in the opinion of Ashe, that can be artificially re- stocked with loblolly pine by private owners with the expecta- tion of fair returns on the cost. However, they must be well suited for the growth of this species, must cost no more than $10 per acre, and the cost of restocking must not exceed $3 per acre. Furthermore, they must be located where fire is under control and there must be a material increase in the value of stumpage over that of the present time. The only immediate hope for the acceptable reforestation of even a part of the denuded land where natural reproduction is no longer possible is through public enterprise. I fully realize that public opin- ion prohibits the creation of adequate state and communal forests in the South at the present time, but public opinion must be changed. The mountain forests in the South are chiefly northern types. They are composed of hardwoods and of conifers and hardwoods in mixture. The effect of fire on reproduction is the same as on more northern forests of like character. Re- production chiefly depends upon the exclusion of fire. Under the present method of operating hardwood stands, felling operations usually remove but a small percentage of the entire stand. A shelterwood of overmature, partially decayed trees, of crooked or otherwise defective trees, and of trees too small to be merchantable, is left, under which reproduction is usually abundant. It is often the case, however, that forest weeds and other tree species of inferior value dominate in the re- Southern Forestry Congress 149 production. Futhermore, the worthless overwood retards growth in the young trees beneath. If fires are not too fre- quent or too severe, a second growth stand results, comprised of the defective trees, those too small to be merchantable, and the abundant reproduction which developed after opening the forest floor to the light. This second growth forest which has cost nothing for its regeneration, if left to develop under natural conditions, will not be as valuable as the original stand because of the increased percentage of defective trees and the larger percentage of inferior species. How valuable it be- comes depends primarily upon two things : First, the possi- bility of removing the defective overwood and the elimination of the forest weeds and other inferior species that usually form a considerable part of the regeneration ; second, the protection from fire. Greeley, in speaking of the hardwood forests of the South- ern Appalachians where white oak is the species of greatest commercial importance, says : "The perpetuation of white oak in commercial quantities necessitates the adoption of more con- servative and far-reaching management. The same thing may be said of tulip, black walnut, cherry, and the other more valuable southern hardwoods that are being rapidly replaced by black and scrub oak, and other less valuable species, under the pres- ent system of exploitation which does not provide for pro- tection and adequate reproduction of the right kind." Greeley believes that with suitable management there is no difficulty in securing either seedling or sprout reproduction of white oak and that it is not often advisable to cut mature white oak from unlumbered and lightly culled forests until there is a market for tops and cull trees. Although economic conditions will not permit the employ- ment of the various silvicultural systems developed in Europe for attaining acceptable natural regeneration, although we do not know the best procedure in each particular case, we are certain of this, namely, that we should aim toward some silvi- cultural treatment in the exploitation of the mountain forests of the South. We are also certain that in our effort toward better reproduction in the mountain forests the problem of forest fires must first be solved, which can be done only by thorough State organization. The other problems of repro- 150 Proceedings of the duction in these forests are minor in importance when com- pared with those relating to fire. The simplest silvicultural operations to increase reproduction and improve the stand are useless without fire control. Due to the great value of southern pine and the rapidity with which the virgin stand is disappearing, the attention of the South has recently turned to the discussion of methods of cutting the virgin stands and later methods of protection by which acceptable second growth stands are possible. Under the present methods of operating pine in the South, felling operations remove a much larger proportion of the stand than is the case with hardwoods, and reproduction is not so com- plete. As a rule, everything is removed that is merchantable. The reproduction on the ground is usually scanty and poor. The overwood left, particularly in longleaf and loblolly pine stands, is often of little consequence in providing for a future stand. It is the pine forest that is most rapidly disappearing under present methods of forest exploitation in the South. It is the pine forest that calls most insistently for better re- production as the old stands disappear. Pine stands must originate from seed. As has already been stated, I do not be- lieve that the time is yet here when artificial regeneration of pine stands in the South can be extensively undertaken by private owners. We can, therefore, only look for better re- production by modifying our present methods of logging so as to attain a more abundant seed production at the opportune time and by improving the conditions for germination and early growth and by the regulation of fire and grazing. The spending of time and money by private owners of southern pine land in an effort to attain better reproduction than that which follows the ordinary present day methods of logging is an economic waste until the use and abuse of fire, which is the conti oiling factor in the reproduction of southern pine, is more fully understood and appreciated. Everywhere throughout the South pine reproduction is abundant on open fields surrounded by seed trees and formerly cultivated. It is usually absent or fragmentary on cut-over lands similarly lo- cated that have not been cultivated. This is particularly true of both loblolly pine and longleaf pine. This marked differ- ence in reproduction appears to be due to fire. There being Southern Forestry Congress 151 but little litter on the formerly cultivated areas, they usually escape fire for a number of years after seeding. When fires do occur the small amount of inflammable material results in the minimum of damage. Hardly an acre of southern pine land es- capes fire for longer than a few years in succession. As pointed out by Harper, Chapman, and others, fire appears to be both a blessing and a curse in its effect upon the reproduction of southern pine. What is demanded in the regeneration of southern pine, particularly longleaf pine, is not the exclusion of fire but the regulation of fire. Fire should be used intelli- gently as a silvicultural tool. If it is permitted to occur in the southern pine forests by accident or chance, it is as great a menace to sustained yield as it is in the North. Some form of fire regulation must be worked out for the South by which fires can be used intelligently and at the same time their de- structiveness to reproduction reduced far below that of the present day. There is as much need for regulation in the South as there is in the North. The problem, however, is far more complex and can only be worked out and applied by an efficient State forest service supported by a favorable public sentiment. Ashe states that the greatest menace to the natural repro- duction of loblolly pine is fire and that fragmentary and open stands are chiefly due to this cause. Fire preceding the fall of seed in exposing the mineral soil is favorable to germination, but fires that occur after germination takes place and before the trees are at least six or seven years old, always cause com- plete or partial destruction. When there is considerable litter on the ground and the weather is dry, the trees must be 20 or 30 feet high and well cleared of lower limbs before there is no longer danger of excessive loss from fire. The natural regeneration of loblolly pine, therefore, demands com- plete protection from fire for a variable period of from 7 to 20 years. Forest fires which consume but a small amount of inflammable material are often less harmful to regeneration than less frequent fires which burn with greater intensity after germination takes place. Loblolly pine germinates evenly and quickly, grows rapidly and is remarkably well adapted for natural regeneration if it is given half a chance. Further, it is easily established by either seeding or planting. Even more 152 Proceedings of the than the loblolly pine the longleaf pine is dependent for ac- ceptable reproduction upon the intelligent control of fire and its use as a silvicultural tool. Harper states that fires are essential for the reproduction of longleaf pine. Fires that precede the fall of seed expose the mineral soil and provide a better bed for germination. The damage done by fires following germination depends upon the amount and degree of dryness of the accumulated litter and the age of the young plants. Longleaf pine when three years old is often able to withstand a light surface fire and later fires that occur at frequent intervals due to the small amount of inflammable material ; while, on the other hand, it may be destroyed by a single fire which burns the accumulated litter of eight or ten years. Under present conditions there appears to be a necessity, at least in some localities, to burn at frequent intervals in order to escape the danger of total destruction. The future hope of longleaf pine rests upon natural reproduc- tion. Fire more than anything else appears to be the silvicul- tural tool which is to determine the future stands. Due to the large seed, the common practice of grazing swine in longleaf pine is fatal to reproduction. The exclusion of swine during the period of regeneration, i. e., immediately before and for a few years following the felling operations, is absolutely neces- sary. Unlike loblolly pine the longleaf is irregular in germina- tion, the seeds are low in viability, and early growth is low. Artificial regeneration both by seeding and planting is expen- sive and unsatisfactory. We must depend chiefly upon natural regeneration for future stands. In the final analysis the reproduction of southern pines and the quality and quantity of future yields will be measured by the degree to which the South accepts forestry. By this I mean the degree to which each state supports a strong, non- partisan, scientific forestry department ; the degree to which the public through taxation is willing to purchase non-produc- tive absolute forest land and make it productive ; the degree to which each state is willing to create and maintain a strong, efficient forest fire service and educate the public in the use and abuse of forest fires ; and the degree to which the private owners of lumbered and cut-over forest lands are willing to co- Southern Forestry Congress 153 operate with the state and nation in securing better protection of their own property and are willing to pay for the same. Graves has well said that as long as there is any considerable risk from fire, private owners of forest property have little incentive to make provision for a second growth or do other work looking to continued forest production. Because the annual firing of southern pine lands does not kill the timber, improves the forage, and protects the turpentine orchard, the public who do not appreciate the importance of reproduction are deluded into thinking that forest fires are always harmless. If this attitude of the public in relation to forest fires contin- ues, public sentiment will absolutely wreck the possibility of re- generation in the South and destroy the hope of future stands of southern pines. If forest fires on southern pine lands killed the standing timber as it does in most other parts of the United States, private owners would hold an entirely different view from what they do at the present time, fires would greatly de- crease in number and extent, and natural reproduction, which is the very life of sustained yield, would have a chance to as- sert itself. What every state in the South needs is a strong, aggressive forest policy with the faith of the people behind it. Until she has this, the purely academic discussions of methods of pine reproduction have little place because there is no one in the entire South who will apply them in practice. Mr. Foster: If there are no questions now, I think prob- ably we had better defer our discussion until the papers are finished. The next paper is : "The Naval Stores Industry : How it Can Be Perpetuated in the South," by Mr. I. F. Eld- redge, Supervisor, Florida National Forest. THE NAVAL STORES INDUSTRY: HOW IT CAN BE PER- PETUATED IN THE SOUTH By I. F. Eldredge, FOREST SUPERVISOR, FLORIDA NATIONAL FOREST The naval stores industry is peculiar to the South-Atlantic and Gulf States, and, outside of the region in which it is car- ried on, very little is known of it. Travellers along the At- lantic Seaboard and into Florida see from the car windows the ghastly signs left behind by the turpentiner in the years gone 154: Proceedings of the by and are very apt to form an opinion that the naval stores industry is too destructive to be fostered or encouraged any longer than necessary and that it should be allowed to perish as soon as possible. It is not generally known that the naval stores products of this country are worth over $35,000,000 per annum and that the greater part of this wealth is brought into our coffers from foreign countries. In the past, the in- dustry has been conducted according to the usual American practice of getting the most out of the business in the shortest possible time, regardless of the ultimate welfare of the in- dustry or of the source of the income, and today the industry is well in sight of the end of the supply of available timber, and unless something comes to the rescue within the next five years, the industry in this country will dwindle to insignifi- cance. The business of collecting naval stores began in early colonial days in Virginia and North Carolina. For many years the work was carried on in a small way in this region and it was not until the middle of the last century that the business took on the dignity and character of an industry and became of such size as to play an important part in the life of the South. After the temporary business paralysis that fol- lowed the Civil War, the industry commenced to grow amaz- ingly and in a comparatively few years it had exhausted the pine forests of Virginia and North Carolina and was moving southward through South Carolina. The industry continued to spread rapidly and by the end of the century had cleaned up Georgia and was entering the Florida Peninsula and spreading westward into Alabama. At the present time the longleaf pine forests of Alabama are exhausted so far as naval stores are concerned; the Peninsula of Florida is about worked out; the last timber in West Florida is now being operated and the center of the industry is rapidly passing to the westward. New timber is being worked now in Louisiana, Mississippi, and east Texas, where there is only a limited supply. In the early days and throughout the life of the industry until recent years, the naval stores operator found plenty of cheap labor at his command ; could have the choice of the timber at his own price and believed firmly that the supply of longleaf pine was inexhaustible. The selling end of the busi- Southern Forestry Congress 155 ness came into the control of speculatively inclined men and many and rapid were the variations in the price of spirits and of rosin. Many fortunes have been made and many lost, and, as in the mining industry, a certain recklessness became common to those engaged in the production of the commodity. Operators have a tendency to sacrifice everything in the effort to obtain financial results as quickly as possible. They attack the timber with the sole intention of getting the most out of it in the shortest possible time and are more or less indifferent as to the effect of the operation on the life of the timber. They would work it a few years and when the timber commenced to die heavily, they simply moved their camps into a virgin territory and started all over afresh. More often than not, the operator did not own the timber in which he was operating but leased it for a short period only. The naval stores industry was then traveling so far ahead of the saw- mill that the owners of the timber were willing to see it de- stroyed for the small amount of stumpage given by the tur- pentiner. Very wasteful methods prevailed all through the operation and it was necessary for the producer to abandon the timber just as soon as the maximum flow was over. In order to bring about the maximum flow of resin in the minimum time, it was common to scar or chip the timber very deeply and to cut as many boxes on every tree as it would possibly stand, leaving only a very narrow strip of bark be- tween each scarified face. The chipping was not only very deep but the streak was so wide that the face progressed up the tree so rapidly that at the end of three years the timber was about exhausted. The yields from such a method were very large while the work lasted, but owing to the enormous death rate as well as to the exhaustion of the trees that didn't die, the fall off in yield from year to year was remarkably great ; so much that no operator could afford to waste his time in the timber after a very few years. So long as labor was plentiful, cheap, and easily managed, and longleaf pine stumpage was to be had for almost nothing, this method of working produced results that could not be achieved in any other way, but it did it at the expense of the timber. As soon as timber became of value, sawmill men and timber owners 156 Proceedings of the commenced to dread the naval stores man as a pest of the first magnitude. It is a common saying in Florida where the naval stores industry is now engaged, that all turpentine men came from Robeson County, North Carolina. This is not entirely true, but it is safe to say that all turpentine men are still working according to the principles and methods laid down by the tur- pentine operators in Robeson County and other parts of North Carolina, over a hundred years ago. Being an exclusive set, turpentine men have not been bothered to any extent by the introduction of new blood or new ideas into their business and the average operator today conducts his business along the same lines and in the same way that his early colonial forebears did before the Revolution. There have been a few changes, it is true. About fifteen years ago the French idea of using a cup instead of a cut-in "box" was introduced by the Government and after a number of years of trial in actual operations on a large scale, under the direction of Dr. Charles H. Herty, a great number of operators have adopted the new method. Otherwise there has been no improvement of any moment in methods, tools, equipment, financing or marketing in a century. The use of the cup instead of the old-fashioned "box" has made it possible to work the timber a few years longer than was formerly the custom and the yield of resin or gum has been increased somewhat. The loss by death as a result of fire and windfall, insects and fungi is not quite so great as under the box method ; but the loss is still very large and so unneces- sary, and the waste of natural resources is so enormous that the industry as a whole faces early extinction, because the owners of the remaining stands of longleaf pine are unwilling to sacrifice its saw timber value for the small revenue to be derived by leasing it for naval stores purposes. It is particularly unfortunate that this distressing state of affairs should come to mar the outlook just at this time when there is every reason to believe that an era of the greatest pros- perity will be opened upon the cessation of hostilities in Eu- rope. Since naval stores are used largely in construction work, this industry is among the first to feel the beneficent effects of prosperity. There is no doubt that a greatly increased demand Southern Forestry Congress 157 and high market prices will prevail during a considerable period after the war is ended. It will be sad indeed if we are unable to take advantage of this opportunity simply because we run out of timber from which to make the desired commodity. Many radical changes are necessary before the naval stores industry can be put on a permanent basis ; improvements must he brought about in methods of production, manufacture and marketing. The results to be desired are: (1) To reduce the death rate of worked timber, (2) to increase the length of working, (3) to eliminate unnecessary waste, (4) to reduce cost of production, manufacturing and financing, (5) to im- prove the method of marketing. The death rate in timber worked according to prevailing methods varies, of course, with the character of the timber as well as with such periodical factors as severe droughts, hur- ricanes, etc. The percentage of damage is lighter in the north- ern part of the range of the species and on strong soils than it is in the extreme southern part of the range on the light soil of the Gulf region. The death rate is also influenced con- siderably by the general age of the timber. Mature and over- mature trees are more apt to be killed or damaged than young, thrifty trees. It is the general practice among turpentine men to chip their timber from one to one and a quarter inches deep, not including bark ; to put as many faces on each tree as it will hold ; to cup trees as small sometimes as five inches in diameter; to add from three-fourths to an inch to the height of the face with each streak, that is, making about thirty inches of face each season ; and to pay little or no attention to the preservation of the bars between faces as the work proceeds up the tree. This operation is too severe for conservative work and no timber can be worked in accordance with it without being considerably damaged. Timber worked in this manner shows a constantly accelerating decrease in yield from the second year on and it is rare that the timber can be work- ed at a profit for more than five years at the outside. The death rate in this five years working will vary from 15 to 50 per cent of the worked trees. One of the experiments carried on by the Forest Service under the direction of Dr. Herty at Green Cove Springs, Florida, previous to 1909, gave results which indicated that 158 Proceedings of the deep chipping and wide chipping were not only unnecessary but did not obtain the full yield of the trees. It was ascer- tained, also, that a reduction in the number of cups per tree re- sulted in an immediate increase in the production per crop. In 1909 the Florida National Forest was put under administration and in accordance with the policy of the Government it was de- sired to utilize the resources of the forest so far as it could safely be done. It was necessary to devise some system of tur- pentining that would first of all safeguard the timber, and with this in mind a system was inaugurated which with minor mod- ifications has been used in the forest ever since. The mehtod adopted by the Government is similar to the common practice except that it is very much more conservative in every direc- tion. The same tools are used and the same grade of labor can perform the work as well as under the old practice. The chipping has a maximum depth of half an inch inside of the bark ; the chipper is allowed to remove not more than half an inch of new wood from the top of the face with each streak; the height of the face is limited to 16 inches per season. Cups are used exclusively. No tree nine inches or under in diameter breast high is cupped, and only one face is allowed on trees from ten to fifteen inches, inclusive, with two cups on larger trees. A bar four inches wide is kept between all faces and the latter are so arranged on two cup trees that a back face can be placed if desired after the first faces have been worked to their fullest extent. This system has been in use seven years in the Florida National Forest on an area of about 30,000 acres. The system has been and is being carried out by regular turpentine operators without special organization or equip- ment of any kind, and the government timber which is being operated is leased to the highest bidder at public auction, bring- ing higher stumpage prices than does neighboring privately owned timber of the same grade. The cost of carrying out the Government regulations varies but little, if any, from the old method. The results are: (1) An increase in production per crop per annum. This increase varies from 5 per cent to 20 per cent during the first three years and from 20 per cent to 50 per cent over the same period under the old method during the second three years. The indications are that the results to be obtained from the back cupping in the way of Southern Forestry Congress 159 increased yield will be even greater. (2) It lengthens the period of production without reducing annual yield. The Government expects under this sytsem to have all of its timber in the National Forest worked for at least twelve years and, if the prices of naval stores advance considerably, it is more than probable that this period can be and will be extended by at least two years. This is an increase of over 100 per cent and is brought about by the narrow, light chipping, and by the fact that since the health and vigor of the tree is preserved, the timber may be back cupped liberally and worked for six years with a profit. (3) It cuts down the death rate. Care- ful counts in Government turpentine leases in the Florida National Forest have shown that under the system of shallow chipping and restricted cupping the death rate is reduced to a remarkable extent. For a four-year period in the average operation under the old deep-chipping, heavy cupping method a death rate of 20 per cent can be considered a light loss in Gulf Coast timber, and more often than not the percentage of death is more than twice this figure. The death rate on aver- age timber under the Government method during a four-year period is only 6 per cent of the faces or about 3 per cent great- er than the normal death rate in virgin timber. The death of timber due to chipping or to the turpentine operation in any way is less than 2 per cent of the trees worked. In a Govern- ment turpentine, lease lightning kills more trees than the tur- pentiner does. There is no reason why the industry at large should not adopt such a system as used in the Florida National Forest and thereby go a long way towards settling the difficulty of how to reduce the death rate, to increase the length of working and to stimulate the production. The question of eliminating unnecessary waste, however, is yet to be solved. Every in- telligent observer of the naval stores industry who examines it from an engineering point of view is struck with the great waste of material, time, energy and money in the work as carried out by the average turpentine operator. I shall not at- tempt to enumerate the many leaks nor to prescribe a remedy. It is safe to say that a well informed and experienced efficiency expert could, after a thorough study of the industry, save at least 25 per cent of the ultimate cost of production by stopping 160 Proceedings of the waste of timber, of gum at the cup, in the barrel, and at the still ; loss of grades due to poor distilling, waste of time and money in poor labor and inefficient overseeing, loss of money in the commissary system, in the system of financing, and in the method of marketing through factors. It is a large job to solve all of these difficulties, but a step must be made in this direction in the immediate future if the industry is to preserve its existence in this country. When all of these knotty problems have been worked out it may be said that the industry is still far from being on a permanent basis, for we have provided only for the conserva- tion of the remaining stand of pine timber and have started to work about fifty years too late. The best we can hope to do is to make the present supply of timber last until a second crop can be provided. When it is known that it takes at least a hundred years to grow a longleaf pine to a merchantable saw timber size it may seem ridiculous to even speak of waiting for a second crop ; but it must be remembered that this second crop has been growing in the States of North and South Caro- lina and in parts of Georgia for the last fifty years or more and even now large areas of second growth longleaf pine timber are available for turpentining in these States. It will never pay to work this timber under the old method of turpentining and at the market prices now prevailing ; the time will arrive, however, well within the knowledge of the present generation of turpentine men, when this class of timber will command high prices and find a ready market for naval stores production. This timber will be worked under some system closely resembling that now used in France which is the only method that can be used with profit on young, fast growing stands without stopping the growth or requiring a cessation in operations to rest the timber. In the Florida Na- tional Forest extensive experiments are being conducted in the use of the French system on longleaf pine and under Am- erican labor conditions. The experiments have been under way only two years and the yield figures obtained are not yet available for publication. It may be said, however, that the French system will yield a larger return per acre per annum on small timber than will the American system. There is no limit to the number of years that a tree can be worked under Southern Forestry Congress 161 the French system. In France, it is customary to work the timber until it reaches saw timber size when the tree is cut and sold and a new one is planted. There is yet another possibility for the future of the naval stores industry. In Arizona and New Mexico as well as in parts of California, the United States Government owns a vast acreage of western yellow pine, which is closely akin to our longleaf pine. Several years ago several crops of this timber were cupped and worked under the supervision of a Southern turpentine operator. The final results indicated that it will pay to operate this species for naval stores when the market price of spirits of turpentine reaches the neighborhood of a dollar a gallon, and not before. The western species will produce about 80 per cent as much gum as will the Southern species for the same length of season. However, the open season of the species in most parts of the range is from four to eight weeks shorter than the working period in the South. Labor conditions, too, are unfavorable as compared with the South, and transportation facilities are very poor or lacking entirely. Still, it is very probable that eventually this timber will be worked for naval stores. Prospectors in Mexico claim to have found large bodies of western yellow pine in the plateau region of Central Mexico. This is the same species as that experimented with in Arizona, California, and New Mexico, and it is safe to say it will be worked at some time provided the sawmill does not reach it first. Transportation facilities will be the greatest bar to the spread of the industry south of the Rio Grande. Some of the naval stores companies of this country own timber concessions in Honduras in Central America, and one or more operating companies have been at work there for some years. There is a considerable body of pine available, and labor of a kind can be found among the natives. The unfavorable climatic condi- tions, as well as the fact that the country is very remote and rather uncivilized, precludes the idea of any general mijratin of the industry from this country to that. If the business of producing naval stores is to remain in this country as one of our great industries, its leaders must, first of all, bring about immediate and radical changes in the method of production in order to stop the waste of raw ma- il 162 PROCEEDINGS OF THE terial and to conserve our remaining supply of pine timber; they must start to work at once to perfect a way of working on second growth pine that will allow of more or less continuous working as under the French system ; and furthermore, they must not only take steps to safeguard such second growth pine as is now present in the turpentine orchards, but must bring about an increase in natural reproduction. Mr. Foster : The next speaker needs no introduction in North Carolina, at least, and not in the South. I might tell some good stories about Mr. Ashe, but our time is limited, and we are very anxious to hear what he has to say about "The Forests of the Future." I am glad to introduce Mr. W. W. Ashe, of the Forest Service. THE FORESTS OF THE FUTURE— SECOND GROWTH By W. W. Ashe, FOREST INSPECTOR, FOREST SERVICE Of second growth itself, there is a prevailingly hazy idea as to what constitutes it. It will be referred to, however, as a general term, including not only the small trees which are left after a pretty heavy cutting and which may form the major part of a future, if somewhat deferred, operation, but the young trees which actually start after cutting as well. Under this definition second growth embraces anything which will feed a portable circular saw some twenty or thirty years after the present clean-up. There are two classes of persons who might be considered to have interests in the future of lands producing second growth, the lumberman landowner who should cherish a decided personal interest in the investmental aspect of this class of property which he is alleged to have the exclusive right to create ; and the community in general which might, should it acquire an introspective attitude, regard the relation of these lands to its permanent development. THE LUMBERMAN'S INTEREST IN SECOND GROWTH Cut-over timberlands immediately after logging do not present an appearance that appeals strongly as a future timber investment. This is particularly so to the eyes of the lumber- Southern Forestry Congress 103 man, since his point of view has been limited entirely to finding timber ready for the saw and axe rather than the re-creation of saw timber through a long-time investment. It is not neces- sary, however, to consider laying the basis for a second growth cutting by starting from the seed. Tracts exist in which there are no young trees or small ones, and necessarily such tracts must as a rule be cut clean ; but in most stands there are at least occasional groups of young trees or scattered young trees. This is particularly the case throughout the mountain forests, and it is these trees which will form the bulk of a profitable second cutting if they are not cut now but are permitted to grow, A second cutting is spoken of with assurance. Not only a second but innumerable future cuttings will be the fortune of most mountain forest lands, since this section will remain and be- come more fully recognized as our chief permanent hardwood producing area. And in respect to their permanency this section is different from our other hardwood producing centers. The hardwood centers of the Ohio River Valley and the Lake States have agricultural soils which are already largely clear- ed; the swamp hardwood lands of the Mississippi River Val- ley will be cleared as rapidly as they can be drained. The same is true of most of the Southern pine lands, as I have already pointed out in great detail on several occasions.* While these pine lands are fundamentally agricultural they can be used for timber for thirty to fifty years until there is demand for them for farming and can produce a good stand of timber in that time. There are two considerations, either of which it seems might justify the operator who also owns the land on which he is operating in looking forward to the future value of his cut-over land as a timber investment capable of yielding further cuttings. To a certain extent one of these has to do with his immediate profits as well as with the prospective value of the land. This is the high cost of operating small timber, com- pared with the profit realized from it. The second is the high rate of increase in the value of such small timber as might be left in the present operation, especially if young and thrifty. * Address before N. C. Pine Association at Norfolk, Va.. April 7, 1907; N. C. Forestry Association at New Bern, January 29, 1916, etc. 164 Proceedings of the high cost of operating small timber in old stands The cost of operating hardwood trees below sixteen inches in diameter is out of all proportion to the value of the lumber which they yield. A detailed investigation of these costs has recently been made and will soon be printed.* The conclusions of this investigation are that the costs per 1,000 feet of skid- ding logs from trees between fourteen and sixteen inches in diameter are more than treble those from trees twenty inches in diameter and over. The costs per 1,000 feet of felling, bucking and mill sawing are more than double. For trees smaller than twelve inches the relative costs per 1,000 are yet higher, being about five times as high as for trees twenty inches in diameter and over, and at the same time the lumber cut from small trees is much less valuable than that from large. In most operations of virgin stands where clean cutting is practiced, the larger timber is paying entirely or in large part for the cost of operating the smaller. Much of the small timber is cut at a loss, notwithstanding that it contrib- utes proportionately to reducing mill construction, transpor- tation construction, and overhead charges. Few operators have ever investigated the relative costs. It is believed if the stop watch, grade rules, and scale stick were applied to this class of timber and the results checked with the sales book, it would be found that in mountain operations the greater portion, if not all, of the lumber cut from trees less than four- teen inches in diameter in sections where the freight rate to New York is twenty-five cents per 100 pounds and over, is marketed at a loss and the stumpage consequently from which it is milled has at the present time no value as saw timber. This smaller timber, however, has a decided value from an investment point of view. I wish to draw here a sharp dis- tinction between small trees and young trees. Many small trees are already old, as old as the largest, and in certain species these stunted trees have lost their resilience and no re- juvenation is possible. There is no justification for holding such trees for advance in value either by growth or in price. On the other hand the small tree which is also a young tree and which is sound and straight has the possibility of an enormous increase in value from three different sources. There • This appears in the Forestry Quarterly for September, 1916. Southern Forestry Congress 165 is increase by growth in volume and board contents. In ad- dition to the actual volume which is added, there is also an increase in the quality of the material, since after a stem is once cleaned of its branches the size of the knots is fixed and ad- ditional diameter results in wider boards and a betterment in the grade of lumber. The third increase which takes place is in price. It is this increase in price alone which in the past has furnished the profits in holding timberlands, since stands of virgin timber make no increase in yield, growth being balanced by decay ; and for the same reason quality also is at a stand- still. In this manner second growth should now offer a field for investment as inviting as virgin stands. Old timber has in many cases now reached such a value that price increment, after allowing for the carrying charges, is not sufficient to make the holding of it profitable as an investment, a fact which inventory time forcibly stresses in many offices. RAPID INCREASE IN VALUE OF SMALL TREES It is the lower grade timber which exhibits the greatest ac- tivity in rate of increase. In the thirteen years between 1903 and 1916, No. 1 common oak in this general price zone in- creased approximately from $16.00 to $27.00 per thousand. Allowing for an increase of $2.00 in producing costs during this interval, the costs of operating and delivering on the railroad being $14.00 in 1903 and at present under the same conditions $16.00, this grade of stumpage increased from $1.50 to $11.50 per thousand or approximately 800 per cent. Mill run oak lum- ber of course does not average equal to No. 1 common in price, so the actual stumpage values are not as high as those given but the proportional increase is as high. Except in the case of poplar, the lumber that comes from such small trees, if their utilization is at all close, would fall in average value well below No. 1 common grade. On account of the almost negative value of stumpage of timber of this character it is capable of mak- ing a high rate of per cent increase in value if held as an in- vestment, and it would pass through the same rapid initial advance in price as old timber has partaken during the past two decades. While it is entirely beyond the scope of this paper to make conjectures as to future stumpage values, it is reasonable to look for no actual decline in the amount of in- 166 Proceedings of the crease in the value of the lower grades of stumpage of such species as oak, poplar and chestnut. HEAVY YIEEDS OF SECOND GROWTH OBTAINABLE WITH PROTEC- TION The amount of increment which can be secured on cut-over land will vary according to the kinds of timber, and the con- dition in which the land is left after lumbering. In the case of mixed stands, consisting largely of chestnut, with poplar and red oak, the realization of an annual increment of 250 board feet per acre a year can be expected in stands thirty to fifty years old, where the entire replacement starts from the seed or sprout after logging. Such increment which produces a yield of hardwoods in excess of 10,000 board feet per acre in a stand fifty years old looms large to the lumberman who is accoustomed to cutting far less than this from virgin hard- woods. In case it is possible to thin young stands, yields much in excess of 10,000 feet can be secured. It must be re- membered, however, that a large part of these virgin stands is understocked on account of old fire damage, and there is always a high per cent of defective material which comes from the trees that are too old ; at the same time there is much very small timber which cannot be profitably logged at the present time and which is broken down in removing large trees. Fur- thermore, there is a certain proportion of timber of kinds which have little or no value and which is not logged at all. In the young and vigorous stands of the future, all trees will be sound and it can be expected that all kinds will be merchantable and can be logged at a profit. WANE IN THE CUT OF HARDWOODS It is not sufficient to regard second growth entirely from the point of view of the individual owner. The hardwood timber of the Appalachians is to be held as one of the primary raw products, around the manufacture of which are grouped other dependent and subsidiary industries. The importance of the second growth in maintaining the hardwood supply for these industries and the liability of lumbermen, therefore, are evident when the decline in the cut of many of the important hardwood timbers is realized. The cut of oak has declined 26 per cent since 1899; poplar 50 per cent; ash 25 per cent; Southern Forestry Congress 107 while elm, basswood, and hickory all show that they are on the wane. Chestnut exhibits an immense increase of more than 150 per cent, but it cannot replace oak or ash in the industry or for furniture. 1899 1910 1914 Oak 4,438,000 M 3,522,000 M 3,278,000 M Poplar 1.151,000 M 734,926 M 519,000 M Ash 267,000 M 246.000 M 189.000 M Chestnut 206,000 M 535,049 M 540,000 M Hickory 272,000 M 116,000 M The relation of the hardwood supply as a basic resource can be shown by the development of a typical hardwood consuming center. INDUSTRIES DEPENDENT ON SECOND GROWTH If a community such as High Point, North Carolina, is taken as an example and analyzed, it is readily seen that its very existence as an industrial center is dependent upon a sup- ply of hardwood lumber. The other industries which are carried on at this place are such as are either complementary to the manufacture of furniture or wooden ware, or are in- dustries which use that portion of the labor of the community which cannot profitably be employed in its major industry. The remainder of the community engaged in its administra- tion and in supplying living materials would be non-existent but for the central woodworking establishments. These are the basis for the entire community of some 15,000 population. The timber requirements of this community at the present time are placed at some thirty-five millions of board feet a year. This, in the shape of rough lumber has a delivered value not to exceed three-quarters of a million dollars, but this raw material accounts for the development of an industrial organization having a creative power of $10,000,000, repre- senting the aggregate commercial and domestic interest of the city. Its wealth-producing power would have been impossible without this lumber. If this place and such other communities of like character which should be developed, are to be perma- nently preserved, an adequate supply of timber must be as- sured. But High Point uses only the lumber. From these same trees come pulp stock, tanning material, stave, crate, and packing stock, and wood for other wares. Primary and secondary industries dependent on these lesser products sup- 168 PROCEEDINGS OF THE port many thousand persons for each lumber-consuming unit similar to High Point. In the aggregate there are, in produc- tion, in converting and dependent, some 25,000 persons around this community as a nucleus. Reasoning from the High Point example, the Appalachian forests have a high potential. The activities which accom- pany the stripping of the virgin stand are no index of their latent industrial possibilities. Much of the present old forest is wasted on account of lack of converting plants. Insufficient or ill-adapted transportation facilities prevent the assembling at existing manufacturing plants of much low grade material which might be used. Eventually there will be a proper co- ordination along these lines and efficiency will supplant hap- hazardness. Much timber at present is not applied to its high- est utility but must be marketed to make sales. In the case of supplying the present timber requirements of High Point, an area of some 150,000 acres of rough mountain lands could be set aside, protected from fire and insects, and expected to more than meet its full industrial needs, producing, in addition, a numerous line of minor products. The ideal utilization might never be attained ; but allowing for exigencies, the develop- ment of the 20,000,000 acres of permanent hardwood timber- land of the Southern Appalachians means at least a permanent addition of some three millions to its population. Practically all of this population would be urban and a large portion of it would be centered in the narrow, comparatively lightly popu- lated region in and adjacent to the mountains, the social de- velopment of which has been so badly retarded on account of a deficiency of its wealth-creating urban communities. INTEREST OF COMMUNITY IN SECOND GROWTH Looking at this in the future it is seen what an enormous interest the organization known as the state, as well as in- dustrial towns, has in the development and maintenance of the productive capacity of the cut-over forest lands merely as sources of timber supply without considering their function in equalizing streamflow. We do not know how permanent development is to be obtained. Whether it is to be forced on the present owners by state authority, and there is no question that the states have every power to require those who are entrusted with ownership to fulfill their obligations to the Southern Forestry Congress 1G9 people by making a steward's accounting; whether the states are to assist owners in making development, or whether the states or Federal government are in large measure, or en- tirely, to acquire these lands and develop them, are questions yet to be determined. The essential point is that undeveloped they add nothing to the industrial or social life of the country and present methods of exploitation are tending to destroy developmental possibilities. Will it pay the private owner to develop them? Only the trial can determine absolutely, but if the experience of other producing sections counts, owners here may profit by it. In most of New England the old cork white pine is long a com- modity of the past. New Hampshire mills now report cutting second growth that requires more than forty logs to the thou- sand board feet. Second growth chestnut is a standard and profitable stumpage in Connecticut ; as second growth oak is, in addition to chestnut, over much of Pennsylvania. In south- eastern Virginia the size of the average shortleaf pine log has shrunk during the past 20 years from more than 100 board feet to approximately 30; yet mills seem to worry along and earn satisfactory returns for their stockholders, and this notwith- standing the fact that these sections passed through somewhat the same stages of careless lumbering followed by fire as that which prevails now in the southern mountains ; somewhat the same, for they failed to experience in its full severity the cable logger which breaks a clean path for its action. Yet, even with this mighty engine of logging efficiency and forest ruin, much can be done to mitigate the waste and breakage of small timber without increase of logging cost. It is absolutely necessary that the greatest of all evils, fire, should be prevented. The position of many of the Appalachian lumbermen in regard to protection against fire is largely that of vicarious prepared- ness.* They like to discuss the subject but wish to delegate * In many cases the lumbermen in their delegated fire protective activities are suggestive of a cook at a summer hotel at which I stooped this spring, both of \is arriving on the day when the hotel season opened. For several days the bread was execrable. I at length bearded this alleged culinary artist in his den, and had the temerity to ask as to the reason for his failure in prepar- ing the staff of life. Frank, as he was called, freely confessed that his bread was poor; that the reason for it was that he could not cook unless he had good clothes; that his wife Helen was to have followed him to the hotel on the next train bringing his good clothes, but that he was afraid that she had run off with some other nigger and had taken his good clothes with them. The next day I heard that Helen had come, and I sauntered into the sanctuary of the fry-pan. Frank sat indolently by a window; a buxom daughter of Ethiopia 170 Proceedings of the the actual protection of their cutover lands to the State or Federal governments. The hundreds of destructive forest fires this past spring, thirty-odd of which I personally witness- ed, clearly showed that their preparedness did not extend to meeting the crucial strain. It is a sage statement that in every section which has been mentioned, as now deriving its timber supply chiefly from second growth, the yields from these stands would be doubled in volume and more than doubled in value had unnecessary fires been prevented. With the small stock broken down and repeatedly burned, the earning value of cut-over hardwood lands as investments is at best greatly re- duced for many years to come or may be practically destroyed. Increment for small single trees and yield of 250 feet per acre of young stands presuppose entire absence of injury by fire. But this increment can be enormously increased by thin- nings which will be possible and profitable in most second growth stands. The owners of this cut-over land will eventually realize that they have made a mistake, and realize it suddenly when they grasp the full potentialities of these properties when they were handled with reasonable care. RF,CO M M E NDATIO N S I have stated that the method of permanently developing cutover lands was yet to be determined. I suggest, however, that the lumbermen take some initial action themselves, co- operating among themselves and with the States in protection. Money will be needed and there is no juster way for it to be raised than by a severance tax — a fixed levy of a few cents per 1,000 feet of lumber cut. Such a tax has been in effect in Louisiana for five years and has been successful and satisfac- tory. Since it is the first severance tax to be levied in the United States and was incorporated at my instance in the draft of the forest law suggested by the Forest Service for that State, its success is highly gratifying to me. With money and cooperation assuring protection for cut-over lands, it is possible to go ahead. Protection is preliminary, but essential. With protection secured it is possible to consider the method of was bending over the oven. I addressed the lady of the pans as Helen; animad- verted on my delight at seeing her, and hoped that she had brought Frank's good clothes so necessary for his bread making. Helen gave a joyous laugh, flirted herself around, and as she patted her ample bosom, confided: "Right here's de clothes Frank's got to have to make his bread." Southern Forestry Congress 171 cutting the old timber which, without adding to the cost of operation, will obtain the best results in the second growth. And it should be stated that to secure replacement of poplar and basswood protection against cattle is as necessary as against fire. Land in process of restocking cannot be grazed. Each stand has different conditions and will require separate consideration and methods to obtain the optimum results. These can be decided upon only by an examination on the ground. A feature which will be of enormous benefit to the Appalachians, however, will be the construction of more plants using minor products and cordwood. Tannic acid plants are fairly well distributed, but pulp and paper, excelsior, wood al- cohol, staves and heading, toys and novelties, would save much wood which now goes to waste and which adds to the fire menace. There is a big field for the hardwood associa- tions, especially the smaller associations, to act for betterment along these lines — to employ experienced foresters, who can cooperate with state foresters, can confer with owners, or groups of owners, respecting closer utilization, and protec- tion ; who can be consulted concerning logging and the profit in reserving small trees in order that the cut-over land and the second growth may be left in a suitable condition to make a profitable investment, and not have its future earning value largely destroyed merely through ignorance. Mr. Foster : Now, ladies and gentlemen, I plead with you to stay with us until the end. It will only take a few minutes longer, but before we hear the reports of the Resolutions and Nominating Committees, I should like to call on Mr. W. D. Tyler for just a few remarks. Mr. Tyler is connected with the Clinchfield Coal Corporation of Virginia. Mr. TylER : I want everybody in the room to look at that card : "Everybody loses when timber burns." There is a little county in southwest Virginia, about 75 per cent of whose area is owned by corporations, and 60 per cent of that area is owned by the Clinchfield Coal Corporation. They have re- cently sold the timber on their fee simple ownership in that county to the W. M. Ritter Lumber Company, of Columbus, Ohio. We have had a little different experience out there from the experience Mr. Ashe has just recited to you. The lumber company has started to act with the landowner, and between 172 Proceedings of the the lumber company, the State Foresters of Virginia, and Mr. Peters' force in Washington, they have got an organization pretty well lined up. A year ago, if anybody had told me that there would be a fire protective organization in Dickenson County today, I would have laughed at him. But we have got an organization there, and it is working. And not only have we got an organization, but we have got men in charge of that organization scattered all over the county ; and I want Mr. Peters to give me about a thousand of these notices, and I am going to have them all posted over the county. About ten years ago, when I took charge of the lands of the Clinchfield Coal Corporation, one of the first things we did was to make a triangular survey of the property. That gave us all the high points in the country, so we didn't have to hunt for high points because we already had them located. And those high points were all shown on the Geological Sur- vey's topographic maps. We first took five points, and at only one of those points did we have to build a lookout. That lookout is now under contract. At each one of those five points we will have, within the next few days, a tool box large enough to carry all the kinds of equipment that we are trying experimentally. There is a three-key Yale lock on that box. The foreman in charge of the station has one key in his pocket. The second key is in his house, only a short distance away, and the third key is held in reserve. In that box there are a certain number of potato hooks, which the farmers know all about, a long hoe with four tines or forks that can be thrown into the ground. There is a supply of four tined forks with long handles, a supply of dirt shovels, a supply of four-pound axes, a supply of two-pound axes, also a supply of galvanized buckets. And last, but not least, a hand pump in each box, the object of which is to make it possible, if a fire should get into a big tree to put out the fire in the top of the tree, when it is too large to fell rapidly. These boxes are painted red, and on the outside there is to be stenciled in white letters, "Forest Fire Service," and I am going to ask Mr. Peters to allow us to put those two letters, "U. S.," somewhere on the box. We would like to have them there. We are handling this organization in rather an original way, possibly. The foremen have, almost without exception, Southern Forestry Congress L73 been selected by Mr. Lambert, my personal assistant in charge of lands in Dickenson County. They are made up of men of the very highest character we can find in the county. Some of them can't read and write, but they can fight fire. These men are divided into three classes — foremen, sub- foremen and fire fighters. To the foremen and sub-foremen we are paying a retaining fee annually for their services, and our contract with them further provides that when they do actual work in the way of directing the fighting of fires, they are paid a reg- ular wage per hour. The expense of conducting this organization is being borne entirely by the W. M. Ritter Lumber Company and the Clinch- field Coal Corporation, but our instructions to the foremen in charge are that it doesn't make any difference whose land the fire may be on, if it is in reach of any of the men, they are to go to it. On each one of the five stations we have a telephone and two or three of them have exchanges within 100 yards of the station itself. The total area that we are trying to cover probably amounts to from two hundred to two hundred and fifty thousand acres; about one hundred, or one hundred and ten thousand acres of these are lands in which the Clinchfield Coal Corporation and the W. M. Ritter Lumber Company, one or the other, are interested. I tell you this to give you some idea about the experiment we are trying, and we hope we are going to have a little better success with it than some of the people on Mount Mitchell have had with theirs. I am also rather proud of the fact that my friends of the W. M. Ritter Lumber Company have proven themselves a little more liberal than some of the people who are also my friends in North Carolina. Mr. Foster: The next business is to act on the resolu- tions. I will ask the secretary of the Resolutions Committee if they are ready to report. Unless there is objection, we will listen to the reading of the resolutions which have been very carefully worked out by the Resolutions Committee. We will then act on them. 174 Proceedings of the GENERAL RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY THE SOUTHERN FORESTRY CONGRESS 1. WHITE PINE BLISTER RUST Whereas, The imported fungus disease known as the White Pine Blister Rust, which has rendered the culture of American white pines impracticable in many parts of Europe, has already been found in nine states of the Union and prob- ably exists in other states, and Whereas, This disease is a National menace, not only to all the white pine forests of the East but also to the white pine and sugar pine forests of the West ; therefore, be it Resolved, That immediate, drastic action is necessary if a National calamity is to be averted, and to this end the Southern Forestry Congress strongly urges appropriations by the Na- tional government and by all states in which imported five- leaved pines have been planted adequate to locate and eradi- cate all infections, and further recommends that sufficient power be conferred on the officials charged with this work to make eradication effective. 2. GAME REFUGES Whereas, The acquisition of lands by the Federal Gov- ernment for the Appalachian National Forests affords an unusual opportunity for restoration and conservation of game, and Whereas, There are pending before the Congress of the United States certain measures authorizing the establishment of game refuges on the National Forests under the Cham- berlain-Hayden Game Sanctuary Bill (S. 6881, H. R. 11712) and the protection of game on the Appalachian National For- ests under the Senate amendment to the Agricultural Appro- priation Bill, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Southern Forestry Congress heartily endorses and recommends the passage of said measures, and in the event of their enactment into law, urges active and cordial cooperation of state officials and local associations with the Federal authorities in the establishment of such re- Southern Forestry Congress 175 fuges, in the introduction of big game in suitable localities, and in enlisting public sentiment in favor of game conservation on such forests. 3. SEPARATE STATE FORESTRY AND GAME ORGANIZATIONS Whereas, It has been shown by experience that the combi- nation of the state forestry organization with the state fish and game organization operates disadvantageously to both, and tends to reduce the efficiency of both through the division of interest and the division of appropriations from the pur- poses for which they were intended, and Whereas, A combination of the functions of the forest officers with those of the fish and game officers is especially detrimental to the development of a spirit of hearty cooperation on the part of the general public in the suppression of forest fires, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Southern Forestry Congress endorses the policy of separate state forestry departments, but recom- mends close cooperation between the state departments of forestry and of fish and game. 4. FEDERAL AID IN FIRE PROTECTION Whereas, The excellent progress made in fire protection under the Weeks Law in states which have come under its operation has fully demonstrated the desirability of this man- ner of cooperation between the Nation and the states, there- fore, be it Resolved, That the Southern Forestry Congress urges the continuation of these appropriations by the National Congress, and urges the states which are not now qualified under the law to receive the Federal assistance to take the action neces- sary to avail themselves of the Government's cooperation. 5. FOREST PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATIONS Whereas, The control of forest fires is the greatest factor in forest conservation, and Whereas, Effective control demands affirmative action on the part of not only the public agencies but private interests as well, and hearty cooperation between them, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Southern Forestry Congress urges pri- vate owners of timberlands in each of the Southern states to form organizations for fire protective purposes, by means of 176 Proceedings of the which the cooperation between all agencies, both public and private, can be made effective. 6. ADEQUATE APPROPRIATIONS FOR FORESTRY Whereas, Progress in state forestry requires not only an effective non-political organization at its head, but also suffi- cient funds to carry on the important work of popular edu- cation in forestry, establishment of organized fire protection, assistance to woodland owners in the management of their property, checking erosion, and supervision of such state forests as may be established, and Whereas, Many Southern states which have already made an excellent beginning by the establishment of forestry depart- ments, are as yet without adequate financial support, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Southern Forestry Congress urges upon the legislatures of the respective states, a more liberal policy in providing funds for the conduct of forestry work, and in passing such additional legislation as may be necessary to make this work effective in practice. 7. RECENT LOUISIANA LAW APPROVED Whereas, The recent act passed by the Legislature of Louisiana, which provides that the state forestry work be in charge of a trained forester, and that the expenditures for for- estry shall equal twenty per cent of the revenue derived from the products tax on timber and turpentine, marks a great for- ward step in forest conservation ; therefore, be it Resolved, That the Southern Forestry Congress heartily endorses this action of Louisiana. 8. URGE FORESTRY LAWS AND FUNDS Whereas, The states of South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi and Arkansas are now without state forest or- ganization and entirely without appropriations for state for- estry work, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Southern Forestry Congress urges upon the legislatures of the above states the serious consid- eration of laws and funds to improve their present forest con- ditions. Southern Forestry Congress 177 9. BILTMORE ESTATE Resolved, That the Southern Forestry Congress does here- by express its hearty thanks to Mrs. George W. Vandcrbilt, Mr. C. D. Beadle, Dr. and Mrs. A. S. Wheeler, and Mr. C. T. Rankin, for making possible the interesting visit to the Bilt- more Estate ; and for their courteous and greatly appreciated entertainment ; and to Mr. Verne Rhoades for the prepara- tion of the valuable booklet on the Biltmore plantations. 10. WOMEN'S CLUBS Resolved, That the Southern Forestry Congress, recogniz- ing and heartily commending the very valuable work done for the spread of the movement for the protection and perpetua- tion of our Southern forests by the General and State Federa- tions of Women's Clubs and the individual clubs and club wo- men of the South, does hereby urge these good and patriotic women to continue and increase their efforts and cooperate as closely as possible with all other organizations with this end in view. 11. APPRECIATION AND THANKS Resolved, That the Southern Forestry Congress hereby ex- presses its appreciation and tenders its thanks to the Governor of North Carolina, to the Mayor and Board of Trade of Ashe- ville, to the S. A. Lynch Enterprises, to the local press and Women's Clubs, and to the management and staff of Battery Park Hotel for the many courtesies extended to the Congress and its delegates during their most pleasant stay in Asheville. The resolutions were unanimously adopted. REPORT OF THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE The Chairman then called for the report of the Nominat- ing Committee. Mr. Barton : The Nominating Committee begs leave to report that it nominates Dr. Joseph Hyde Pratt for President, and Mr. J. S. Holmes for Secretary of the Southern Forestry Congress for the ensuing term of office. Mr. Foster: You have heard the report of the Nominat- ing Committee. What action do you wish to take? 12 178 Proceedings of the Dr. Pratt: I hate to raise any objection to a committee report, but I have always favored, where the interests of sev- eral states were involved, the rule that the presidency of any organization should be considered as an office which should be rotated among the states, so as to keep alive the interest in the various states as the work progresses. In the report made by your committee, the President and Secretary are both from North Carolina and I should like to request that that report be amended by substituting some one else for the President of the Congress. Mr. Lee : I have to say that the committee very carefully considered this whole subject matter and remembered the old adage that it is not a good idea to swap horses in the middle of the stream, it recognized the effective work done by these gentlemen, and the splendid success of this meeting. We appreciate the principle set forth in Dr. Pratt's statement, but feel that until this organization is well fixed upon a perma- nent basis, it should remain in the hands of these gentlemen who have carried out this meeting so successfully. Motion made and seconded that the report of the commit- tee be adopted. Motion carried. Mr. Foster : I suppose the adoption of that report carries with it the nomination and election of these officers. If that is understood, then Dr. Pratt and Mr. Holmes are elected President and Secretary for the ensuing year. Is there any other business? Dr. Pratt : I will just announce the Standing Commit- tee I was asked to appoint. If it wasn't so near dinner time, I would take my revenge by speaking for an hour. I appreciate the honor you have conferred upon me and promise to do my level best to make the next Congress, wherever held, an even greater success than this Congress has been here at Asheville. The committee to raise funds and erect a tablet at the en- trance to the Pisgah National Forest is as follows : Governor Locke Craig, chairman, North Carolina. Dr. Joseph Hyde Pratt, North Carolina. Dr. W. H. Holmes, District of Columbia. Hon. Charles Lathrop Pack, New Jersey. Hon. Henry S. Graves, District of Columbia. Soutiikrn Forestry Congress 17'.) Dr. George F. Kunz, New York. Mr. George S. Powell, North Carolina. This is the last regular session of the Congress, as a whole. You will discuss certain forestry problems during the trip to- morrow, but this is the last general meeting, so we will ad- journ practically sine die, so far as the Congress as a whole is concerned. I hope that as many as possible will stay over for the Pisgah Forest meeting tomorrow and the Mt. Mitchell trip Saturday. Mr. LEE : 1 move that the Executive Committee of the Southern Forestry Congress arrange for the publication of the proceedings in such form as they see fit. The motion was carried unanimously. The Congress then adjourned sine die. APPENDIX I. LIST OF REGISTERED DELEGATES ATTENDING THE SOUTHERN FORESTRY CONGRESS Abernathy, Dr. T. E Chattanooga, Term. Abernathy, Mrs. T. E Chattanooga, Tenn. Ashe, W. W., U. S. Forest Service Washington, D. C. Ashe, Mrs. W. W Washington, D. C. Askew, E. S Windsor, N. C. Baker, Dr. Hugh P., Dean N. Y. State College of Forestry Syracuse, N. Y. Barton, J. E., State Forester Frankfort, Ky. Barton, Mrs. J. E Frankfort, Ky. Besley, F. W., State Forester Baltimore, Md. Bishop, L. L., U. S. Forest Service Asheville, N. C. Bolter, Mrs. Joseph C Chicago, 111. Bolton, S. Elizabeth, President City Federation Asheville, N. C. Boswell, T. S., Southern Railway Co Brevard, N. C. Bottomley, Mary Albert Louisville, Ky. Boyer, E Asheville, N. C. Buckner, N., Secretary Board of Trade Asheville, N. C. Bundy, May L Knightstown, Ind. Camp, Mrs. P. D Franklin, Va. Camp, P. R., Camp Manufacturing Co Franklin, Va. Camp, Vaughan, Marion County Lumber Co. . . Franklin, Va. Chapman, Prof. H. H., Yale Forest School, New Haven, Conn. Chenworth, C. J., Atlantic Coast Line R. R. Co. Wilmington, N. C. Clark, Bess L. Asheville, N. C. Clark, Prof. W. D., Amherst College Amherst, Mass. Clough, C. C Brevard, N. C. Cobb, Geo. B., Secretary, Tryon Forestry Club. .Trvon, N. C. Cobb, Mrs. Geo. B Tryon, N. C. Cocke, Mrs. Wm. J., President Women's Club, Asheville, N. C. Coe, W. W.. Gen. Mgr., Pocahontas Coal & Coke Co. Roanoke, Va. Southern Forestry Congress 181 Corwith, Henry P., "Overbrook Orchard" Saluda, N. C. Cox, Hon. Edwin P., State Geol. Com Richmond, Va. Cox, Mrs. Edwin P Richmond, Va. Cox, Thos. A Cullowhee, N. C. Cranmer, J. C, Park Supt. Lehigh Univ.. .So. Bethlehem, Pa. Crowell, R. C Acton, N. C. Cunningham, John S Durham, N. C. Gushing, C. D., U. S. Forest Service Fletcher, N. C. Cushing, Mrs. C. D Fletcher, N. C. Damtoft, W. J., U. S. Forest Service Bridgeport, Conn. Davidson, Theo. F Asheville, N. C. Dilworth, S. E Asheville, N. C. Dore, A. M Jacksonville, Fla. Eldredge, I. F., Supervisor Florida National Forest, Camp Pinchot Garniers, Fla. Elliott, E. R Tryon, N. C. Elliott, Jas. H Tryon, N. C. Ferguson, Prof. J. A., Penn. State College. .State College, Pa. Finger, Mrs. Gordon M., President Women's Club Charlotte, N. C. Flynn, Thos. C, Asst. Sec'y N. C. Pine Asso Norfolk, Va. Foley, John, Forester, Penn. R. R. Co Philadelphia, Pa. Foster, Prof. J. H., State Forester College Station, Tex. Frame, David, State Forest, Fish and Game Department Gassaway, W. Va. Frothingham, E. H., Forest Service Washington, D. C. Gearhart, P. H Asheville, N. C. Gillis, Donald Asheville, N. C. Glenn, F. M., Special Deputy and Inspector. .Parsons, W. Va. Graves, Hon. H. S., U. S. Forester Washington, D. C. Groom, W. L., President Tar River Lumber Co. Rocky Mount, N. C. Gudger, N. A Asheville, N. C. Hall, Rev. Chas. Mercer, Rector, St. Mary's Church Asheville, N. C. Hardtner, Henry E., President, Urania Lbr. Co.. .Urania, La. Hart, Mary Charleston, S. C. Hayes, Rutherford P Asheville, N. C. Hills, Mrs. W. S El Paso, Tex. Holfelner, E. M Greensboro, N. C. 13 182 Proceedings of the Hobson, H. P Summerville, Tenn. Holland, F. W Bedford, Ind. Holmes, G. H Tryon, N. C. Holmes, Mrs. G. H Tryon, N. C. Holmes, J. S., State Forester Chapel Hill, N. C. Holmes, Mrs. J. S Chapel Hill, N. C. Hosmer, Ralph S., Dept. Forestry, Cornell Univ. Ithaca, N. Y. Hosmer, Mrs. Ralph S Ithaca, N. Y. Huffman, A. E Asheville, N. C. Huffman, Mrs. A. E Asheville, N. C. Hurt, W. W., Gen. Supt. Douglas Land Co Marion, Va. Jones, Janie Asheville, N. C. Jones, R. Chapin, State Forester Charlottesville, Va. Kent, Mrs. Frederick Asheville, N. C. Lambert, W. M., Clinchfield Coal Corp Clintwood, Va. Lambert, Mrs. W. M Clintwood, Va. Lee, Prof. J. G., La. State Univ Baton Rouge, La. Lee, W. D Asheville, N. C. Leeper, N. Y Asheville, N. C. Lilly, E. J Asheville, N. C. Lilly, Mrs. E. J Asheville, N. C. Lilly, Frances Asheville, N. C. Lindsey, W. T., President, Tryon Forestry Club, Tryon, N. C. Lindsey, Mrs. W. T Tryon, N. C. Loyall, Geo. O., Gen. Supt. Southern Ry. . . .Knoxville, Tenn. McClelland, Myra Omaha, Neb. McClelland, R Omaha, Neb. McKeune, Joseph P R. 2, Blacksburg, Va. MacRae, Mrs. C. F Asheville, N. C. Maddox, R. S., Forester, Tenn. Geol. Survey, Nashville, Tenn. Malloy, Mrs. Minnie Fagg, Dist. Chairman, State Fed. Women's Clubs Asheville, N. C. Martin, Mrs. Annie D Asheville, N. C. Millsaps, E. S., U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. . Statesville, N. C. Morgan, J. Bud Stocksville, N. C. Morgan, Jas. N Stocksville, N. C. Morrison, H. M Braintree, Mass. Murphy, Louis S., U. S. Forest Service. . . .Washington, D. C. Nichols, J. A Asheville, N. C. Southern Forestry Congress 183 Oster, Mrs. David Grand Forks, N. D. Overton, J. M Nashville, Tenn. Owen, J. C Asheville, N. C. Pack, Chas. Lathrop, President, Amer. Forestry Ass'n Lakewood, N. J. Palmer, Dr. T. S., U. S. Biol. Survey Washington, D. C. Palmer, Mrs. T. S Washington, D. C. Patterson, John L Roanoke Rapids, N. C. Patton, McLoud Swannanoa, N. C. Patton, Mrs. McLoud Swannanoa, N. C. Peters, J. G., U. S. Forest Service Washington, D. C. Piatt, Mrs. Chas. M Asheville, N. C. Powell, Geo. S., Secretary Appalachian Park Association Asheville, N. C. Pratt, Dr. Joseph Hyde, State Geologist Chapel Hill, N. C. Quillian, C. Fletcher Blue Ridge, N. C. Randolph, E. E., Professor of Geology. . . .Elon College, N. C. Randolph, Mrs. E. E Elon College, N. C. Randolph, E. O Elon College, N. C. Rankin, C. T., Forester Biltmore Estate Biltmore, N. C. Rankin, Hon. T. E., Mayor Asheville, N. C. Ray, J. E Asheville, N. C. Reynolds, Harris A., Secretary, Mass. Forestry Ass'n Boston, Mass. Rhoades, Verne, U. S. Forest Service Asheville, N. C. Richards, M. V., Ind. and Agr. Commissioner, Southern Ry. Washington, D. C. Rogers, Alban E Asheville, N. C. Roper, W. B., Secretary N. C. Pine Ass'n Norfolk, Va. Roth, G. T., Chatham Mfg. Co Elkin, N. C. Roth, Mrs. G. T., Civic League Elkin, N. C. Schwab, W. G., Assistant State Forester. .Charlottesville, Va. Seymour, Edmund, President, Amer. Bison Society New York City Smathers, Geo Asheville, N. C. Smith, Mrs. T. C, President Current Literature Club Asheville, N. C. Stearns, Ellen F St. Petersburg, Fla. Stearns, M. M St. Petersburg, Fla. Stephenson, Florence Asheville, N. C. 184 Pkoceedings of the Stepp, G. W., Mayor Black Mountain, N. C. Stikeleather, J. G., City Commissioner Asheville, N. C. Stikeleather, F Asheville, N. C. Thorns, Julia A., Chairman of Conservation, State Fed. Women's Clubs Asheboro, N. C. Toumey, Prof. Jas. W., Director Yale Forest School New Haven, Conn. Tyler, W. D., Clinchfield Coal Corporation Dante, Va. Tyler, Mrs. W. D Dante, Va. Vail, Edward, Rush Creek Lumber Co Cambria, Va. Viquesney, Hyman V., Forest, Game, and Fish Protec- tective Association Belington, W. Va. Viquesney, Hon. J. A., State Forest, Game and Fish Warden Belington, W. Va. Weaver, W. E Weaverville, N. C. Weaver, Hon. Zebulon Asheville, N. C. Wetmore, Mrs. T. C, Principal, Christ's School, Arden, N. C. Wetmore, Thomas Arden, N. C. Wetmore, Susannah Arden, N. C. Wharton, Wm. P., Mass. Forestry Asso Groton, Mass. Wharton, Mrs. Wm. P Groton, Mass. Wilber, C. P., State Fire Warden Trenton, N. J. Wilson, J. A Shelby, N. C. Winchester, F. L., Champion Fibre Co Canton, N. C. Yates, Mrs. J. J Asheville, N. C. Young, Prof. L. J., University of Michigan. .Ann Arbor, Mich. APPENDIX II SOUTHERN FORESTRY CONGRESS PUBLISHING FUND- SUBSCRIBERS Balcomb, Prof. E. E., State Norm, and Ind. College Greensboro, N. C. Barnett, W. L'E Sebastian, Fla. Barre, Prof. H. W Clemson College, S. C. Blades, J. B New Bern, N. C. Boswell, T. S., Southern Railway Co Asheville, N. C. Bruner, E. Murray, Forest Service Lenoir, N. C. Bryant, Edward S., Forest Service Washington, D. C. Camp, Vaughan Franklin, Va. Central Coal & Coke Co Kansas City, Mo. Champion Fibre Co Canton, N. C. Chapman, Prof. H. H., Yale Forest School, New Haven, Conn. Clinchfield Coal Corporation Dante, Va. Colby, Forrest H Bingham, Maine Cunningham, John S Durham, N. C. Curran, H. M Laurel, Md. Damtoft, W. J., Forest Service Washington, D. C. Douglas Land Company Marion, Va. Ferguson, Prof. J. A State College, Pa. Fisher, Prof. R. T., Harvard Forest School. .Petersham, N. H. Foerster, M. H Jenkins, Ky. Foley, John, Pa. Railroad Co Philadelphia, Pa. Graves, H. S., U. S. Forester Washington, D. C. Haasis, Ferdinand H Jenkins, Ky. Hardtner, Henry E Urania, La. Hassinger Lumber Co Abingdon, Va. Herty, Dr. Charles H Chapel Hill, N. C. Hill, A. P., President A. P. Hill Co Pittsburgh, Pa. Hill, John Sprunt Durham, N. C. Hills, Mrs. W. S El Paso, Texas Hirst, E. C, State Forester Concord, N. H. Holmes, Mrs. J. S Chapel Hill, N. C. Hosmer, Prof. Ralph S Ithaca, N. Y. 186 Proceedings of the Jasspon, Max Savannah, Ga. Jones, C. W., General Manager Fort Smith Lumber Co. Plainview, Ark. Jones, R. C., State Forester Charlottesville, Va. Kaul Lumber Company Birmingham, Ala. Krinbill, Howard R New Bern, N. C. Lambert, W. M Clintwood, Va. Lay, Rev. George W., St. Mary's School Raleigh, N. C. Leas & McVitty, Inc. (S. H. McVitty, Vice-President) Salem, Va. Lee, Professor J. G., Univ. of La Baton Rouge, La. Lehigh University (Dr. H. S. Drinker, President) South Bethlehem, Pa. Lindsey, Mrs. W. T Tryon, N. C. MacRae, Hugh Wilmington, N. C. Maddox, R. S Nashville, Tenn. Manufacturers Record Pub. Co Baltimore, Md. Massachusetts Agricultural College Amherst, Mass. Moore, Sidney L Jacksonville, Fla. Morrison, H. M Coeburn, N. C. Nichols, J. A Asheville, N. C. New York State College of Agriculture, Forestry Dept. Ithaca, N. Y. Norfolk & Western Railway Company Roanoke, Va. Overton, J. M Nashville, Tenn. Pack, Chas. L., Pres. Amer. Forestry Asso.. .Lakewood, N. J. Palmer, Dr. T. S Washington, D. C. Palmer, Mrs. T. S Washington, D. C. Petty, Annie F., Librarian State Norm, and Ind. College Greensboro, N. C. Pratt, Joseph Hyde, State Geologist Chapel Hill, N. C. Pocahontas Coal and Coke Company Roanoke, Va. Powell, George S Asheville, N. C. Rhoades, Verne, Forest Supervisor Asheville, N. C. Secrest, Edmund, Agri. Exp. Station Wooster, Ohio Sexton, Robt. H., Grand Central Terminal. . .New York City Seymour, Edmund, Pres., Amer. Bison Soc. . .New York City Shields, R. W Clayton, Ga. Shipp, Mrs. William E Raleigh, N. C. Shull, D. F Philadelphia, Pa. Southern Forestry Congress 1ST Small, Hon. John H., House of Rep Washington, 1). C. Smith, Mrs. T. C Asheville, N. C. Smoot & Sons Co., C. C North Wilkcsboro, N. C. South Atlantic Lumber Co Greensboro, N. C. Spaugh, R. A Winston-Salem, N. C. Thorns, Julia A Asheboro, N. C. Tremont Lumber Co Winnfield, La. Vail, Edward Cambria, Va. Viquesney, J. A., Forest, Game and Fish Warden Belington, W. Va. Wharton, Win. P Groton, Mass. White, John B Kansas City. Mo. PROCEEDINGS OF THE SECOND SOUTHERN FORESTRY CONGRESS HELD IN NEW ORLEANS, LA. JANUARY 28-30, 1920 In order to meet the needs of the country for forest products lands not needed for agriculture and settlement should be put to use growing trees rather than to lie idle and unproductive. The preservation and careful handling of the second growth and small timber presents an opportunity that if taken advan- tage of before it is too late will contribute to the upbuilding of the South in a measure difficult at the present time for most people to realize. —GRAVES. Chapel Hill, N. C. 1920 THE SEEMAN PRINTERY Durham, N. C. OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES OF THE SOUTHERN FORESTRY CONGRESS APPOINTED JANUARY 1920 President HENRY E. HARDTNER, President, Urania Lumber Co. URANIA, LA. Secretary J. S. HOLMES, State Forester, North Carolina Geological and Economic Survey Chapel Hill, N. C. Assistant Secretary R. D. FORBES, Superintendent of Forestry, Department of Conservation New Orleans, La. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Joseph Hyde Pratt, Director North Carolina Geological and Economic Survey Chapel Hill, N. C. John H. Wallace, Jr., Commissioner of Conservation Montgomery, Ala. R. D. Forbes, Superintendent of Forestry, Department of Conservation New Orleans, La. E. O. Siecke, State Forester College Station, Texas J. E. Rhodes, Secretary-Manager, Southern Pine Association New Orleans, La. The President and Secretary COMMITTEE ON FINANCE John H. Wallace, Jr Montgomery, Ala. R. C. Jones, State Forester Charlottesville, Va. W. Goodrich Jones, President, Texas Forestry Association Temple, Texas C. C. Smoot, III North Wilkesboro, N. C. A. Trieschman, Crossett Lumber Co Crossett, Ark. M. L. Alexander, Conservation Commissioner New Orleans, La. J. E. Barton, Commissioner of Geology and Forestry Frankfort, Ky. Mrs. A. F. Storm, Chairman, Federation of Women's Clubs Morgan City, La. John L. Kaul, President, Kaul Lumber Company Birmingham, Ala. McGarvey Cline, Consolidated Naval Stores Company Jacksonville, Fla. COMMITTEE ON FOREST POLICY R. D. Forbes Col. Theo. S. Woolsey, Jr Cornwall, Conn. Dr. A. M. Henry, Assistant State Chemist Tallahasse, Fla. F. H. Abbott, Secretary, Georgia Land Owners' Association Waycross, Ga. Verne Rhoades, Forest Supervisor Asheville, N. C. COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATION E. O. SlECKE R. L. Hogue Jackson, Miss. R. S. Mab-dox, State Forester Nashville, Tenn. W. D. Tyler, Clinchfield Coal Corporation Dante, Va. C. F. Speh, Turpentine and Rosin Producers' Association New Orleans, La. COMMITTEE ON PUBLICITY J. E. Rhodes Victor Calver, Times-Picayune New Orleans, La. J. H. Whaley, Secretary, Tenn. Forestry Association.... Nashville, Tenn. L. L. Bishop, Forest Supervisor Pensacola, Fla. Miss Julia A. Thorns Asheboro, N. C CONTENTS Preface 7 Wednesday Morning Session 9 Welcome to New Orleans 9 Hon. E. J. Glenny, Commissioner of Public Utilities, New Orleans Message From the President 9 Col. Joseph Hyde Pratt, Director N . C. Geological and Economic Survey Vice President's Address 10 Prof. J. G. Lee, Univ. of Louisiana, Baton Rouge The Forestry Outlook in the Southern States : Atlantic Coast States 19 Mr. J. S. Holmes, State Forester of North Carolina Gulf Coast Region 26 Mr. R. D. Forbes, Supt. of Forestry, Louisiana Central Hardwood Region 32 Mr. R. S. Maddox, Forester, Tenn. Geological Survey. Committee Appointments 36 Wednesday Afternoon Session 36 Welcome to Louisiana 36 Hon. John M. Parker, Governor-elect of Louisiana Address 37 Hon. M. L. Alexander, Covimissioner of Conservation, New Orleans, La. A National Forest Policy 40 Col. H. S. Graves, U. S. Forester Discussion of a National Forest Policy from the Point of View of : The Lumber Industry 53 Mr. H. E. Hardtner and others The Wood-Using Industry 62 Messrs. H. E. Everley and C. B. Harmon Wednesday Evening Banquet 65 Thursday Morning Session Report of Secretary-Treasurer 66 Vanderbilt Tablet Committee 67 Discussion of a National Forest Policy from the Point of View of : The Naval Stores Industry 72 Led by Mr. C. F. Speh, Secretary, Turpentine & Rosin Pro- ducers' Ass'n., New Orleans Thursday Afternoon Session 84 State Forestry Departments 84 Mr. J. G. Peters, U. S. Forest Service Discussion of a National Forest Policy from the Point of View of : The Livestock Industry 85 Led by Prof. S. M. Tracy, Forage Crop Investigations, U. S. Dcpt. of Agriculture ; Mr. Roy L. Hogue, Jackson, Miss.; and others Southern Agriculture — Southern Farm Forests 97 Mr. E. E. Miller, Editor Southern Agriculturist, Nash- ville, Tenn. The Paper and Pulp Industry 102 Led by Mr. McGarvey Cline, Consolidated Naval Stores Company, Jacksonville, Fla. Projects of the Forestry Committee of the National Re- search Council 109 Dr. H. E. Howe, Division of Research Extension, Wash- ington, D. C. Election of Officers 117 Friday Morning Session (Joint meeting with the Louisiana Forestry Association) 117 Conservation Laws for Louisiana 117 Ex-Governor Jared Y. Sanders To the Louisiana Forestry Association 118 Mr. Henry E. Hardtner, President Land Classification 119 Mr. Austin Cary, U. S. Forest Service Friday Afternoon Session 129 Forestry in the Landes {Southern France) 129 Col. Theodore S. Woolsey, Jr., Cornwall, Conn. Discussions by Delegates 142 Resolutions Adopted by the Congress 145 Appendices List of Registered Delegates 149 List of Subscribers to Entertainment Fund 153 List of Subscribers to Publishing Fund 154 PREFACE At the invitation of the North Carolina Geological and Economic Survey and the North Carolina Forestry Associa- tion the first Southern Forestry Congress was brought to- gether in Asheville, N. C, July 11-15, 1916. At that meeting a permanent organization was effected and the executive com- mittee was empowered to convene the Congress "at such times as may in its judgment seem necessary." Owing to our entrance into the world war and the many distractions incident thereto, the calling of the second South- ern Forestry Congress was delayed much longer than had been contemplated by its organizers. With the resumption of regu- lar business and the greatly increased prices and uses of tim- ber, calling the attention of the general public very insistently to the need for more interest in and better care of our South- ern forests, the executive committee decided the time for another general conference had arrived. The Secretary was therefore directed to call the Second Southern Forestry Con- gress to meet in New Orleans the last week in January 1920. (This was done.) Owing to the severe illness of the President of the Con- gress, Dr. Joseph Pratt, the Secretary, who is a member of the North Carolina Geological and Economic Survey, requested the advice and assistance of the United States Forest Service and the Louisiana Commission of Conservation in getting up the meeting. This was most effectively given through the per- sons of Mr. J. G. Peters, Chief of Forest Management in the Forest Service and Mr. R. D. Forbes, Superintendent of For- estry in Louisiana. The latter acted as Assistant Secretary and thus contributed very largely to the success of the New Orleans meeting. In the following pages practically all the papers given during the three days' session are included. In order, however, to conserve paper and the time of the reader as well as reduce the high cost of printing, the discussions have been carefully edited, so that perhaps not more than one-half of this part of the proceedings appears. It is thought, however, that the parts of the discussions having the most permanent value and the greatest interest are retained. PROCEEDINGS OF THE Second Southern Forestry Congress HELD IN Gold Room, Grunewald Hotel New Orleans, La. JANUARY 28-29-30, 1920 WEDNESDAY MORNING SESSION. (The Congress was called to order and presided over by the Vice President, Major J. G. Lee, Professor of Forestry, Louis- iana State University, Baton Rouge, in the unavoidable ab- sence of the President.) In his welcoming address Hon. E. J. Glenny, Commissioner of Public Utilities of the City of New Orleans, said in part : The forests, as we know, are being cut away beyond their productive power, and some laws should be made and carried out to conserve the timberlands of this great country. We are going to get to a point where conservation will be the pass- word of this country, but until we realize what it means, we are not going to get anywhere. The United States Gover- ment has done a great deal, but they cannot do everything; un- less they have their hands upheld by the States in their various departments they can do very little, indeed. I believe that the State of Louisiana, through its conservation department, is working towards that end, and I am sure that Mr. Alexander will do what he can to support this body in any progressive movements which it might care to inaugurate. MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE SOUTHERN FORESTRY CONGRESS The Secretary : Our president, Col. Joseph Hyde Pratt, asked me to express his very sincere regrets at not being able to be here. Since being discharged from the Army, Col. Pratt has been in the hospital for four months and has only just 10 Proceedings of the returned home. He has been looking all along to this meeting and is greatly disappointed at having to give it up. Dr. Pratt asked me to call your attention to two things : First, the timeliness of this movement to establish a construc- tive forestry policy. He feels very strongly that, our young men who have been in France and have seen the care with which the French forests are managed, even in war time, and the way in which every product of the forest is closely utilized, will heartily support a more intelligent and farsighted forestry policy for this country ; in fact will insist upon one. Secondly, he urges your careful consideration of the "plan to meet the national danger of Forest Devastation," recently submitted by the Committee of the Society of American For- esters, of which he was an advisory member, not as a finished plan to be adopted as a whole or rejected, but more as a basis for discussions by which may be built up a policy probably even better adapted to meet our present and future needs. Dr. Pratt's thought is, ladies and gentlemen, that we want a constructive policy which will prevent further forest devasta- tion, and now is the time to adopt one. ADDRESS By Vice-President J. G. Lee PROFESSOR OF FORESTRY, UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA Ladies and gentlemen of the Southern Forestry Congress : I am sure the members of this congress will join with me in expressing regret at the enforced absence of our worthy Presi- dent, Dr. Joseph Hyde Pratt, of North Carolina. Let us ex- tend to him our sympathy and express our hope for his speedy restoration to health and activity amongst us. We shall miss his wise counsel and inspiring leadership. It was Dr. Pratt's foresight and vision that saw the need, the possibilities of such an organization and brought into being this congress for the promotion of Southern Forestry, at Ashe- ville, N. C, July 1916. And while the prefix "Southern," was attached to embrace the fifteen orginal Southern States, those of us who were present will recall, with pride and satisfaction, its national scope and character. It was a great meeting ; its inspiring influence is still felt among us. Representatives from the North, South, East and West were there, men and forest- Southern Forestry Congress 11 ers, earnest, trained and experienced, to help lay broad, deep and strong a Southern forestry foundation and building pro- gram. In the North, East and West original forest depletion had already become apparent or real ; the need of present and fu- ture supplies of raw material was already felt, and after twenty years of theorizing, teaching, and preaching, the study and practice of forestry, unorganized and theoretical though it may have been, had begun. But to us of the South, still in the midst of comparative plenty, the value of our forests, as a re- source, (second only to agriculture) and the importance of their perpetuation had not come home. We needed to be awa- kened and hurried to "shut the stable door before the horse was out and gone" — "History ever repeats itself." Today we are meeting in the Second Southern Forestry Congress to take stock of "where we are at," to consider far- ther our forest conditions and to formulate and agree, if we can, upon a policy of forestry for the South. We have much of precedent and incentive to guide and help us. Since last we met we have fought and won the great world war for democracy and humanity, and the many lessons learned, of patriotism, service, sacrifice, cooperation and unity of purpose; of the newer visions born, as to our sense of re- sponsibility for and duty and obligation to, the common good — all these find application in the subjects of this congress. For the war enforced upon the attention of thoughtful men and women everywhere the imperative need and duty of tak- ing better care of our natural resources, particularly of our forests, which is a renewable and therefore a continuous re- source. We found that our forests were as essential in times of war as in times of peace, second, only in importance to food and clothing in their relation to the comfort and well being of mankind, in community, state and nation. As a nation how have we regarded our forest resources? At the time of the first settlement of America, our forests, in extent, variety, quantity, and quality, were unexcelled any- where in the world. With but few breaks they stretched across the Continent from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean and from the Gulf to beyond the Great Lakes, compris- ing in the aggregate some 850,000,000 acres. With settlement came clearing for home building and agriculture ; and as popu- 12 Proceedings of the lation increased and great centers of business and industries developed, demand for forest products grew apace. Lumber- ing became a business and an exploitation. In its wake came other destructive agencies forest fires, disease and insects and thus the march of forest destruction was begun and has pro- gressively continued to this good day. In the East, the first center of production and supply to be attacked, depletion has long since been felt and exhaustion is now practically at hand. At a New England Forestry Conference the past year, the facts were brought out that New England, up to thirty years ago, was not only self-supporting in her timber resources, but exporting large quantities ; that she had now become an import- ing region, of paper pulp from Canada and lumber from the South, the Lake States, and even the far off Pacific coast and that she looks more and more to these sources of supply for the raw material to keep her $300,000,000 invested in her wood and forest industries going and her 90,000 wage earners work- ing; that she is importing thirty per cent of the lumber used; that her annual growth is less than half her annual cut. And yet New England has vast areas of idle forest lands, suitable only for forest growth. The story of Pennsylvania is even more tragic. We are told that when William Penn held his "Treaty of Peace in the City of Brotherly Love," ninety-seven per cent of the domain was covered with magnificent forests. Today that percentage is reversed. Lumbermen bought up her splendid forest lands for 26 cents per acre, exploited the forests and devastated the lands. Penn's edict to save "one acre for every five acres cleared," was forgot. For many years Pennsylvania has been importing her lumber and even props for her mines. For more than a quarter of a century thoughtful men and women had advocated the practice of forestry and the reforestation of her waste lands, without appreciable results. But today she has bought back more than 1,000,000 acres of those devastated lands at from $2.00 to $8.00 per acre as State Forest Reserves, and has well begun the slow, laborious and expensive operation of artificial reforestation, in order that posterity might enjoy the comforts and blessings of forests and forest products. Pennsylvania's example is worthy of emulation. Southern Forestry Congress 13 New York, similarly situated, has purchased over 2,000,fJOO acres in the Adirondack region as "Forest Reserves" which she too is artificially replanting but with a constitutional prohibition against cutting. Her example is only partly worthy, because forestry means not only "reproduction" but it means also "use." The next center of production to be attacked and exploited was the "Lake States" region. Many of you will remember with me that up to twenty-five years ago the "Lake States" were the greatest lumber producers and exporters in the his- tory of the world. Today they import the bulk of their timber supplies from the South and the far West, paying an annual freight bill of $6,000,000 for the privilege. Their virgin pine forests are practically exhausted, their hardwoods soon will be. And yet, we are told that in the three Lake States there is as much idle land as the whole area of Michigan. Meanwhile, exploitation of the central hardwood belt was going on, in the States of Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana. A re- cent forestry conference of these three states brought out startling facts regarding their hardwood supplies and depend- ent industries. Not only have these states been the center of hardwood production, but also the center of hardwood manu- facturing, the latter representing a combined invested capital of approximately one and one-half billion dollars, employing 1,360,000 wage earners and combined production valued at two and one-half billion dollars. About one-third of the total capi- tal invested in the wood manufacturing industries of the coun- try and about the same proportion of wage earners employed therein are found in this section which uses about five and one- half billion feet of lumber a year or about one-fourth of the aggregate consumed in the United States. Up to twenty-five years ago, these states were self-supporting and exporting from their own forests of native species. Today Illinois im- ports about ninety per cent, Ohio seventy-five per cent, and Indiana sixty-five per cent of their hardwood material in order to keep their 4,000 hardwood manufacturing industries going. And yet no less an authority than our Chief Forester, Colonel Graves, tells us that the situation of our hardwood supplies is more acute than our softwood, there being greater reserve sup- plies of the latter than the former. I might add that this Tri- State Conference took proper steps to prevent the impending crisis threatening their industries. 14 Proceedings of the In the meantime, "Southward the axe and fire took their way." Many of us here witnessed the coming of the lumber industry from the Lake States to the Southern States. For the last twenty years, the Southern pine region has been the center of the world's greatest lumber production. With a vir- gin supply of 325 billion feet of yellow pine, an invested capi- tal of more than half a billion dollars in 20,000 sawmills, em- ploying 400,000 workers and supplying seventy per cent of the country's population, the yellow pine industry held indeed a commanding place in the nation's lumber markets, furnish- ing forty-nine per cent of the entire cut of the country. Yet, today, we are told by the largest organization of Southern lum- bermen themselves that this great storehouse of timber is at the point of exhaustion, that ninety per cent of their southern operations will be compelled to close their business within the next ten years for lack of timber, that within the next five to seven years more than 3,000 sawmills will go out. of existence. "Westward again the axe and saw will take their way" seeking "new worlds to conquer" in the Pacific Northwest and we of the South will join you of the North, East and West as importing regions, paying prohibitive prices for our lumber supplies, with the freight on "across the continent haul" added. Nor is our southern story of depletion yet told. With the passing of our lumber industry, will also go our naval stores, pitch, rosin, turpentine, and the developing new industry of paper pulp and other by-products manufacturers. The pro- duction of naval stores, a national necessity, is peculiarly a southern industry. There are but two species, the longleaf pine and the slash pine, that are suitable for the purpose and these may be produced indefinitely in the South. The industry represents a product value of $35,000,000 and can be vastly ex- tended. But like other forest by-products it can be and will be exhausted, if proper measures are not taken promptly to pre- vent it. However, it enjoys the advantage of younger, smaller growth utilization and we have much young second growth. Nevertheless, North Carolina, once leading in production, lost the industry with the vanishing of her longleaf pine stand. With the new order of things in forestry matters now forming, she can, and will win it back. There are but two principal world sources of naval stores Southern Forestry Congress 15 production. One is in the Southern United States and the other is in Southern France. France made her naval stores industry on waste sand dunes, worthless, malaria-stricken and uninhabitable, through reclamation by the artifical planting of maritime pine. It is said that the land was so valueless that for $1.00 one could buy as far as the voice could carry and that today this barren waste, within the reclaimed area, is worth from $2.50 to $24.00 per acre, while that planted to two- year old pine seedlings sells for $9.00; that covered with ten- year old pine sells for $30.00 ; that stocked with thirty year old pine for $80.00 and stocked with fifty-year old pine it is worth $160.00 per acre. This should be an inspiring example to us. I love to think of France, her foresight, her thrift, her forest policy, and practice as it was revealed by the great war and of the lesson it brings to us. How her lands all classi- fied and devoted either to agricultural crops or to forest crops, with total forest lands of nineteen per cent, about equal to that of New England, yet producing by growth fifty per cent more and nearly supplying her domestic needs. How her wood- using industries, employing 700,000 people both made perma- nent, because her intensive and conservative management kept up production by growth, cutting less than she grew. How her forests, expressed in terms of supply, met adequately, in kind, quality and quantity, the demand of her own vast armies and those of her Allies, England, Belgium and the United States. How the thousands of our boys composing our forestry regi- ments in France will be impressed, as expressed by one of them, "The lumber industry of France is concerned more with grozving zvood than in manufacturing it." Returning to my thought and coming closer home to my own state of Louisiana, let's note her forest conditions briefly : For several years Louisiana has stood second to the state of Washington in lumber production. According to the U. S. Department of the Interior, Louisiana had 10,000,000 acres of virgin timber in 1907; in 1918 she had but 4,700,000 acres. Lumber production is outstripping timber production in the ratio of six to one. According to the State Board of Affairs, Louisiana has 559 sawmills valued at $17,606,649. And as an heritage from the exploitation of her forests, she has 12,000,- 16 Proceedings of the 000 acres of unproductive cut over land, much of it absolute waste and is adding to that total 250,000 to 300,000 acres an- nually. At the present rate of cut her virgin timber will be gone in fifteen years and with it tax values of millions of dol- lars ; for cut over lands are assessed at an average of $5.00 per acre, while the assessment on timber lands ranges from $17.00 to $166.00 per acre. Even the railroads of the state will lose forty-three per cent on total freight earnings, not mentioning the stupendous losses, in the aggregate, to industries, the in- dividual, the community and the state. By the same authority there are 155,000,000 acres of cut over lands in the South, with 10,000,000 being added annually. What is true of Louisiana, in greater or less degree, is also true of all our Southern States. I have purposely thus briefly reviewed our forest condi- tions, in order that we might visualize our ultimate situation and in this "multitude of counselors, find safety." Ladies and gentlemen of the congress, in this new era of reconstruction and readjustment, let us approach the question of a "Southern Forestry Policy," acknowledging our respon- sibility and obligation, and with open hearts and broad minds, with candor and unity of purpose, in a spirit of patriotism, un- selfishness and cooperation; with a full sense of our duty, holding paramount the Public Welfare. And when we shall have adopted a policy, let us get behind it and push it forward unitedly and aggressively. I think one difficulty, heretofore hindering the practice of private forestry has been the differ- ence in view point and lack of sympathy and understanding be- tween foresters and lumbermen. The traditional definition of a forester and a lumberman is that a "forester plants and holds on," a "lumberman devastates and moves on," has perhaps been overdone. However that may be, I think, the presence here of so many of both of you is evidence that a get together spirit is going to characterize our effort in finding solution of the problem which concerns us all so vitally. All of you, doubtless, are familiar with "A Policy of For- estry for the Nation," presented by the Forester, Colonel Graves of the Forest Service. Personally, I am in agreement with that policy and would favor its adoption either as a state or Southern policy, because it is in my judgment, funda- mentally sound in principle, broad in application and workable, serves the public good, it does not hurt private interest. It is Southern Forestry Congress 17 a policy of general principles, which lend themselves to local application. Principles do not change, but conditions do. We can apply the principle to suit the condition. A committee of the Society of American Foresters has re- cently presented another national policy. I do not oppose it, on the contrary, I think it sets a "high ideal for foresters and conservationists to work towards," but hardly practicable now. The limits of this paper will not permit discussion in any detail of Colonel Graves' National Policy, it is here in pamph- let form for your consideration. But there are a few matters, so intimately and vitally touching the South, that I feel that I must consider them briefly. The principle of Federal coopera- tion with the states, which some of our folks south shy at as opposed to the principles of "States's rights," as developed at the national lumber manufacturers' association meeting in Chicago recently, is preempted now by Rhode Island and New Jersey on the constitutional prohibition question. As a South- ern democrat, I have modified my views on the State's Rights question because I am already enjoying the benefits of the Land Grant College act, the Hatch Experiment Station act, the Mor- rell act, the Smith-Hughes and the Smith-Lever acts, the Post Roads act, the Weeks law, and others, and I make the point that Federal cooperation is not federal interference. The Weeks law, is I understand it, provides for two princi- pal things, first, for the acquisition by purchase of lands in the Southern Appalachians as Forest Reserves and second, for co- operation with the states in protecting against fire the for- ested watersheds of navigable streams. The only fault I find with this law is that congress has failed to appropriate ade- quately money for this purpose. The purchase of 5,000,000 acres in the Southern Appalachians was contemplated and only a little over 1,000,000 acres have been acquired. None will debate the wisdom of this purchase of Resrves in the Southern Appa- lachians. They meet all the purposes of supply, protection and recreation. I recall that at the North Carolina meeting, Col. Graves told us this region, because of its topography and favor- able tree growing conditions, would become the principle future hardwood production of the country. The appropriation of $100,000 for cooperative fire protection under the law, is en- tirely inadequate, it should be at least half a million. Twenty- four states have qualified and are receiving from $1,000 to 18 Proceedings of the $8,000 Federal money now. Seven of these are Southern states and one of them is my own state, Louisiana. The pity is that more states have not qualified and receiving its dollar matching benefits. The "cut over" land question is the biggest economic, social and industrial problem of the South, 155,000,000 acres. Autnoritative land classification is the first principle that should be applied and fire prevention and control is the second. Foresters believe, and I agree, that all land should be uti- lized, put to its best productive use ; that all land fit for agri- culture should be used for agriculture ; that all land not fit for agriculture, absolute forest lands, should be used for permanent forest growth. It is estimated that seventy-five to eighty per cent of these lands are fit for some sort of farming, grazing, etc., and that the remaining twenty to twenty-five per cent are unfit for any sort of agriculture, but are fit for forest growth, and should be reforested. Also it is admittedly true that it will be one or more generations before all the agricultural land will be needed. It is abundantly proven by Mr. Hardtner at Urani, and elsewhere, that the loblolly pine grows to commer- cial maturity in forty years. I know personally of old planta- tions, abandoned after the war, since grown up to old field pine that are now cutting eight to ten thousand board feet per acre. The same is true of slash pine, growing in eastern Louisi- ana and Florida. Therefore, good economics would say, grow a crop of pine trees on this land, while waiting on agriculture. Personally, I would put our cut over lands to a trinity of uses, viz : farming, grazing and forestry. Cooperative reforestation, national, state and private owner, is our imperative public duty. Likewise is cooperative fire protection and control, adequate funds, rigid laws, stringently enforced and above all an aroused public sentiment are some of the factors that shall make for success in any policy adopted. On our remaining timber, no less important will be "slash" disposal after logging and the leaving of seed trees at time of cutting. Again it is abundantly proven by Mr. Hardtner at Urania, that natural reproduction is certain if these things be done. I recently read a statement by a prominent Mississippi lum- berman that he had been clearing land in the south for over Southern Forestry Congress 19 twenty-eight years, that he had never burnt "slash" to prevent fires and that reforestation on cut over lands was not practic- able in Mississippi, because they were agricultural lands, something to be proud of. This sort of attitude must be changed and the Hardtner attitude acquired before reforesta- tion will go forward satisfactorily. Cooperative investigational work, forest experiments and demonstration well distributed, must have place in any forestry program and publicity must light the way. Farm woodlands forestry under States Relation Extension Service must be encouraged and practiced. Farmers are the largest users of forest products. The growing scarcity and rising prices make it imperative that farm woodlands be made to supply domestic demands. The preservative treatment of farm timbers is an economic principal that must apply. The holding of great bodies of timber for speculative purposes must stop. In conclusion, I emphasize the point that nature favors the practice of forestry in the South. Our favorable climate, with many valuable native species of both hard and soft woods, with good soil, ample rainfall, mild winters, long growing season — a maximum of heat units — these give us every advantage for forest perpetuation. Ladies and gentlemen, the National Lumber Manufact- urers' Association, the Southern Pine Association, the Western Forestry and Conservation Association, and others have al- ready adopted the principles of a policy of forestry for the Na- tion. Shall we of the South, in convention assembled, fail to join in this forward forestry movement ; shall we fail to do our plain duty? THE FORESTRY OUTLOOK IN THE SOUTHERN APPA- LACHIAN REGION By J. S. Holmes STATE FORESTER OF NORTH CAROLINA The total area of the Southern Appalachian States referred to in this review, i. e., Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Geor- gia and Alabama, is approximately 220,000,000 acres. Ac- 20 Proceedings of the cording to the Census of 1910 about 160,000,000 acres of this was then included in farms, one-half of which was "improved," or under cultivation. The remainder, or 140,000,000 acres, nearly two-thirds of the total area, was wild land, practically all of it in some kind of forest growth. The Appalachian or strictly hardwood producing region of these States is the part lying across and on each side of the Alleghany, Appalachian and Cumberland ranges, and com- prises some 90 or 100 million acres. In these mountains alone there are some 30,000,000 acres of forested non-agricultural lands. This is nearly equal to the entire forested area of Germany and is 20% larger than the forested area of France. In addition to this, there is another 28,000,000 acres in this re- gion, now timbered and probably better suited for timber growth than for agriculture. An additional ten or twelve mil- lion acres, or 15% of the piedmont area surrounding the moun- tains should be growing timber as farm woodlands or in larger holdings. Altogether we have in this restricted region some 70,000,000 acres of forest land or about 70% of the area, the best and most economical use of which is for growing tim- ber. Not only are these forests necessary for timber production, but they are extremely valuable for the preservation of soil and the protection of the many important streams which take their rise in these mountains. It is for this avowed purpose that the Federal Goverment has already purchased 1,200,000 acres in the Southern Appalachians and plans much larger purchases. Three main types of forests, serving different needs and requiring different methods of management, occur in these States, the spruce, the hardwood and the pine. The spruce is confined to the higher mountains and occurs to any extent only in West Virginia, North Carolina and Tenn- essee. Nearly all this type in West Virginia has been cut out; and probably three-fourths of the area in North Carolina, and half in Tennessee. There now remains, according to the report of the National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics, about 950,000,000 feet in North Carolina and Tennessee, and 390,000,000 in West Virginia and Virginia. At the present rate of cutting for lumber and pulp this will only last a very few years. All the cut over land has been burnt over, much Southern Forestry Congress 21 of it several times, with the result that almost inevitably bar- ren wastes take the place of spruce forests with consequent in- jury to streams and destruction of future pulpwood supplies. It is said that "The hardwood forests of the Southern Ap- palachian States and those of adjoining regions formed orig- inally the most extensive temperate zone hardwood forests in the world. Among the commercial species are ten or more oaks, at least as good as any foreign species, several hickories, which so far as known have no foreign equivalents, yellow poplar, basswood, black walnut and cherry, specialty woods without a peer in their own fields, several valuable ashes, chestnut and a number of other species, such as locust, dog- wood, persimmon, etc." There is compartively little virgin timber in all this area, the greater part having been cut over once or several times. Nearly all of it has been more or less seriously damaged by repeated forest fires. I do not know what the annual damage from fire is in these States, but in North Carolina, which well represents the region with its mountain, piedmont and coastal districts, we have had a yearly average of nearly $1,000,000 worth of dam- age in the past ten years. If the other States have had simi- lar experience, these nine Appalachian States have lost annu- ally from forest fires approximately seven million dollars. The wood-using industries of the Central and Eastern United States have been and still are largely dependent for their supply upon the hardwoods of this and nearby regions. Practically all the chestnut used not only as lumber in a va- riety of wood-using industries, but also for the manufacture of tanning material and for telephone poles comes from this re- gion. In fact, the chesnut bark disease and other pests are killing out this species in all but the higher mountain regions. Three-fourths of the yellow poplar used in a very large va- riety of industries comes from the Southern Appalachians, while 25% of the oak, 40% of the cherry, 20% of the hickory, 25% of the walnut, 18% of the basswood, 15% of the sugar maple and large proportions of many other valuable trees are secured in this region. The superiority of the Southern Appalachians as a region 22 Proceedings of the on which to depend for our future supply of hardwoods lie in the fact that more than 70% of its area is probably better fitted for timber growing than for agriculture. On the other hand, the lands which are now yielding hardwood timber in the Gulf States, the Mississippi Valley, the Central Hardwood Region and the Northern States are largely suitable for agriculture, and will eventually be used for this purpose If the forests in this region were protected from fire and were cut in such a manner that a full stand of the more valu- able species would succeed the present crop, sufficient timber might be grown, if not to fully supply all our industries, cer- tainly to stabilize the market and assure a supply of more tim- ber, and timber of the more valuable and special kinds. It is said that Germany's 33,000,000 acres of forests grew and cut 1,300,000,000 cubic feet of timber in 1910, and that the 24,000- 000 acres of forests in France grew and cut 910,000,000 cubic feet in 1909. The present annual cut in the Southern Appa- lachians is not more than 8,000,000 cubic feet, and even though it is made up largely of the reserve stock of virgin tim- ber, and is much greater than the annual growth, it is smaller than that of either France or Germany. When the technical basis for the practice of forestry has been worked out and the forests of the Southern Appalachians have been put under con- servative management, it should be possible to produce and cut in perpetuity several times the total production of either France or Germany. This means permanent forest industries for the Southern Appalachians and continued prosperity. The annual drain upon the hardwood forests of the South- ern Appalachian is at least 4,000,000,000 feet board measure. Of this a little over 45 per cent goes into lumber, about 25 per cent into tannin extract wood, ties, veneer, poles, and wood pulp, and the remaining 30 per cent to the secondary wood- using industries. Since no provision is being made for pro- ducing additional timber the total cut is much greater than the growth. Many important industries are dependent upon continued hardwood production. For example, our furniture industry, normally requiring about 1*4 billion feet a year uses 95 per cent hardwoods and 45 per cent oak, and our vehicle industry, consuming normally about 740 million feet, requires 32 per cent hickory, 28 per cent oak, and 6 per cent yellow poplar. Southern Forestry Congress 23 Twenty per cent of railroad requirements for car contrac- tion, using 1^4 billion feet a year, is of oak. White oak is the standard railroad tie material, and hardwoods normally supply 56 per cent of the annual requirements of V/i billion feet. There is no doubt but what the wood-using industries are beginning to realize the failure of their supply of timber. All of the eastern journals in commenting upon the supply of hard- woods and upon the market condition emphasize the shortage in logs being brought to the mills and in the supply of hard- wood lumber available for the markets. They do not, how- ever, openly attribute this shortage to a reduction in the amount of timber available, but put it down to scarcity of labor, bad weather and various other causes. Manufacturers themselves, however, are not so careful to avoid allusion to this most important cause of the shortage. A recent card inquiry addressed to the wood-using industries of my own State of North Carolina has brought out some very enlightening comments in regard to the timber situation. In speaking of the supply of hardwoods available for the indus- tries in the mountain and piedmont section of the State the optimistic ones expect to get a full supply by going further away, or by changing from one species to another which is more abundant. For instance, a buggy manufacturer is chang- ing from poplar to tupelo and cotton wood ; while a manufac- turer of veneers, who is now obliged to bring in most of his logs from another state, confessed that ten years ago 75% of his supply was local. He thinks the future supply depends on the ability to pay the freight. A manufacturer of agricultural implements has "enough lumber on the yard for two years" and is content to put up with a lower grade material. One hopeful lumberman says "we gather from those that have made a study of the situation that western woods will be carry- ing the larger part of the load within the next ten years," while two furniture manufacturers in different parts of the State, who in the past have been obtaining all their lumber locally, think that in ten years 90% of the lumber will have to be shipped in. Some of the more hopeful look for an exhaustion of the original growth white and yellow pine and all the good grades of hardwood within ten years, but think there will be a supply 24 Proceedings of the of second growth. This belief, however, is not shared by the pine men. Numbers of lumbermen, planing mill men, box shook and package manufacturers and others depending on a supply of second growth pine admit that in ten years time the available supply will be practically exhausted. Although not requested in the questionnaire two or three prominent manufacturers go so far as making suggestions for remedying the approaching exhaustion. The two following suggestions come from the eastern part of the State in the pine region : A manufacturer of veneer packing cases says : "We note with anxiety the depletion of the timber supplies in the State and think that some legislation should be passed, especially as to pine, making it unlawful to cut pine below 12" in diameter for lumber purposes. If such a law had been in existence for the past twenty years, we would have a growing supply to re- place the deplection." One of the largest manufacturers of North Carolina pine lumber in this State in referring to this meeting of the Southern Forestry Congress says : "I think the body wants to discuss very thoroughly the mat- ter of reforestation and the leaving of seed trees in cut over territory. If you will visit the cut over territories of Louis- iana and Mississippi in the longleaf section, you will see what I mean. On my visit through La. and Miss, about sixty days ago, I was struck with the wasteful methods of such companies as and , and other companies, who practically take everything from the land, whether it is large enough for timber or not, without leaving anything to furnish seed for re- forestation of the timber." The pine region of the So. Appalachian States comprises somewhat more than half of their total area. It lies to the east or south of the hardwood region in the Coastal Plain Belt along the Atlantic and extends well up into the Piedmont section of these States. In this Piedmont part of the region hardwoods originally predominated and still do in the original growth forests, but much of this section was cleared up and cultivated before the Civil War and subsequently was aban- doned and has naturally reforested in pine. The longleaf pine did not extend beyond the Coastal Plain, but outside of the narrow bottom lands along the streams where it once formed almost a continuous forest. This original Southern Forestry Congress 25 forest has almost entirely been removed and the succeeding forests of loblolly pine is disappearing even more rapidly. When fires have been prevented loblolly pine is often succeeding itself and in some places where hogs are excluded longleaf is re- seeding, but very little of the cut over area is securing a full stand of second growth. No steps have been taken to secure this, either by leaving seed trees, preventing fires, or securing stock law so that the prospect for the future in this whole re- gion is very discouraging. The need for conservation of our timber resources in the North Carolina Pine Belt has been very strongly emphasized in the questionnaire recently sent out by the State Geological and Economic Survey of North Carolina, to which I referred above. A few replies relating to the future source of supply may be of interest here. New Bern, N. C, has generally been looked upon as the center of North Carolina pine production, and the large lum- ber mills of that immediate region have led in the production of this commodity. One operator here says in ten years "all large mills in this section will be cut out." Another says "we have about enough bought to last us five years." The most hopeful reply is "will about use up the second growth in the next ten to twenty years." A large manufacturer of building material says that in ten years "there will be no timber cut," while another eastern North Carolina lumberman says that in that time "the supply will be about exhausted." An optimistic manufacturer on the edge of the Piedmont region says that he has "plenty to run him for four or five years. After that he may have to quit, but high prices are bringing in more tim- ber," while a manufacturer of fruit and truck packages says "that five years' supply is assured." A sash and blind manu- facturer, using nearly 2,000,000 feet a year, writes "we have been cutting local timber for 25 years. It looks like the sup- ply will be exhausted in the next five years." This is the tenor of replies from all parts of the pine region. Furniture and veneer maufacturers have been thinking that they would escape all further trouble by using gum in place of poplar and other woods, but even the supply of this timber is precarious. A cooperage company using 4,000,000 feet of gum a year located on the water front thinks that "about all the timber will be gone in ten years ;" while another 26 Proceedings of the using some 14,000,000 feet of gum and pine writes : "In years past we have been able to secure a supply of logs from outside people, but in the last two years especially, it has be- come necessary to depend on the cutting of logs from our own timber. We estimate we have ten to twelve years' supply of timber." A large lumber company cutting 8,000,000 feet of pine, cypress and gum reports that in ten years "the present supply will be practically exhausted." One of the chief excuses for neglecting to take steps for reforestation has been that the land is agricultural and should be used for farming. Very strenuous efforts have been made by some large owners of cut over lands to put these lands on the market and dispose of them to settlers, but without any great amount of success. It is beginning to be realized that the demand for such land is and of necessity must be very limited, and that one or more crops of timber can and should be produced on most of the land before it will be needed for farming. The Census figures for 1910 show a total area of improved farm land in the Appalachian States of 36.6% while the 1900 Census shows 34.6% of such land. According to these figures, therefore, 2% of the total area of the region was improved during the ten years previous to 1910. Taking this as an aver- age, we find that in the next fifty years, not more than 10% of the area will be cleared up and put into cultivation ; or there will still remain uncultivated more than 80% of our present forest area. To my mind, this is a liberal estimate, as the tendency now is to more throughly cultivate the land already cleared rather than clear up more. A policy, therefore, of "enlightened self-interest," to say nothing of future benefit to the region, would dictate growing a crop of timber rather than holding it as cut over land until it can be sold to some "would-be" farmer. THE FORESTRY OUTLOOK IN THE GULF COAST STATES By R. D. Forbes SUPERINTENDENT OF FORESTRY, LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION Since the convention of the First Southern Forestry Con- gress at Asheville in 1916 forestry progress in the five Gulf Southern Forestry Congress 27 Coast States of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas, has, we believe, been considerable even if no single event of larger significance, such as the establishment of a for- estry department in a new State, can be reported. At the time of the First Congress, Texas had had a State Forester for about nine months, and financial provision had been made in Louisiana for the employment by the Department of Con- servation of a Superintendent of Forestry, beginning January 1, 1918. Mississippi, Alabama and Florida were without forestry departments or funds for their establishment. Brief- ly, the four year history of forestry in each of these States is as follows : Texas. From September 1, 1915, to the same date in 1919, $11,500 has been appropriated annually by the State for forestry work, and from $3,000 to $4,000 has been contributed yearly toward fire control by the United States Forest Service under the Weeks Law. Since September 1, 1919, the State appro- priation has been $13,500, or $2,000 more than in previous years. More than half of the total expenditures have been for fire protection. Patrolmen have covered a total of seven to nine million acres during about six months of every year. The main function of these men has been, of course, educational, for with districts of a million or more acres apiece it has not been possible to attempt much actual control of fires. The patrolmen have been local men in every case, and have built up a very considerable local sentiment against burning the woods and cut over lands. The great cause of fires in Texas, as all over the Gulf Coast region, is the carelessness of human beings, coupled with a deep-rooted feeling (it is not generally a conviction based on careful observation and thought) that burning is a proper thing. It takes time to correct this idea, and to change the custom of decades, but in the end the pa- trolmen's patient arguments, based on demonstrable truth, are winning out. Between July 1 and December 1, 1918, nearly 90% of the fires reported by patrolmen were controlled by them and local residents before they could do serious damage, whereas in 1916 the percentage of controlled fires had been but ten. Texas has built up a seasoned and enthusiastic per- sonnel for its fire protective work. Annual meetings of the pa- trolmen have greatly increased the esprit de corps. 28 Proceedings of the As Texas is essentially a farming State, though standing fifth in 1918, among the lumber producing States of the Union, farm forestry has been emphasized as next in impor- tance to fire protection. Fifteen hundred dollars has been spent yearly for nurseries and experimental planting of trees, particularly in the now treeless portions of the State. Courses in farm forestry are given at the Agricultural College, a sur- vey has been made as the basis of a bulletin on the production and sale of timber in farm woodlands, and advice on the ground has been given to farmers and owners of small wood- lands The forest resources of east Texas have been studied and reported on, and the rate at which they are being depleted has been given publicity. In its general publicity work, particu- larly through the Texas Forestry Association, the State has met with marked success under the direction of State Forester Siecke. Women's Clubs, teachers, newspapers, and trade journals have been interested in the forestry movement, and a small but earnest group in the Forestry Association have done yoemen service in getting forestry before the public and keep- ing it there. The president of the A. and M. College has been a staunch and effective friend of the forestry work particu- larly in the matter of securing continued and increased appro- priations. Louisiana. Unlike any other State in the Union, Louisiana carries on her forestry work by a tax on the lumbermen. The orignal Severance Tax law of 1910 was intended to give the entire proceeds of the severance tax on forest products to the Department of Conservation for forestry purposes. Subse- quent legislation diverted these moneys into the General Fund, and it is only since the beginning of 1918 that a small portion (one-fifth) has been available to the Department of Conserva- tion. Small collections in 1918 were supplemented by Com- missioner Alexander from other funds of the Department, permitting total expenditures of about $13,000, but in 1919 the collections available for forestry were greater — somewhat over $1,000 a month — and the work has stood on its own feet. Four thousand dollars was received in two years from the United States Forest Service under the Weeks Law. As in Texas, roughly half of the expenditures are for fire protection. Except in response to the very dangerous condi- Southern Forestry Congress 29 tions produced by the great storm of August, 1918, in south- west Louisiana, when actual fire fighting was made possible by the Commissioner's placing as high as nineteen men in an area of less than a million acres, the patrolmen have covered dis- tricts of one-quarter to a third of a million acres, or about half a parish. Education has been the invariable weapon used much as Texas, and the results are distinctly encouraging. An innovation has been the formation of a local fire protective association among small and large landowners of the Florida Parishes, and we intend to organize others. Another feature of our fire work and one upon which Louisiana particularly prides itself has been our spark arrester regulations. These ap- ply to both trunk lines and tram roads, and inspection to date, while showing that much work is to be done indicates clearly that both railroads and lumbermen are in the great majority of cases willing and glad to comply with reasonable, yet effective, regulations. The lumbermen's interest in fire protection has been particularly encouraging, and amply confirms the wise policy pursued in every branch of his conservation work by Commissioner Alexander, namely that of close cooperation with all interested in our natural resources. In furtherance of the same policy the Department has con- ducted a preliminary investigation of the relative cost of log- ging large and small pine timber. The investigations of the thinning of Southern pine, of the effect of fire and hogs on pine reproduction, and of slash disposal, conducted at Urania in part by the United States Forest Service and in part by Mr. Henry Hardtner, have been very interesting and very valuable. Urania Forest, which comprises some 30,000 acres of cut over land being reforested by Mr. Hardtner under contract with the Department of Conservation has attracted wide interest. Under the terms of the unique reforestation law of Louisiana taxes on land being reforested are reduced from $5 an acre to $1 for a period of thirty to forty years. In educational work the Louisiana forestry officials have employed publicity through bulletins, newspapers items, lec- tures illustrated by slides and "movies," and particularly through the trade journals of the lumber industry, whose col- umns have always been wide open to forestry items of all kinds. The Department of Conservation is proud to have en- gineered the first two forestry meetings ever held in the far 30 Proceedings of the South — those in New Orleans in January 1918, and in Jackson- ville, Florida, in the same month of 1919. At the State Uni- versity the forestry courses given by Major Lee, though in no wise connected with the work of the Department of Conserva- tion, have powerfully aided in creating public sentiment favor- able to forestry. Mississippi. Nothing came of an attempt to pass forestry legislation in this State in 1918. The outlook for the passage of a forestry law in the present legislature is, however, bright. Governor Russell has emphasized the importance of reforest- ation in his message to the law-makers. The State University, the Mississippi Landowners' Association, some of the lumber- men, and other public-spirited citizens have championed the cause of forestry, and we understand that these efforts are be- ing coordinated. We are confident that the next Southern State to place forestry laws on its books, backed by an appropriation, will be Mississippi.* *The confidence of the speaker was misplaced. The reactionary lum- bermen in Mississippi were evidently more influential than it was thought possible. The New Orleans Lumber Trade Journal of March IS, 1920, in a short editorial, describes the "killing" in the following words : "Kills Forestry Legislation" The judiciary committee of the lower house of the Mississippi legis- lature has put the axe to all four forestry measures that were before that body for consideration. Immediately after a minority report was sub- mitted by four members protesting against the action and demanding that suitable legislation be devised for the purpose of saving the vast forests of that state from ultimate destruction. The action of the judiciary committee was taken following a lengthy conference with leading lumber interests of the state. It was made clear that lumbermen of the state were not opposed to forestry legislation that was of a wise and beneficial character ; that would actually result in proper conservation of the virgin timber of today and the reforestation of denuded lands of the present and future. It was generally agreed that the legislation before that body was hurriedly drawn and therefore entirely unsuited to the best interests of both the state and its vast lumbering industry. — The Editor. Southern Forestry Congress 31 Alabama. Some of the lumbermen in Alabama interested themselves last year in an effort to pass a forestry law, or to secure appropriations, making effective the law of 1908, we have been unable to learn which. Whatever the attempt was, it failed, and for another three years Alabama was con- demned to forestry inactivity. Florida. The conference of Southern foresters held in Jacksonville last January stimulated interest in forestry in that state and tended to coordinate separate efforts which had pre- viously been made by the Federation of Women's Clubs and other agencies. A committee was appointed at the Jackson- ville meeting on which these and other powerful interests were represented. The cattlemen were desirous of fire control on account of its effect on the range, as well as on the broader basis, and for a time it looked as if at least a scheme of county option in fire protection, with a small appropriation, would be agreed upon. We understand it was found impossible, how- ever, to frame a bill which would receive the support of the various agencies interested in forestry and fire control, and as a result nothing was accomplished. This unfortunate outcome will, we hope, be retrieved by increased interest and better team work next year. General. In closing, it is not out of place to urge the dele- gates from every Gulf Coast State to join their state forestry association, or if none exists, to form such an association. It is safe to say that state associations have been the means, di- rectly or indirectly, of establishing forestry departments in prac- tically all states which have them. There may have been cer- tain dominating figures in each case, to whom a large share of the credit should go, but in the last analysis, public sentiment was the compelling power. Without public sentiment, directed through organization into effective channels, the forest con- servationists of the South cannot make real headway. The good roads movement, the better agriculture movement, the tick eradication movement, and every other valuable reform, have required for their accomplishment years of patient edu- cation, constant publicity, and skillful organization. For its full fruition the great forest conservation movement in the South will require nothing less. 32 Proceedings of the Mr. Forbes' paper brought out some discussion, during which Colonel John H. Wallace, Jr., Commissioner of Conser- vation of Alabama, said in part : The only features of the Alabama forestry law that are of value relate exclusively to forest fire control. There has been going on in the State for a number of years, principally con- ducted by myself, a propaganda seeking to interest people in Alabama in forestry and in the conservation feature as relating to forest lands. Due, however, to the devastation of the forests of Alabama, the lumbermen are beginning to realize that unless something of a real and tangible nature is done, the wonderful longteaf pine forests, erstwhile the glory and grandeur of the State, will linger only in memory and tradition, and the entire state will be nothing but barren waste places, and the over one thousand sawmills now engaged in cutting lumber, will be chucked into the scrap heap. I am about to consummate a deal with the United States Forest Service, by and through which, under appropriation by congress in the matter of state cooperation, the Federal Gov- ernment will meet the state of Alabama halfway — fifty-fifty — in the matter of securing forest wardens for a number of coun- ties of my state, with a view of doing something tangible and real in Alabama in the matter of the protection of the forests. We must realize the fact that we are consuming three times as much lumber and timber as we are growing year by year. The Federal Goverment must embark upon a large and most comprehensive program looking to the acquisition of large areas, seeking to reforest devastated areas, so that the trees may be gathered when they are ripe. THE FORESTRY OUTLOOK IN THE CENTRAL HARDWOOD REGION By R. S. Maddox STATE FORESTER OF TENNESSEE The central hardwood region of the Southern States in- cludes parts of Kentucky, Tennessee, the northern part of Ala- bama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Arkansas. Since Tennessee, my state, is the very heart of this section and since my work is concentrated witbin her borders, I am going to speak al- Southern Forestry Congress 33 most wholly upon conditions there, recognizing the fact that in most particulars her situation as to hardwoods is typical of the rest of the region. In the recent past Tennessee produced great quantities of yellow poplar, oak, ash, chestnut, hickory, walnut, and other hardwoods. Both the quantity and quality of this lumber have been alarmingly reduced everywhere and on vast areas practic- ally exhausted. Even within the last five years this has be- come most noticeable. No other state in the Union yields a greater variety of economic hardwood species nor grows them more abundantly nor more rapidly if left undisturbed. It is perhaps due to these, we might say, too favorable conditions that such a prodigal and prodigious waste has gone on in Tenn- essee so long. In the midst of such plenty, scarcity was not ex- pected. But facts must be faced. The difficulty with which our sawmills are supplied with logs, the distance of the haul, the inferior quality and the small size of materials used, are all in- disputable evidence of the growing scarcity of timber in the State. However apparently discouraging the situation now ap- pears, if it is met with proper vision, cooperation and con- structive effort a regeneration of timber growth in Tennes- see is sure. The physical structure of Tennessee is such that regardless of the agricultural land proper, there is, I be- lieve, enough timber land, that is, steep, shallow and purely mountainous areas which ought to grow timber alone to pro- duce all the timber that Tennessee will ever need. Taking up conditions in the state more in detail, I will first touch upon the western section known as West Tennessee. Here Memphis is the great hardwood center, and she also is one of the great hardwood centers of the United States. Her mills are fed very largely from timber outside the State — largely from Louisiana, Mississippi, and Arkansas. West Tennessee has ceased to be any considerable factor in the pro- duction of timber for supplying Memphis mills. Even at Jackson, Tenn., the mills secure a great quantity of logs from Mississippi. The bulk of West Tennessee timber is found in what is known as the swamp lands, lands which lie in bot- toms through which meander sluggish streams. These areas contain possibilities for some of the best agricultural soil of the state. This is recognized by the landowners and therefore 34 Proceedings of the a progressive system of dredging these bottoms for drainage is being undertaken. This process prepares the ground for clearing. Therefore, it is merely a question of a short time before this bulk of Tennessee timber is gone, and not only gone, but the land itself which grew it will cease to be timber pro- ducing. Therefore, on such areas in West Tennessee there is no possibility of practicing forestry. This same condition, I believe, extends into North Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkan- sas. At first blush it might appear there is no outlook for West Tennessee as regards forestry. This, however, is far from true. There are two vital phases of forestry work which are being carried on for the benefit of that section — farm forestry and the reclamation of waste land. Already in many portions of West Tennessee the wood- lands left on the farm are not sufficient in size, or are not managed in such a way as to produce an adequate amount of timber for farm necessities. The farmer considers that when he leaves land in timber he is not getting the real use of it and therefore in order to use it he feels he must graze it. This shuts off the possibility of reproduction in the woodlands and as the farmer continues to cut down his old trees his woodlands gradually disappear. Here forestry comes to the rescue. Since these men wish to have a definite area of woodland contin- uously, it is the business of forestry to show them how to handle such areas so as to maintain them in timber. A policy in West Tennessee of clearing land and wearing it out for agricultural crops has resulted in large acreage of waste land, doubtless around 500,000 acres of land once cul- tivated but now lying out. The reclamation of this land will stave off further clearings of woodlands and prolong the life of the woodlands which are not now needed for agricul- tural purposes. Since fence posts are almost of vital necessity in West Tennessee now, it is an economic proposition to re- claim much of this land with black locust. A fourfold purpose in this way is served. The land itself is reclaimed, necessary post timber is produced, other woodlands are saved from clear- ing, and further erosion stopped. The success of this type of endeavor is remarkable and men who five years ago regarded these undertakings in a skeptical way are now thoroughly in sympathy with the work. Southern Forestry Congress 35 The topography and character of the soil in Middle Ten- nessee make conditions for woodlands and forested areas dif- ferent from those in West Tennessee. Here the steep rocky hills, shallow soil, and mountain slopes make it almost impossi- ble to clear all land for cultivation. This is particularly true in the foothills of the Highland Rim which jut out into the Central Basin, and the Cumberland Mountain slopes in the eastern edge of Middle Tennessee. Such areas now contain the bulk of timber in Middle Tennessee. I am safe in saying these areas do not supply all the logs sawed in that section since some of the mills are supplied partly from logs in Ala- bama. Here there are three forestry problems which need solution : the proper handling of these hillside and mountain lands which should be used primarily for the growing of tim- ber; the management of farm woodlands which should be maintained for the use of the farm as in West Tennessee; and the reclamation problem. The handling of these hillside and mountain lands should include as every forester knows, fire prevention, restricted grazing and careful cutting. The farm woodland problem is similar to that which I have just described as existing in West Tennessee, the solution being very much the same. The re- clamation problem in this section will be devoted to a much greater extent than in West Tennessee to the reestablishment of young forests because of the steepness of the slopes and the shallowness of the soil on many areas which have been cleared and cultivated. Forest conditions to be considered in East Tennessee are very similar to those in Middle Tennessee. Here we have the steep forested slopes of the Smoky Mountains, the steep cleared hillsides and mountain sides and the farm woodlands. The big mills in East Tennessee are located at Townsend, Mary- ville, Knoxville and Chattanooga. These are supplied by logs secured from a distance from operation both by rail and by river. Here as everywhere else in the state there is a scarcity of material. Vast areas of virgin timber which once furnished some of these mills have now become farm lands and the source of supply is pushed further and further back. Such portions as have been left wooded have, because of their treat- ment, not proven to be dependable for future crops. Again the threefold forestry problem of Tennessee con- 36 Proceedings of the fronts us — protection of our mountain lands, proper manage- ment of farm woodlands and reclamation projects. Any forestry outlook in Tennessee must take into consid- eration one primal fact, viz : that practically all Tennessee land is privately owned and therefore, any step toward construc- tive forestry must be made with the cooperation of the citizens themselves. One big forward movement in Tennessee can be seen in the attitude of the members of the Tennessee Forestry Association. Men and women everywhere throughout the state are recognizing that something must be done to save the forest of the state and all they represent. In the final analysis the people must realize the urgency of conditions and together take a firm stand, but active, for the continuous, necessary growth of forests and to this end protection against forest fires is an essential. Vice President Lee made the following committee appoint- ments : RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE— Messrs. R. S. Maddox, Chair- man, W. B. Townsend, Henry E. Hardtner, J. G. Peters, R. D. Forbes, Mrs. A. F. Storm, A. T. Gerrans, H. E. Everley, E. O. Siecke, John L. Kaul, McGarvey Cline. NOMINATING COMMITTEE— Messrs. R. C. Jones, W. D. Tyler, J. E. Rhodes. WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON SESSION. (Presided over by Hon. M. L. Alexander, Commissioner of Conservation for Louisiana.) Hon. John M. Parker, Gov- ernor-elect of Louisiana, addressed the congress. He said in part : It has been my good fortune for probably twenty years to know intimately Gifford Pinchot, one of the really great Chiefs of forestry in America. It has been my privilege also to know for years, on terms of intimacy and affection, Henry E. Hard- tner, whose work is well known all over the United States. We have in the State of Louisiana only about 15 per cent of our total area under cultivation. Now there is no reason why it should be so. One reason why I have gone into public life is to try to devote four years of what energy I may have to this work, with the deep and set conviction that the future Southern Forestry Congress 37 welfare of our state rests largely upon our agriculture and in- telligent reforestation. I propose to go the limit along those lines. My idea is to give Louisiana the finest agricultural col- lege of any state in the land — one which will he managed on hroad and practical lines, to uphuild and make valuahle the vast tracts of land that now lie idle and are non-productive and of little value to any one. ADDRESS By M. L. Alexander COMMISSIONER OF CONSERVATION OF LOUISIANA The people of Louisiana are to be congratulated upon the opportunity presented to them of acquiring first-hand know- ledge of forestry needs and conditions as will be outlined by the Second Southern Forestry Congress. I need not mention the intense interest which I myself take in this gathering or the interest of the Department of Conservation, which I repre- sent, which has extended over our splendid forest resources the protecting cloak of conservation. We of the South, the chief lumbering center of the United States, feel that this congress will prove most wide-reaching in its effect. It is fitting that this congress should hold its ses- sions in Louisiana, second only to Washington in its lumber production. Adequate protection of the timber lands of Louisana has been hampered in the past through the lack of legislative ap- propriation for such purpose. I am gratified to state at this date that the law making body of the state is at last coming to realize the importance of preserving to other generations this tremendous heritage. A denuded Louisiana is unthinkable, but this is the very danger which confronts the people of Louisiana unless means are devised that will at once further industrial development in timber, conserve the forests, and wisely provide for the proper classification of cut over lands and their ultimate disposal for purposes to which they are best adapted. The Department of Conservation was utterly without means to meet this situation until 1918, when some relief was obtained through the establishment of a forestry division and the inaugu- ration of a fire fighting patrol. This division of the depart- 38 Proceedings of the ment, while unquestionably valuable, is by no means, under present conditions, able to afford the protection which I feel is imperative and to which the people are entitled. It is my hope that in the near future the importance of this work will find a livelier appreciation and that adequate provisions will be made for the upkeep and operation of a fire fighting force able to cope with any emergency which may arise. Scant thought is given to forest resources until after the virgin timber is gone. It is time the South took an accounting and honestly faced a situation which must be met, a problem which must be solved, a condition demanding immediate at- tention. We are responsible to future generations and the wisdom with which we proceed and the intelligent effort we bring to bear now will find fruition in the years to come. It must not be said of us that we have been wasteful, neglectful, improvident, or unwise. This is the moment, gentlemen, for us to display what wisdom we may possess to the ultimate good of the state and the nation. A most important subject of discussion here must be that concerning itself with the utilization of cut over lands and their adaption to the requirements of timber growing, farming, and grazing. This is emphasized by the report of the Secretary of the Interior for 1918. The following is his list of the cut over acreage in fifteen southern states : Alabama 14,785,000 Arkansas -- 13,893,000 Florida 10,109,000 Georgia 20,141,000 Kentucky 3,222,000 Louisiana 11,877,000 Maryland 1,848,000 Mississippi 13,203,000 Missouri 8,900,000 North Carolina 12,745,000 South Carolina 8,994,000 Tennessee 7,833,000 Texas 12,936,000 Virginia 9,929,000 West Virginia 4,634,000 155,049,000 Southern Forestry Congress 39 It is estimated that we are adding to this vast area of de- nuded land at the rate of 10,000,000 acres a year. This land must he intelligently apportioned to the uses for which it is best suited. Not to do this would entail a staggering economic loss. In Louisiana we have in the past two years spent about $25,- 000 on forestry and fire protection, and in previous years have expended such sums as we could spare from the other resources of the Department of Conservation. It is our intention to ask the next legislature for the entire severance tax on forest pro- ducts for the support of the forestry work in the state. For the past two years we have been receiving but one-fifth of this tax and prior to that not one cent. This tax should amount to somewhere in the neighborhood of $75,000 a year. The lum- bermen of the state consented to the original severance tax with the expectation that this money would be used in fire pro- tection and reforestation. It is only just and right that it should be used for these purposes and with the support of the lumber- men and forest conservationists of this state, it will be so spent. We will need a portion, possibly one-third, for fire pro- tection and for general administration. The remainder we plan to use for the purchase of lands for state forests. If Louisiana will wisely set aside say even 100,000 acres of her poorest lands within the next ten or fifteen years as state forests, think of the magnificent revenue which thirty or forty years from now will be derived from such a property. The cost of ad- ministration will be small, and on the basis of a fifty year ro- tation we should have 2,000 acres to cut over annually, yield- ing a product worth not less than $150 an acre at a most mod- est estimate. An annual revenue of $300,000 a year from her state forests in perpetuity is well worth the investment of a few thousand dollars a year for the next ten years. Many men who have distinguished themselves in this divis- ion of conservation effort, and representing numerous indus- tries and interests vitally affected by the policies which this congress may adopt, will express their views and give the bene- fit of their wide experience, among whom there is one whose intelligent effort in the science of forestry and its practical ap- plications has resulted in coordinating private, state, and national activities, and bids fair to bring out of the present gathering a national forestry policy, not alone applicable to 40 Proceedings of the Louisiana, one of the greatest of timber producing states, but to every commonwealth in the Union. Colonel Henry Solon Graves, Chief Forester of the United States Forest Service, first advanced the idea of a national program of forestry in an address before the New England Forestry Conference at Boston, February 24, 1919. At that meeting he called attention to the imperative needs of the nation, arousing an interest which promises to be nation-wide. Since then, with the backing of the federal goverment, he has vigor- ously pushed his plans. He has conferred with lumbermen, owners, representatives of industries allied to lumber, lumber users, legislators, and leaders in conservation work. As his experience grew, his plan has developed. Today Colonel Graves will present to you his perfected program. A NATIONAL FOREST POLICY By Henry S. Graves U. S. FORESTER During the last 30 years the forests of the South have played a very important part in providing the country with lum- ber and other products. The South still stands first in amount of lumber produced, furnishing over one-third of all the sawn lumber used in the entire country. The South is the one re- maining large source of softwood timber in the East, with the remnant of what was once the greatest pine forest in the world. The end of the old growth southern pine is now in sight. Ten to fifteen years will see the bulk of it cut out. Its pending ex- haustion is a great loss, for the eastern markets will become in- creasingly dependent upon the lumber supplies from the far West. Still more important to the country are the hardwood for- ests of the South. Even if the southern pine forests were wholly used up and destroyed, we still have large bodies of timber in the West that can be drawn upon for a limited period, though at high cost. But the southern hardwoods are both unique in character and represent the last center of supply of material of this class in the country. They are vital to supply wood-using plants in the North and Central States and even the Pacific Coast. The service of the southern forests to the economic welfare of the country has been and is still very great. With a climate Southern Forestry Conokess 41 and soils peculiarly adapted to forest production and with num- erous species of both soft and hardwood capable of exception- ally rapid growth, the South has an opportunity to remain always the most important center of lumber production in the East if the opportunity is grasped in time. If, however, the present destructive handling of forests continues this opportun- ity will be lost, to the injury both of the South and the Nation. With the introduction now of wholly practical methods, of forestry, the forests will in the future contribute to the perma- nent industrial prosperity and upbuilding of the South even in a greater degree than in the past. Passing of the Original Forests We are witnessing today the rapid passing of our original forests. We have seen within our own lifetime the progressive exhaustion of the older sources of timber supply, and the move- ment of the center of large lumber production to the South ; and now realize that it is a matter of only a few years before the bulk of the old growth timber in the South will be cut, and the last body of timber in the East capable of large-scale lum- ber production will be gone. Our lumber and related industries have been built up on the basis of the original forest. Builders, architects, engineers, manufacturers of wood articles, and general buyers of lumber have been accustomed to the high grade material that comes from trees 100 to 250 years of age. In many cases people have been using high grade material when lower grades would answer the purpose. Just as in the old days the farmers of the Middle West made rails of walnut, so we have been very often using prime products of the virgin trees for common purposes, sim- ply because it was abundant and the price within our means. Heretofore when one center of production has been ex- hausted, the industry has moved on to another body of original timber, furnishing the market with perhaps a different species but still an excellent product from old-growth trees. And today fully 85 per cent of the lumber in the general mar- ket still comes from original or old growth forests. As long as there were new and untouched bodies of timber within reason- able distance, the general public did not materially suffer, so far as supplies of lumber were concerned. A new situation has, however, now come about through the approaching ex- 42 Proceedings of the haustion of all the large centers of old growth timber in the East and the necessity for going to the Pacific slope for mater- ial of the character that consumers have used and still demand. Economic Consequences of Forest Depletion The movement of the center of lumber production from one region to another has been invariably followed by import- ant economic consequences. An upward trend of prices is always one of the results, besides many local effects. The deple- tion of all the large producing centers in the East and the de- pendence of the largest number of consumers of lumber on forests located 2,000 to 3,000 miles away is an occurrence that will be widely and very unfavorably felt. Even the lessening of production within the last two or three years has sent up the price of lumber to a point permitting western competition in the Atlantic States, and the East is today paying for lumber on the basis of the value of Douglas fir plus freight from the West Coast. Large operations and large quantity production are the resultant of the existence of great bodies of old growth tim- ber. When the old timber begins to fail and the large mills to close down, production falls off with great rapidity. The national market is then immediately affected until there is readjustment by the opening up of new supplies of original timber capable of large scale production with big mills. Precisely this process is now going on in the South. It is the original forest and large scale operations that govern the situation. While the present deficiency of production is not wholly due to cutting out of the old timber, it is so in part. This effect on the market is the same. Yellow pine is already being crowded out of some markets, prices mount up and fin- ally are governed by the lumber from the new region, in this case the Pacific Coast. Thus we have an economic timber depletion and all its con- sequences when the old bodies of timber are reduced, even though there may be in the aggregate a great deal of smaller timber or scattered old trees available for small mills. This is the reason why the effects of forest depletion are felt long before the actual exhaustion of all the forests. This is the reason why the conditions created by the war (some of which are temporary and some permanent) have developed all the Southern Forestry Congress 43 manifestations of timber shortage, failure to obtain material, high prices, unstable markets, etc. It is a forerunner of what will happen in more aggravated form as the progressive ex- haustion of the old supplies goes on. Failure to Prepare for Forest Depletion The using up of the original forest is in itself not a dis- turbing circumstance. It is inevitable, for the supplies origi- nally furnished by unaided nature must sooner or later come to an end. We may deeply regret that we have wasted and de- stroyed so much of our natural heritage of timber, but the fea- ture that should give us the most profound concern is that we have taken no adequate steps to prepare ourselves for the passing of the original forest. We have not only wasted in premature cutting and through forest fires an immense amount of lumber that might have served to prolong the life of our original supplies, but we have destroyed the second growth timber and young growth, and on millions of acres effectively and unnecessarily prevented a normal renewal of the forest. This is not the time or place for me to explain the influences that have led to this condition, the faulty public land policies, the encouragement of specula- tive holdings, the factors forcing premature and wasteful cut- ting, the indifference of the public and failure to meet its re- sponsibilities, the adverse attitude of many operators and owners, and so on. What might have been, is an interesting study. But we are concerned with the cold and ugly facts of broken and depleted forests, unproductive or actually devasted cut over lands, a great deficiency of middle-aged second growth of any poten- tial value and usefulness and a net loss each year of our re- sources that is leading direct to forest bankruptcy. The transition from the original forest to second growth is comparatively easy when there are middle-aged and younger trees in abundance. This has been demonstrated in a number of cases where special circumstances caused the growth of a large amount of second growth pine, as, for example, in Vir- ginia, the Carolinas, and the New England States. But in most other sections and more recent cuttings we have been progressively destroying the immature trees. Probably the best forestry ever practiced by private owners was when they 44 Proceedings of the culled the forests and left the immature trees standing. It was not intentional. They simply had no market for these trees. Where not injured or destroyed by fire these trees grew rapidly and there are hundreds of tracts being cut over now a second or third time, giving high profits from accumulated ac- cretion and from opportunity for more economical utilization. With the increase of values and multiplication of uses for wood products, however, the immature trees standing with the old growth are now cut in most cases on a large scale. Certainly but few operators leave any trees purposely in order to constitute the basis for a later cut. But even more serious than that is the fact that fires are allowed to run through the woods killing or injuring the younger trees, and these same fires retard or prevent repro- duction. The result is that when our original forests are ex- hausted, we find that we have also exhausted a large part of the immature stands that would constitute our second cuttings and have not been providing for new reproduction. We will face in consequence a great deficiency of timber in the im- mediate future. The Critical Importance of Second Growth In some respects the most important single factor in the problem of forestry in the near future is the immature timber or second growth. It is this material that should normally tide over the country's needs after the exhaustion of the virgin tim- ber and pending the growth of new stands that may be es- tablished now. This is the material that should furnish the local needs in building up the new farms that we hope to see in the South. This is the basis for our lumber and wood-using in- dustry of the near future. And if there were enough of it in the South, it could most likely compete with the products of the West and even reinvade the competitive field in the nearby middle western States, at least with common grades of lumber. I am interested in knowing how much virgin timber there is left in the South. I am more interested in knowing how much immature and second growth timber there is. Let us by all means protect and handle with great economy the re- maining portions of our original forest. But especially let us husband with great care the stands of smaller growth. Self-in- terest will in a measure take care of the first. Self-interest Southern Forestry Congress 45 ought to safeguard the second, for there are hundreds of thous- ands of acres of immature timber in the south that represent a splendid opportunity for profits if it is handled right. Yet many of those stands are being fast destroyed by abuse, pre- mature cutting, premature boxing, forest fires, or other de- structive agencies. The destruction of the second growth and small timber will be a loss that will be felt not only by the producing lum- ber industry but by every community and purchaser of lum- ber in the South. The preservation and careful handling of this timber presents an opportunity that if taken advantage of before it is too late will contribute to the upbuilding of the South in a measure difficult at the present time for most peo- ple to realize. The preservation and careful handling of second growth presents also a great opportunity to the owners, for in many cases it does not represent an actual outlay but is rather a remnant after cutting off the old forest, and in a few years it will return very substantial profits. Many an owner who has not realized that this young timber represented any particular value has found himself in possession of stumpage value of not less than $50 per acre for young timber 40 to 50 years old. In the North young pine is often worth $250 to $300 per acre. Our Nation's Forest Deficit Our forest deficit is increasing every year. Our original forest capital is constantly dwindling. We have been de- stroying young timber at the period of its greatest rate of ac- cretion. By abuse we have been preventing lands from be- coming restocked after cutting the old timber. There can be but one final answer to such a course, and that is the de- pletion of our forests resources down to a point where the country will suffer great injury. It is estimated that about 100 million acres of forest land have been practically devastated and are producing almost nothing of value. They are today an economic waste. On the other hand, there are probably over 200 million acres of cut over land on which some measure of forest growth is taking place. A large part of these second growth forests, however, have an excessive amount of poor species, defective or poorly formed trees, or are broken, with only a scanty growth. 46 Proceedings of the Moreover, through unintelligent cutting, over-grazing, or repeated forest fires, a large part of our second growth for- ests are constantly deteriorating and the percentage of valueless material steadily increasing. While we do not lack produc- tion of cubic feet of wood suited for fuel, the production of material having a potential value for sawn products is far below what is actually used, let alone that destroyed. It is be- lieved the production by growth of useful material is less than one-third of what is consumed. Need for Action During the past 25 years there has been a vigorous move- ment of forestry and many achievements of which the country may be proud. If, however we go to the forest and see what is actually being accomplished, we find that the nation's forest problem is not being met; nor will it be met by any plans which are today actually under way. It is clear that in order to meet the needs of the country for forest products lands not needed for agriculture and settle- ment should be put to use growing trees rather than to lie idle and unproductive. It is equally clear that the first step is to stop the destructive processes that even today are still devas- tating each year hundreds of thousands of acres of forest land. The restoration of the vast quantities of land which have been turned into wastes by forest abuse is a second step of great importance but of less immediate concern than the stopping of forest devastation. Public Responsibilities in Forestry The public is vitally interested in the forest problem. The general public is interested in having available lumber and other forest products in adequate quantities and at reasonable prices. It is interested in preserving the forests at the headwaters of rivers and for other general benefits. The local public is in- terested in the maintenance of industries which depend upon forests for raw materials. It is interested in the productive use of lands which are suited only to growing trees. Like the nation at large, the local public is interested in many general benefits which are derived from the very existence of well managed forests. Southern Forestry Congress 47 The character of the problem of forestry is such that our forests will not be properly protected and handled without the aid and participation of the public itself. That is, the great public interests involved in forests both justify and require that the public not only own large areas of forest land but that it also take part in working out the problems of private forests. Heretofore public responsibility in the matter of forests has not been recognized, and even today neither the Nation, nor the States nor local communities are doing what they should to safeguard the forests. Responsibilities of Private Owners While there is a large public aspect of forestry and the public should recognize this responsiblity and fully meet it, there is also a very definite responsibility on the part of pri- vate owners which is inherent in the very proprietorship of property. It has been often urged by lumbermen that forestry is wholly a public function and that there is no responsibility resting upon private owners to take action on their lands look- ing to the forest perpetuation. Many lumbermen today, I am glad to say, are taking a larger view point and expressing a readiness to perform their part where a feasible place is pointed out. A large part of the forests of the country have been placed in the hands of private individuals. We may say that the country has entrusted to private owners the bulk of one of the most important of its basic natural resources. This may not have been a wise policy, but it was done. The handling of private forests in a way which will not be injurious to the public through the creation of unproductive wastes and through the consequent impoverishment of the States and communities, is certainly a responsibility that rests upon private owners and can not in the long run be ignored. I am, however, the first to recognize the practical difficul- ties of the forest problem and that the average individual tim- berland owner is unable without public cooperation to redeem this responsibility. Experience has already shown us that ade- quate forest protection can be secured only through State- wide organization in which there is definite participation both by private owners and by the public. The same principle holds true of other measures of forestry than fire protection. The 48 Proceedings of the stopping of forest devastation and the perpetuation of our for- ests require a joining of hands of the public and the private owners under a plan in which the public recognizes and liberally fulfills its own responsibilities and in which the private owner also recognizes that he has an individual responsibility and is prepared to fulfill it. A National Policy of Forestry To meet our forest problem there is required a national policy and program that provides for the organized effort of the Goverment, the several States, and private owners in a common undertaking. The need of such a policy I have been urging during the past year and have presented on various occasions the principles which I believe should underlie it. A national program of forestry includes necessarily many different features. It involves legislation by the Federal gov- ernment and by the individual States, and a plan for correlat- ing the action of the different public agencies with private offort. Obviously it may not be expected that such a far-reaching pro- gram can be adopted in its entirety at once. It is very desira- ble, however, for the country to have before it certain definite objectives to be achieved, definite principles to be embodied in legislation, and the steps needed to get them into practice in the forest. An outline of principles of a national policy has been pub- lished in a circular (No. 148) of the U. S. Department of Agriculture. There is presented also in mimeographed form a statement of the essential points that I believe should be in- cluded in Federal and State legislation to carry out a national policy. Time does not permit here the discussion of all the dif- ferent points involved in this far-reaching problem. A few of the most essential questions may, however, be emphasized. A balanced program for the nation must provide for both public and private forests. I have referred to the responsibli- ties of the public in forestry. These involve in the first place the direct ownership of a large amount of forest land. Today the public owns altogether about one-quarter of the forest land of the country. I believe that ultimately from 40 to 50 per cent of our forests should be in the hands of the public. So I am urging as one feature of the national policy that the Gov- Southern Forestry Congress 49 ernment greatly enlarge its forests and that the States also acquire extensive areas of forest lands to he handled perma- nently in the interest of the public. Every encouragement, too, should be given to municipalities and to counties to own forests, but these will probably be chiefly woodland parks for re- creation. Of immediate importance is the completion of the program of purchases by the Government in the eastern mountains, involving altogether about one million acres in the north and some five million acres in the south. At the same time we are endeavoring to secure Federal legislation to round out and ex- tend the other National Forests by exchange and purchase. As soon as possible the Federal forests should be established in other centers and should include lands acquired for the pur- pose of timber production and not merely for the protection of navigable rivers. I hope that the Southern States will undertake a policy of acquiring public forests, lands. Not only would they serve to produce timber, to protect water resources, and for public rec- reation, but they would have a great educational value as demonstration grounds and centers of cooperation. I believe that every southern State should own a large area of forest land comparable in the long run with the public forests of Pennsylvania and New York. Public ownership of forests will, however, meet only part of the needs of our country. It has been suggested by a good many persons that the solution of the forestry question is for the Government and the States to acquire by purchase the private lands after they have been cut and then to restore them to productiveness. The program which I am advocating urges such acquisition as fast as means can be furnished by the pub- lic. At the best, however, public acquirement of private lands will progress slowly. Even to acquire an additional fifty million acres of cut over lands will take a good deal of time at the rate appropriations are likely to be made. Acquisition by the public of all the forest lands of the country needed for permanent production would be out of the question. The problem of forestry has got to be worked out both by public forests and by the right handling of private forests, and we might as well recognize that and shape our policies accord- ingly. 50 Proceedings of the Private Forests The right handling of private forests in a way to prevent devastation and to keep the land productive is both possible and practical, if there is organized effort and public cooperation. A great deal of opposition has been voiced by lumbermen against our proposals regarding private forestry on the ground that they are not practical. Much of this opposition is due to con- fusion as to what measures would be required to accomplish the purpose. A part of the opposition is due also to the definite stand taken by many that the private owner is not concerned in the question of future timber production and it would be an infringement on his rights of private property for the public in any way to interfere with the way he handles his lands. In our national program of forestry we are seeking two things, so far as private lands are concerned : first, to stop the destructive processes that are turning the lands into economic wastes ; and second, to induce the owner in his own interest to apply just as good methods as possible so as to secure a maxi- mum yield of timber growth on the land. The public must insist upon the stopping of forest devasta- tion. It should do its own part in a liberal spirit in accomplish- ing this, but it should require that private owners adopt such measures as may be necessary to do their part in preventing devastation. To accomplish the second objective of good for- estry practice aimed to get the maximum growth of timber on the lands, there should be liberal inducements offered through cooperation, education, and demonstration, in order to get as many as possible to undertake in their own financial interest the growing of timber. These two objectives have been confused in the minds of many persons. Obviously the intensive practice of forestry, involving often actual planting and subsequent cultural meth- ods, cannot be undertaken by all persons and should not be made obligatory. On the other hand, the handling of timber lands in a way to prevent devastation is a wholly different question. Here we have a question of prevention of injury to the public. It is an injury that is permanent in character. It is analogous to the abuse of farm lands which results in heavy erosion. Ordinary exhaustion of the fertility of the soil may be remedied in a short time. Agricultural exploita- tion and abuse that result in washing away and ruining the Southern Forestry Congress 51 land is a permanent injury, and I look to the time when de- structive methods which lead to such devastation must be prohibited by the States in their own protection. The denuding and devastation of forests is also a per- manent injury, requiring for restoration either very intensive planting operations or a long process of nature extending often- times from 50 to 150 years. In the policy of forestry which I am advocating I urge recognition of individual responsibility on the part of the owner to so handle his land that it will not be devastated and thus become an injury to the public. I urge at the same time the adoption by the public of measures of assistance and co- operation which will make the application of this principle feasible in practice. The principal destructive agency is forest fire, and ordi- narily the first action that is necessary in any State is to estab- lish a system of organized fire protection. Already consider- able progress has been made in this direction in a number of States. Success has been achieved by incorporating in the State law requirements upon owners to participate in a State- wide protective system, and in a number of States there are requirements as to disposal of dangerous slashings. The policy which I am proposing looking to organized ef- fort to prevent forest devastation has already a precedent so far as certain features of the forest fire problem are con- cerned, in a number of States. The problem of other destruc- tive agencies should be taken up in the same way as that of forest fires. Where live stock ranges at large and makes im- possible the reproduction of forests, there should be fence laws which would protect the individual from such depredations. If methods in use in lumbering result in denuding the forest or in destroying a natural resource, like the old fashioned meth- ods of turpentining, the owners should be required to modify their methods. Briefly speaking, therefore, our proposed policy looks to the establishment of an effective state forestry organization and recognition in the law of personal responsibility of owners to prevent forest devastation, provision for a State-wide system of fire protection, authority to the State organization to take 52 Proceedings of the such action as is necessary to prevent destructive processes that would devastate the lands, and adequate appropriations to make State laws effective. On the other side there is advocated a liberal assistance on the part of the State through the establishment of methods of taxation which will encourage rather than discourage forestry, advice and assistance to owners in the development and use of methods of fire protection and of cuttings that will be fol- lowed by natural reproduction, and assistance in patrol and other protective measures against fire. Ordinarily in a cooper- ative system of fire protection, there would be a sharing of cost on the basis of about half to the public and half by the owners. Our policy places on the State direct responsibility for the public's immediate participation in the private forest problem. The problem of forestry, however, is in many aspects a na- tional one and the Federal government should have a definite part in working it out. The function of the Federal govern- ment should be to stimulate State action, to assist in securing concurrent legislation among the different States, to maintain standards of forest practice, and to assist the States directly in various important ways. The assistance by the Federal government should be in the first place a financial one to aid in perfecting and carrying out a system of fire protection and to develop good forest prac- tice. A precedent has already been established under the Weeks Law and today the Government is co-operating with over 20 States in fire protection at the headwaters of naviga- ble rivers. Such financial assistance as might be given to the States by the government should be contingent upon the car- rying out by the States of a program of forestry satisfactory to the government. The Federal government may properly aid also by extend- ing the existing Federal law concerning farm loans to include loans for the purchase or improvement of forest lands cut over or bearing immature growth, for holding and protecting such lands previously acquired, for reforestation, and for the employment of other measures designed to promote timber growth. Still again, the Federal government should assist in the problem of land classification, in forest surveys, and in re- search in forestry and in forest products. Southern Forestry Congress 53 While the problem of forest taxation is of course a State function, nevertheless the Federal government might properly cooperate with the States in making investigations of existing legislation and its effect, and thus aid in promoting the adop- tion of improved methods of taxation. And, finally, every en- couragement should be given to plans for the insuring of for- est lands from fire and other damage along lines already un- dertaken in the Northeast and for a long time in effect in older countries. In applying in the South the principles which I have been discussing, the first step in my judgment is to establish in all of the States a forest organization and then to make the first drive on fire and other destructive agencies that are so greatly de- pleting the resource and reducing its power of regeneration. If there is a determination on the part of the general public and the landowners to accomplish this purpose, I have no fear of difficulty in working out the details in practice. DISCUSSION OF A NATIONAL FOREST POLICY FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE LUMBER INDUSTRY Mr. Hardtner : When I commenced the study of the re- production of forests fifteen or twenty years ago, I had no government publications to go by. But we began to make experiments and we soon found out that by giving the forest a little attention, longleaf pine would reproduce just as readily as any other kind of pine, and it had the advantage over other pine from the fact that it would withstand the average fire, and sometimes very heavy fires. It is an actual fact that it is a hard matter to kill longleaf pine by fire, even through the droughty months of July and August, where the shortleaf or the loblolly pine would be absolutely de- stroyed. So, it is the easiest and most valuable pine to pro- duce, and makes the loveliest kind of a tree, and all of our vir- gin longleaf pine forests should be reproduced in longleaf pine. The United States Government must take the lead, and the state governments must follow, and wherever these two agen- cies point out to the people the right methods to pursue, the very first to assist those governmental agencies will be the lumbermen. The lumbermen of this state voluntarily agreed to tax themselves thousands of dollars annually so that money 54 Proceedings of the could be provided to protect our forests from fire, and to buy up the denuded land for State Forests. And I do not know what is the matter with them, that they have been willing to contribute all these years, and get nothing in return. They knew they were paying this severance tax, with the under- standing that it was to go for the protection and perpetuation and preservation of the forest, but they have seen that money, thousands of dollars a year, amounting probably now to half a million dollars, diverted to other sources, when that money, properly expended, would have purchased 100,000 acres of denuded forest lands in this State. It seems to me that in this chaotic condition in which we find ourselves, the lumber- man in Louisiana is perfectly willing to pay tribute in order that he might not be molested in carrying on his business until the people find out just exactly what they do want. Mr. Gerrans : In our portion of North Carolina our tim- ber is scattered; it is second and third, and I would not be sur- prised if some of it is fourth growth, and we have to cut trees that in some sections of the country, they would be hunting us for taking children from the cradle, but they are the biggest we have. If you put a two foot limit at the stump, you might put it on for Louisiana and the West Coast, but it would put us out of business. We would cut one tree a day, whereas our record is 150 an hour. You see, you cannot place all of the United States under the same law without very, very care- fully taking into consideration the trouble that each of us has in our own district. We will be only too glad — the North Car- olina Pine Association people — I can speak for them, I know, in saying that anything the department wants, we will give them the heartiest cooperation possible. We only ask that we be given an opportunity to give our troubles before the law is made so that it won't be unworkable. Mr. Graves : I want to make it clear that forestry does not necessarily mean fixing a diameter limit on your cutting ; it does not mean that smaller trees and even comparatively young trees may not be used when it is a good thing to do, provided there is some reasonable chance for something to come up in their place. Mr. Gerrans : Well, in order to have something come up in their place afterwards, in our particular district, where the timber runs anywhere from 1,500 to 5,000 feet per acre, some Southern Forestry Congress 55 times 10,000 feet, though the average is not over 1,300 feet, we would have to remove the tops of the timber to pre- vent the fire from spreading through that country. We have not the labor ; it has gone somewhere. We cannot even get wood to burn. We have to buy coal to run the locomotives, and my friend Mr. Hardtner over there made the statement that longleaf pine was very hard to burn. I can prove to him it is very easy. We are cutting pretty fast. We have not time to see to getting reproduction. Most of the lands that we are able to clear the timber from, we are putting on the market. They are agricultural lands. Mr. Graves : Those forests you are cutting on were origi- nally agricultural lands. I state that because there is such confusion about that. So many people in thinking of forestry and of any concerted ac- tion, think there is going to be a law limiting the cutting. That is not so. We want a reasonable condition, so that the young growth will come back. Then, if we can show you that it is to your interest to do some other things, I will come around and make the proposition for you to take or leave, as you please . Mr. Hardtner : Another thought along that line. The forests of the future that will be grown in the South are trees that you can grow in from 20 to 30 years. It is possible to grow a forest in 20 to 30 years, not trees 15 to 20 inches in diameter, but trees from 4 to 12 inches in diameter. That will be a forest that will be very advantageous for the people of the South to grow, and I know that Mr. Graves will be only too glad to encourage the growing of trees 4 to 12 inches in diam- eter if they can be used for posts and poles and pulp wood and various other products that the country needs. You can grow that very quickly, and you will have a ready demand for it. Mr. Neal: In our section of the country (Alabama), we have not taken any steps towards reforesting our lands, but I have noticed that within the last few years, the statement made by the gentlemen here that longleaf pine will reproduce it- self, is a fact, and over our holdings the longleaf yellow pine is reproducing itself in very large quantities. 56 Proceedings of the I have noticed that fires do very little damage to this young timber, even to little bushes two or three feet high. When fire passes over them, it looks like they are almost burned up, but if you will examine them there is a green bud, which in a short time is growing again. Of course, it is injurious to the land to burn it, and it ought not to be burned. In my opinion there should be some method devised whereby this burning could be eliminated. Mr. Townsend: As to just how to protect the forest, and what the immediate trouble is, we have heard that it is largely local. That is true. Beginning 19 years ago, for five years, probably seven years, I cut over an area in the Smoky Mountains of the Appalachian range, adjoining North Carolina and Tennessee, probably an area of over 20,000 acres. I was under the impression up to that time that if you could keep fire out of the woods for four or five years after cutting you were perfectly safe from fires. By that time all the leaves and branches that the logging pro- duces would have settled down and rotted to some extent, and the growth of weeds and briars, and so forth, would grow and protect it, and you were practically sure of the forest being safe from fire. I practiced that for five years at very considerable expense, and had at that time the finest young forest of about 18,000 or 20,000 acres that a man ever looked on — very many more poplar trees on many acres than I had cut — in fact, ten and twenty times as many, a magnificent growth, young pop- lars, bigger in diameter than your body, and away up yonder in height to the first limb, as though they were looking up, and striving each one to beat the other. I watched the growth of these trees, and concluded that unquestionably the natural growth of a forest more beautifully portrayed the survival of the fittest than even wild animal life, or anything else. And yet, in the spring following the fifth year, some son of gun, or several of them, thought they were not getting enough grazing for their cattle, and took a dry time in the latter part of March and went out and set fire in several places to this forest, and the whole thing was consumed. I hurried with what force I could gather together across the mountain, and close by I watched the fire licking up those young poplar trees — a tree as big around as my body and away Southern Forestry Congress 57 up yonder to the first limb, the fire would lick around it once or twice, and you could hear it crack like a pistol shot, and fall over. All those things are mighty impressive. No lumberman, or set of lumbermen can handle a forestry proposition against conditions of that sort, it is impracticable. But if the State or the Nation would give proper support and prescribe laws, not only for imprisonment but heavy fine, and give every bit of the fine to the warden that will convict the people that do such things, the work that you expect lumber- men to do will become practicable. When the people want it, it will be done. You can depend on one thing, and that is that you cannot ask the lumbermen of this country to do anything that is practical, that they will not do. Mr. Tyler: The properties owned by the corporation which I represent lie in the extreme southeastern corner of Virginia. The original growth of timber in the Alleghany Mountains, and in our neighborhood, consisted of poplar, oak, and in some localities quite a considerable quantity of maple sugar trees. The original lumbering of that mountain region was the cutting of the poplar, which has been almost completely accom- plished years ago. The Yellow Poplar Lumber Company and others went through that territory beginning 35 years ago, and bought up the poplar trees which they branded and reserved for marketing at such time as they might be able to accomplish it. Those trees were almost entirely cut and floated. The main portion of Dickinson county is on the watershed of the Big Sandy, tributary of the Ohio River, and the poplar in that watershed was cut and floated out. There stands in Dickinson county today the only reinforced concrete splash at that time anywhere in existence, so far as I know. Today the floating in our neighborhood has been practical- ly completed. The Yellow Poplar Lumber Company, after they had floated out all their poplar endeavored to do the same thing with oak, and did accomplish some oak floating, but the loss from sinkage and water-logging was tremendous, and they finally abandoned it, and sold their remaining hardwood to field men, who would manufacture it on the ground. Today we have in Dickinson county one corporation that owns about 70,000 or 80,000 acres of timber land ; that is, they own the 58 Proceedings of the timber on the land — probably 10,000 acres of which carries virgin poplar. If I could take you people up bodily and trans- port you a long distance, I could still show you some yellow poplar trees that are 8 feet in diameter, standing up towards the head of the streams in some of those little hollows where it was not possible to get them to a place where they could be splashed out. We have one condition existing in the oak portion of that neighborhood which is to some degree unusual, and that is a large part of the oak forest is, as the lumbermen say, ripe. The trees are beginning to deteriorate, and particularly on the South- ern exposure. For that reason we are anxious to get that timber cut as promptly as it can be done. The Ritter Lumber Company, of Columbus, Ohio, who own the major portion of the stumpage, are endeavoring to remove the ripened portions of the forest first. Referring to Colonel Graves' diameter proposition, these people have purchased the timber down only to 12 inches in diameter, and their cutting is limited to 12 inches ; nothing be- low that is taken except for construction purposes. This tim- ber is now being cut and removed with the probability that the operation will be concluded some time within the next twenty or twenty-five years. To show you that the lumbermen do really recognize the value of fire protection, I want to say here that we have in Dickinson county a Forest Fire Prevention organization. That organization was gotten together about the time of the meet- ing of the first session of the Southern Forestry Congress at Asheville, a little over three years ago. This year we have had some unusual weather conditions, but one of the results of that organization has been that it has not cost us $500 for the past season to extinguish every forest fire that has started in Dickinson county, and we have not had a fire that has done any material damage to an area greater than 150 acres. We have lookout towers throughout the county and we have two Federal patrols to assist us in this work. Mr. Rayne : When we were operating in Pennsylvania, as I recall, there was no public sentiment against fires. The State was taking no interest in it. It was all personal with the operating lumbermen. Southern Forestry Congress 59 In West Virginia, I am glad to say, it is different. The pub- lic domain protects the forests. The public demands protec- tion of the forests, but it is some times difficult to find whether the fire has been carelessly or purposely put out. They are largely accidental. I am glad to say we have had but few fires. However, a few years ago, a fire occurred, and our men were all called out and had the fire practically extinguished when the patrol arrived on the ground. They did the best they could, coming from a long distance on horseback. I take off my hat to the West Virginia patrol for being on the job when a fire occurs. We cut our timber down to about 14 inches in diameter. All the residue is preserved for mining interest. So it is to our interest not only from the love of forest, but from practical ends, to protect that growth, so we are doing that to the best of our ability, and I am glad to say that a beautiful forest cover is growing where cutting has taken place. I believe the little mill should be discouraged. Maybe that is selfish. When I first went to West Virginia, I found little mills cutting white oak and cutting up the whole log into cross ties. It seems to me that is almost criminal and should be prevented. I wish something might be done. The white oak is passing, and it will be a long while before we will have anything to take its place ; probably never, because its growth is very slow. I am glad to see that the interest of the public is being aroused in our State. I trust that Colonel Graves will come among us and will recommend to the legislature the enactment of such laws that not only we ourselves, but coming generations may have the joy and beauty of these magnificent forests, as well as the util- ity that goes along with them. The Chairman : Are there any other lumbermen here who would enter into this discussion before the discussion is closed ? Mr. Rhodes: (Secretary, Southern Pine Association). Colonel Graves stated in his very interesting address that he had been in a conference with a committee representing the Southern Pine Association the past two days, and that he felt very much encouraged over the spirit of cooperation mani- fested by the representatives of the committee with him and 60 Proceedings of the with his views. I simply want to confirm that and to say that the committee appointed by the Association will formulate a report based largely upon the recommendations of Colonel Graves, which will be submitted to the annual meeting of the Southern Pine Association, to be held in February or March, and I have no doubt but that it will be endorsed, because it is eminently practical and comprises about all the recommenda- tions which Colonel Graves has seen fit to make at this time, so that I feel as a result of this conference distinct progress has been made. Mr. Wallace : I want to say at the outset for the benefit of the laymen — those who are not constitutional lawyers — that the matter of the preservation of the forest is in an entirely dif- ferent category from that which relates to the protection of any other National resource. For instance, we can pass a law with impunity, and it will be upheld by the Supreme Court of the United States, declaring that all birds, all game, all fish, all wild quadrupeds, all shell fish, belong to the people of the State in their sovereign capacity, and that they can only be taken as prescribed by law. Not so, however, in reference to forest products, because that which grows from the ground is a part of the ground, and that ground is susceptible of private ownership. It, therefore, belongs to the individuals. Hence, you could not pass a statute that would stand the constitutional test by the State or by the United States, prescribing the size at which a tree should be cut, or anything else that is partic- ularly related to the cutting of those trees, would not be con- stitutional. Such legislation must be classified entirely differ- ently. I want to impress this sovereign fact upon your minds. Conservation in no sense means prohibition ; it means the wise use of our resources. It does not mean that we shall take no trees, but preserve them, as something in which sweet birds can sing or through which soft zephyrs can blow! Not that! But it does mean that we shall use wisdom in the use of these re- sources. Now, what is it I propose? Let us issue bonds — govern- ment bonds — bearing interest, and let the United States Gov- ernment come in, and buy up an area of land year by year, and set it aside to be administered as a national forest. Southern Forestry Congress 61 Now, what profit is it? Take my friend from Browden, what profit is it to him to grow trees which will reach maturity in 100 years? Can an individual go into the proposition? Will it be possible for him to do so? Take the State of Alabama. It has declared every foot of public land in that State, whether held in fee or in trust, as a State forest reserve. It makes it unlawful for any person to enter thereon for the purpose of taking any tree or trees, or setting fire or placing inflammable material thereon. Thus they have set aside hundreds of thou- sands of acres of land as a State Forest Reserve. The thing we have had to overcome was self -consciousness and stupidity. That is what you men have to go up against in the matter of conservation and that is what we are up against now in the matter of forest protection. It is because the peo- ple have not the vision to see for themselves, and because they are contaminated by that voraciousness for which the people of the United States are so famously and so justly renowned, that they regard a tree, not as a natural resource, but something to be converted into dollars. That is the proposition. This gentleman here referred to the poplar trees being burned. Let me tell you, my friends, that it is impossible to absolutely prevent that. It is a violation of law to commit mur- der, and yet I see reports, or I hear of men being hung every Friday, and it will always be thus, but by promptly apprehend- ing him, when a party is caught attempting to destroy our forest, and bringing him quickly to justice, and pursuing him with the vengeance of a spiteful fury on the trial of a lost spirit, we can minimize the commission of offences, and through that medium alone can it be achieved. Let us before we leave here get up a comprehensive me- morial to Congress. Let us let them know what we want them to do, and, in the event they do not do it, let them hear from us when they have the next election. When we do that, we will get some modern legislation through relative to the conservation of these great forest reserves of the country. Now, before I sit down, I cannot help but tell you that I hope that all of you gentlemen and ladies will stop over in Alabama to pay us a visit. Alabama ! There is magic in thy matchless name, forest Queen of States ! Thy face is white with the cot- ton fields of the Tennessee Valley. The silks of the blooming corn are thy flowing tresses ! Thy cheeks are rosy with the 62 Proceedings of the apples and peaches which blush upon thy everlasting hills ! Around thy graceful neck, as a lover would entwine a diamond necklace about his sweetheart's snowy throat, is that magnifi- cent river, the pearl-paved Tennessee, wandering there from the pineclad hills of old Virginia, to pay loyal tribute to thy shrine, only to dash on with new momentum, as if eager to ex- tol all the grandeur and glory of that matchless realm, happy and peaceful with contentment's joyous song. Around thy graceful waist is a belt of polished steel, set with diamonds, black, yet precious, which have dazzled the world with the mag- nitude of their princely values. Thy skirt of fleecy cotton is be- spangled by the needles of the longleaf pine, while thy dainty feet are laved by the soft water of the opal gulf. From the waving woods and clustering hills of North Alabama, reso- nant with the song of trilling wild birds, to the sunny shores of Mobile, where the bridegroom sea is toying with the shore, his wedded bride, and decks her tawny brow with shells, re- tires a space to see how fair she is, then, bless him, rushes in and kisses her, is a land where "If there is peace to be found anywhere "Hearts that are humble might hope for it there." DISCUSSION OF A NATIONAL FOREST POLICY FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE WOOD-USING INDUSTRY Mr. H. E. Everley : I am neither a forester nor a lum- berman, or a user of the products of the forest. But I am sincere in the belief that this endeavor that the foresters and other folks are making at present, is one of the best and most helpful things that can come to our wood- working industry. I represent the furniture industry of the country, and I want to say that the furniture industry is deeply concerned in this problem that you have before you. The furniture industry represents an annual production of $3,000,000,000, and its con- sumption of hardwood lumber is over $1,000,000,000 of it. The furniture industry, as a whole, has just met the very se- rious problem of a shortage of lumber. With the great in- crease in the demand for furniture, and the great decrease in the supply of lumber, they do not know what to do. In fact, some of them are threatening to shut down. I want to say that the furniture people are very deeply interested in this Southern Forestry Congress 63 problem. It is a certain fact that an industry as large as the furniture industry sending a man out to investigate such lum- ber conditions, means something. It means that this industry is interested to the extent that they are willing to find out what the actual conditions are, and I want to assure you that they are ready to cooperate in any way possible, not only with the foresters of this country, but with the lumber manufacturing interests, in conserving our present supply of lumber, if there is any possibility of doing that. The old problem that had confronted the lumber producers in regard to cutting up waste lumber into small stock, has been one in which the furniture people, I am afraid to say, have not cooperated possibly as closely as they might with you. We cannot conserve scrap lumber unless we get enough to pay for cutting it up into lumber. There has been a considerable amount of jealousy and criti- cism and suspicion among manufacturers of both industries. There is a time coming, however, when I believe there will be closer cooperation between these two great industries, and the fact that they are waking up to the necessity of looking into matters in regard to future supply, is something which possibly points towards a closer cooperation. The furniture industry is really interested in this problem. They are not looking at it from an entirely unselfish stand- point. Their future and their future success depends large- ly upon their future supply of lumber, and they are willing to cooperate and they will stand back of any great and strong national program for conservation of that lumber which is so important to them. Mr. C. B. Harmon: (Read by the Secretary in his ab- sence). Having been called upon but a few days ago to take part in discussing the forestry subject with you today, I have not had an opportunity to confer with the industry which I represent, so what I have to say must express my personal views and impressions, although I feel reasonably sure that I may say that my ideas and suggestions represent the general feeling among millwork manufacturers of the South. We are convinced of the necessity of some uniform action looking towards the conservation of our timber, of the re- forestation of our cut over lands, of the protection of standing 64 Proceedings of the timber and of the preservation of virgin tracts, etc., and be- lieve that certain legislation and taxation should be enacted by Congress and the Legislatures to accomplish these things. We, however, do not favor the passage of any laws by our Government either National or State, which would take away or interfere with, the fee simple rights of our land or timber owners. We are not prepared to make suggestions as to how, when or where our present stand of timber should be cut and can- not assist you on the subject of replanting or seeding our cut over lands, but as millwork vmanuf acturers and distributors of windows, doors, mouldings, dressed lumber of various kinds and of wood house building materials generally, are pleased to offer the following suggestions regarding the use and conserva- tion of lumber now being manufactured and used from our present stand or supply of timber. With a very few exceptions our architects are specifying the use of certain kinds and grades of lumber without a proper regard or knowledge of their adaptability to the purposes for which they are intended and likewise are requiring to a critical extent the use of many of the higher or upper grades, when in most instances lumber of the lower grades will answer just as well and in some cases better. This has been their cus- tom and policy as long as I can remember. Unfortunately the average consumer follows the same course. It appears to us that a big saving could be had, if some way could be provided or arranged so as to inform the architects and consumers : That sap pine lumber for most purposes, when properly painted and kept painted will last as long as heart lumber, when used in the ordinary construction of dwellings or frame build- ings. That in most instances, shortleaf pine framing will answer the purpose as well as longleaf pine or anything else. That stock sizes can be had from the pile in the yard, while odd sizes must be cut special. That when pine lumber is to be painted, blue stain, shop stain, and a few small knots or even a few large ones are no objection except on really the highest grade work. That by creosoting sills and joists a much lower grade will answer the purpose. Southern Forestry Congress 65 That clear grade pine lumber suitable for sash doors and millwork, over five quarters thick, both sap and heart is scarce and except for common or ordinary work, built-up or veneered stock is just as economical and generally more durable. One not well versed in the millwork business cannot ap- preciate the waste, time lost, and confusion brought about on the part of consumers and the architects in ordering odd sizes, and grades which do not and never existed. These rock rib facts which the architects and consumers do not seem to know, although commonly known by every lumberman in the South are costing the public fabulous sums of money without any reasonable returns, are costing the mill- work manufacturers loads of trouble, delay and money, and are wasting the upper grades of lumber and draining our forests of timber which could be used for other and correct purposes. We have been trying for twenty-five years to rectify this waste, loss and trouble, but the architects and consumers con- tinue sleeping. If any of you gentlemen present today can suggest some plans to "wake them up" you can save our for- ests at least one year's supply from every ten and perhaps a greater percentage. I regret being unable to be with you personally and am sorry that I cannot be present to say more. We hold our next quarterly meeting at Palm Beach, Florida, in a few days and I am very busy making preparations for it. WEDNESDAY EVENING BANQUET Through the courtesy of the Louisiana lumbermen who made generous contributions for the purpose the Louisiana Forestry Association gave a banquet to the delegates to the Congress and invited guests in the Grunewald Hotel at 7 :30 on Wednesday evening. Quoting from the New Orleans Times-Picayune : "Commissioner M. L. Alexander and Henry E. Hardtner double-teamed as twin toastmasters. The session was serious only in spots, high humor prevailing. Representatives of nu- merous women's clubs were in attendance. "Commissioner Alexander, with marked versatility, ap- peared in the new role of a humorous monologist, and Harry 66 Proceedings of the Gamble, relaxing after his strenuous efforts in the recent pri- mary, told the company how he was responsible for conserva- tion in Louisiana. "I wanted a job," said Mr. Gamble, "and so I went to Governor Sanders and suggested that he start this conservation stuff, and give me a job at it for about $900 a year. He fell for my talk, and then I told him I knew a 'hill billy' named Henry E. Hardtner up at Urania who knew a pine tree from an oak tree every time. So he made Henry head of the com- mission. After Henry came Mr. Alexander, and neither one of them would have a job if it hadn't been for me. "Mrs. A. F. Strom, President of the Federation of Wo- men's Clubs, of Morgan City, talked on the advantages of for- estry and conservation, and Mrs. Lydia W. Holmes promised to forget to talk on woman suffrage, but nearly forgot herself twice. "John Henry Wallace, Conservation Commissioner of Ala- bama, supplied the essential pyrotechnics of the evening, and Jack Lafiance kept everyone in peals of laughter with his quaint Creole dialect. "Theodore Woolsey of Massachusetts gave a brief talk on forestry and declared he had come all the way from the old Bay State to get a drink, but hadn't found it yet. "Miss Constance Alexander sang and an orchestra fur- nished incidental music." THURSDAY MORNING SESSION Presided over by Mr. W. B. Townsend REPORT OF THE SECRETARY-TREASURER After referring to the organization of the Congress four years ago, which is outlined in the introduction, Mr. Holmes reported somewhat as follows : The two principle matters carried over from the first Con- gress were the publication of the proceedings and the erection of a tablet on Pisgah National Forest to the late Mr. Geo. W. Vanderbilt, the former owner of the forest. Proceedings of the Southern Forestry Congress The last resolution passed by the First Southern Forestry Congress was "that the Executive Committee of the Southern Forestry Congress arrange for publication of the proceedings Southern Forestry Congress 67 in such form as they see fit." Immediate steps were taken to secure a $400 fund to pay for printing the proceedings. A cir- cular letter was sent out to a large list of persons inviting membership in the congress on the following terms : Individual membership (including one copy of the proceedings) $1.50; Corporation membership (including five copies) $5.00; Asso- ciation membership (including twenty-five copies) $25.00. Be- tween August 1916 and August 1917, there were secured the following amounts : for membership subscriptions on the above plan $192.00; by two considerable donations $125.00, and by sale of copies of the Proceedings $58.00, a total of $375.00. With the exception of $31.00 spent on printing and postage to assist in securing recreational funds fpr the forestry regiments in France, all of the above money was used in securing funds and in publishing and distributing the Proceedings— $278 for printing 1,000 copies, and $89 for stationery and postage. A balance of $8 has been carried over two years or more with which a start has been made to finance this Second Southern Forestry Congress. All expenses connected with the publishing of this report except those included in the above brief statement have been borne by the North Carolina Geological and Economic Survey. These expenses include typewriting, editorial work, proof reading and a large amount of correspondence. Vanderbilt Tablet Committee The committee appointed by the First Southern Forestry Congress "to raise funds and erect a tablet at the entrance to the Pisgah National Forest" consists of the following men : Governor Locke Craig, Chairman, North Carolina. Dr. Joseph Hyde Pratt, North Carolina. Dr. W. H. Holmes, District of Columbia. Hon. Charles Lathrop Pack, New Jersey. Hon. Henry S. Graves, District of Columbia. Dr. Geo. F. Kunz, New York. Mr. Geo. S. Powell, North Carolina. This committee, through its Secretary, Mr. Powell, managed to secure a fund of $184.00, thirty dollars of which was ex- pended for stationery and postage. The war came on and the Secretary of the committee was unable to increase this amount, of which $154 is now on hand. The committee asks the opin- 68 Proceedings of the ion of the Congress as to whether it shall proceed to erect a tablet with the money available; or whether it shall endeavor to collect the $45 additional promised, but not paid in, and add to this if possible ; or whether it shall be discharged and the money so far subscribed returned to the donors as insufficient for the purpose. The Chairman : The part of the Secretary's report con- cerning the Vanderbilt monument to be established in the great Pisgah Forest, which is now owned by the government, should be considered. It appears to me that something should be done, and whatever is done should be done now. It would look mean to let this thing drag along, and to abandon it, I was going to say, would look meaner still. The purpose is noble, and years hence, when you visit that section of the country, you will be glad to note that this congress was instrumental in commemorating the originator of the whole proposition. Colonel Graves : I am a member of the original com- mittee, and, of course, I am very keenly interested in the pro- ject because of my relation to Pisgah Forest now. I feel very strongly that this project ought not to be dropped. Mr. Van- derbilt's contribution to forestry was a very great one. He ini- tiated the first large scale experiment in private forestry in this country, and devoted a great deal of money to it, and the re- sults are going, in the long run, to be very great. It would be a great pity to drop the idea. I appreciate that anything like a drive, for any project, or for raising funds for any project, is very difficult at the present time, and when my opinion was asked as to what we should do, I expressed myself in this way, that I should like to see the project continued, and that just as soon as a propitious time came that we urge the raising of funds as rapidly as possible. I should like to see the Southern Forestry Congress go on record in favor of this, and in favor of raising funds for the purpose, and which would be really an invitation to the committee to request funds from those in the South who may be interested in this. I should not myself feel entirely discouraged if we were not able to raise the necessary $500 or $1,000. What is it? The Secretary: The original idea was that it could be done for $500, but the increased cost of living has brought it Southern Forestry Congress 69 up to about $1,000, I believe. Mr. Powell estimates that we would have to raise at least $1,000. Colonel Graves: If we were not able to raise $1,000, I would not feel that we would have to drop the project, because people are going to become exceedingly interested in that sec- tion, and in forestry, and I think this forestry congress should recognize this, and give it sanction. The character of the monu- ment is shown on this blue print. It is a large rock, to be de- signed to give it as natural an appearance as possible. Mr. Wallace : I move that this entire matter of the erec- tion of this monument be referred to the committee already appointed, and that the committee be vested with plenary pow- ers to act as their judgment may dictate. The Secretary: May I suggest that one or two persons in attendance here be added to that committee? It will give it closer touch with this Second Congress. There is only one member of the committee present — Colonel Graves ; all the others are away, and if we put on two members from this Congress, I think it would add largely to its value. The Chairman : We ought to have and must have a Louisiana member on this committee. Has the congress any- one to suggest from Louisiana — a good active man? In fact, all Louisianians, as far as I know, are active. It has been moved and seconded that two new members from this congress be appointed on that committee, and I take it that the officials of the congress will be authorized to appoint them unless there is some name suggested. (The motion was carried). Mr. R. D. Forbes and Col. T. S. Woolsey, Jr., were sub- sequently added to the old Vanderbilt Tablet Committee b^ the Chairman. Mr. Wallace: I move that the secretary-treasurer's re- port be received and filed, and the thanks of the convention ex- tended to the secretary for the able and efficient manner in which he has discharged his very difficult and onerous duties. The motion was carried. A short talk was then made by Mr. B. A. Buck, Chief Tie Inspector of Mobile, Ala. After briefly reviewing the history of land tenure in this country and the rapid destruction of our original forests, Mr. 70 Proceedings of the Buck called attention to the fact that "nature itself will take charge of reforesting these lands if allowed. The seed and young growth which is the offspring of the original forest of 'Longleaf Yellow Pine' must be protected and allowed to grow. This is principally accomplished by fire prevention." Mr. Buck then referred to a proposed venture in coopera- tive forestry in these words : "We propose to organize a stock company to be based on property now owned in fee simple by the company giving each purchaser of stock in the company a mortgage to a particular part or parcel of these lands, the pro- ceeds of the sale of this stock, less a small amount for actual running expenses, to be reinvested in additional acreage of these cut over lands in the Gulf Coast Territory; these mort- gages to be given with the restriction that the land is to remain the property of and in control of this company so long as this company shall comply with its obligations as set forth." Mr. Buck asserted that "figures made in 1913 show that an investment of $1,675,000 will at the close of a twenty year pe- riod equal $3,756,750 or a net profit of $2,081,750. Miss Caroline C. Dorman : Mr. Buck did not touch upon a subject that has always been very interesting to me. There is one phase of the question with which I am quite familiar, and that is the cut over pine land. Anyone who has even seen the cut over pine land, where the people are trying to farm ought to realize the sadness of this situation. I don't know which is the sadder, the devastation of pine lands, or the people who are trying to live on them. Year after year these people go on — I am speaking now of the sand hills covered only with pine that has been cut off. Year after year these people go on and try to farm on this land. It is so poor that it will scarcely grow peanuts, but still they go on there and raise a little cotton and raise corn, and they try to raise cattle. My idea is that the only way these people will ever change will be to show them what actually can be done. They are ignorant, they are back woods- men, and the only way we can ever get them from the beaten track is to prove the thing right before their eyes. My idea is this, that if there were some means of demonstrating to these people on a very small scale, just as Mr. Hardtner has done on a very large scale, that reforestation can be carried on, and at the same time cattle be grazed on these lands, I think they Southern Forestry Congress 71 would take hold of it. Of course, I don't know how it is to be done, but if there were some means of having in every par- ish, or better still, in every ward, a practical demonstration of this, where these people could see it, then, maybe they would take hold of the idea. Mr. Goodrich Jones: Mr. Graves told us that the suc- cess of this movement depends upon each state. Gentlemen, I am here to tell you that somebody has got to help the State of Texas, and the State of Florida, and the other States of the Union, if you are going to make a success of this movement of forestry for the South and for the United States. We can- not keep on and battle alone. I want to tell you right now that you can count on your fingers the men in any State that take an interest in this subject of State forestry. I expect that Ala- bama can tell of only a few men who will carry it on. There are only a few men in Texas that have been carrying it on, and we have done so at our own expense. Now, gentlemen, the State of Texas is on fire, Florida is on fire. There is a great conflagration going on all over the South. That conflagration is the waste of timber. In ten years our virgin pine will be gone. How are we going to get the people of Texas interested in this subject of forestry, and tell them that in ten years hence, when the forests have gone, we will stand face to face with a country that is washed over — burned over — the birds gone where one-tenth of the millions of dollars spent on our streams, if spent at the watershed, would have kept the land from washing away. I want this congress to pass a resolution that we ask the U. S. Forestry Department to send us some one down every year to help us in this educational campaign. The stream cannot rise higher than its source, and we cannot get the legislature to rise any higher than the people are educated, and the people know absolutely nothing about forestry. We will do the best we can in any State, but we have got to be helped and guided and controlled, you might say, by the National Government if we expect cooperation of all the Southern States. 72 Proceedings of the DISCUSSION OF A NATIONAL FOREST POLICY FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE NAVAL STORES INDUSTRY Led by Mr. C. F. Speh SECRETARY, TURPENTINE AND ROSIN PRODUCERS' ASSOCIATION My understanding was that there was not to be any formal address ; it was simply to be a sort of a lead for discussion, and probably be a guide for any misunderstanding that might arise. I am sure that, as foresters and people interested in the subject of forestry, particularly Southern forestry, you ap- preciate what the naval stores industry means to Southern forestry. When you say "Pine" you also say "Naval stores." Probably the naval stores industry has been instrumental in carrying out your program. The money which has been paid for leases has enabled many people to carry their holdings of timber which otherwise they would have had to cut down sooner in order to meet the notes due in payment for the amount of land and timber purchased. The naval stores man of old was an entirely different man than the naval stores man of today. He was a man who did not work, and did not have one iota, you might say, of technical knowledge. His sole idea was to get to a tree and get the stuff out and ship it into the market and lose money, and he succeeded at that very well for a number of years. Later, the Forest Service became inter- ested in the subject, and had some investigations conducted into that branch which resulted in the adoption, or, rather, we will say, the practical abolishment of cutting the boxes into a tree. Today probably 95 per cent of the turpentine is made in the cup and gutter system, and that has been a great step forward, and has saved trees, especially in stormy regions, and it has increased the production of turpentine. One other big step which has come into the naval stores industry was the adoption of copper instead of iron stills. Those are the main steps which the industry has gone through in its more than three hundred years of existence. There has, however, been a big mental change in the producers, especially in the last four or five years. They are welcoming any advice which can come from the outside, to show them how to increase their production and work more efficiently. This is mainly through necessity, because they have been driven to the wall, and it has been a money losing proposition, and the adop- tion of cups shows that they had vision and understood that Southern Forestry Congress 73 there was a possible source of help from the outside. Most of the producers today are directly or indirectly interested in the standing timber. In some cases the lumber companies themselves are operating their own timber through a turpentine department, and in other cases, they are financing the interests of the turpentine company which is operating the timber. In the first case, they are interested in the fact that the resulting timber means dollars and cents, according to the method in which the turpentine is extracted from the tree, and more and more of that education has been going on, and they have re- ceived information, some misleading, some helpful. But as I say, the naval stores man today is welcoming any practical ad- vice that can be given him. We must always bear in mind, however, that you are working with an industry which is not a strictly speaking manufacturing concern like in a city, with all the facilities of a manufacturing concern. It is out in the woods, in many cases many miles removed from a railroad, and working with unskilled labor, except skilled in that particular line, and he has to do most of his work by hand. He is a pioneer, and goes in there long before the lumberman gets in there, and before the railroads, and he really has to build up his settlements and do pioneer work along that line. Now, as I say, he is interested in all these different sub- jects, and in knowing where his future supply of timber will come from, and what the life of the industry is, and how he can save money all the way through on the work, and how he can increase the yield, and also what he can do to assist the agitation regarding the burning of forests, and anything along that line. I merely cover the subject in that hurried way in order to show and express the attitude of the naval stores man. I am sure he would be interested in anything you men have to say. We have naval stores operators here who are interested, and I am sure will be only too glad to answer any practical questions, or to bring out the impractical side of some suggestion which might come forward. Colonel Graves : Might I ask a question. I am very keenly interested in the economic situation of the naval stores industry as it relates to this war. We have, of course, always led the world in the production of turpentine — something like 80 per cent, isn't it? 74 Proceedings of the Mr. Speh : I believe today practically 75 per cent of the world's supply. Colonel Graves : How long are you going to be able to continue that production? The southeast is the natural place for the chief production of turpentine. We have the spruce forests. When those forests are gone, is not it going to be nec- essary to go to the Pacific Coast and turpentine perhaps the western yellow pine, and use a much more expensive method of extracting turpentine where it comes from a source of that kind ? What I want specifically is to know whether you be- lieve that the industry, and the production of turpentine is not in considerable danger in the near future, because of the pend- ing destruction of our forests. Mr. Speh : I can best answer that by saying that the gum turpentine man is today becoming more and more, I will not say apprehensive, but to an extent interested in the production of wood turpentine — the curtailment in production of turpen- tine which is bound to come. The average production before 1914 was on the basis of 670,000 barrels of turpentine per an- num. That has decreased rapidly, and today we find ourselves with a production, probably this current season, of in the neighborhood of 400,000 barrels. That is a fairly good increase of probably 20 per cent over last year's production. We do not look for any production to exceed 450,000 barrels any more in this country with the exception probably of some big year, which I do not believe will be possible with labor conditions. They are worried. Considerable investigations have been made in Mexican pine. They are more interested in Mexican and Central American than in western yellow pine. They are still at present operating in Mexico and some in Central America, and turpentine is coming into the country and is being offered for sale, and some of the rosin; but, of course, we are inter- ested and we anticipate the increased production to come from France, and probably from Spain. India is becoming active in the work, and is practically supplying one-half of their require- ments. So that the naval stores man is exceedingly interested, and is considerably worried about what is going to happen dur- ing the future. He wants to know where his timber is, and what to do until the time comes, because the turpentine busi- ness gets out probably three years ahead of the lumber business. Southern Forestry Congress 75 As you see, we have only ten years of virgin pine, and that means seven years of turpentining of virgin pine. They are watching with interest the development of reforestation. If you cannot get the lumbermen interested, it is pretty hard 10 get the turpentine man interested. A Member : Did you say they were practicing the French method ? Mr. Speh : No, sir. The only French method I have seen is the experimental work in the Forest Reserve at Pensacola, Fla. A Member : How is it carried on ? Mr. Speh : We have adopted the cup system, but the French method is working trees for a prolonged period, which means that where the work was probably five years, on one side, to let the tree rest, and go around and work the other side, and then let it rest, and work the other side. The cost of carrying timber is higher here. We were not driven to the ne- cessity, as they were. The turpentine man does not feel as if his interest lies any further than getting the turpentine out, and the timber taken away from him and cut down. I also under- stand that that method produces an inferior grade of lumber which probably would more than offset the increased yield of turpentine from the tree. A Member : I want to say that in Florida I saw millions of trees with great gashes on both sides, with only a few inches of the bark left. A great many of those trees had been blown down due to those gashes on both sides, and a great many of the trees were on fire, as the cattleman were burning over the grass with blazing torches, and at least half of the entire trees had been killed by the fire. I did not see anything in Florida but what had those terrible gashes on both sides, and I saw little trees not over ten years old cut the same way. Mr. Jones: The conservative turpentine man speaks of these as tooth picks. There is plenty of that being done, and if that could be stopped, it would be the best thing in the world for the naval stores man. It would be a move in the direct steps of conservation, and you will be doing him a good deed, because he is not making any money out of it. But you can- 76 Proceedings of the not stop it by the State Legislature, or by educational work. Most of the timber is at present being worked on specifica- tions. That is, the lumber company, on leasing its timber specifies that no tree under eight inches shall be cupped; that a tree from eight to ten inches in diameter shall have but one cup ; from ten to twelve inches two cups, and in some cases nothing over two cups. In some rare occasions they specify three cups, and they specify that the bark shall be preserved between any two cups on the same tree, and that in some cases 40 per cent of the bark shall be preserved. They are getting around to those things, and the modern naval stores man is living up to it, partly through compulsion, and partly to the fact that he realizes it is to his own welfare. A Member : What measure would you advocate, legal or otherwise, to prolong the life of the turpentine industry? I have in mind state legislation that would encourage forest re- generation— legislation that might restrict the cupping of trees to certain size timber, and the like. Mr. Speh : Well, I am afraid it would meet with con- siderable opposition on the part of some. I believe the only sure way would be educational. There has been work going on in the Department of Agriculture at Washington to edu- cate these men as to the cost of production, by going and ask- ing them what their yield is, and what it costs to make it. They don't know how much it costs. You have to go and es- tablish a set of books for them. Ask them what they pay for chipping, for instance, and they don't even know that. To my mind the safe and sure way is education. It is go- ing to take a long time, perhaps, to reach every man along that line, and legislation would probably be the proper way; whether it would be entirely just to some people or not, I do not know. You would be doing a big deed for the small operator, to send him into other channels. He can produce food stuff and other things, and incidentally he would stop los- ing money. That holds as a general rule. Today probably it would not be entirely true, because the price of naval stores are comparatively high compared with previous prices, and it is mighty hard to go up and talk to a man about small trees, when it would almost pay to log tooth picks. The cost of production is increasing right along, and if they increase the production, Southern Forestry Congress 77 the selling price will go down, and pretty soon you will elimi- nate your margin of profit. A Member : May I say that the influence which operates in the cupping of very small trees to some extent is a finan- cial one, as Mr. Speh has pointed out. They will cup every- thing that can hold a cup, and they know when they are do- ing it that it is not a financial desirability to cup that sized timber. Mr. Bishop : just a word about the French system that Mr. Jones asked particularly about. For the last five years that system has been tried experimentally in the Florida national forest, and the conclusion, as reached at this time, is that it sees that this system is not practicable for the operation of ma- ture timber — timber with which the industry is very largely concerned at this time. It is the expectation of foresters that it will be practical in the operation of second growth stands, or young timber, and that is the class of timber on which it is used in France. It is a system that is used for very long time operations on young growing timber. This is not the class of timber that is being worked by the naval stores industry at this time. We do expect, however, it will be used for second growth timber. Mr. Speh : Mr. Cary has been giving considerable study to this matter of reforestation, and has developed some very valuable information along this line, and particularly in Geor- gia. I am sure that Mr. Cary would consent to give us a few remarks on this, and that it would be interesting both to the naval stores man and to the foresters. Mr. Cary: South Georgia is the country that I am most familiar with, and have seen the most of. It is a country that was logged a good many years ago according to the selection system, and its second growth has come up, following that early logging, and at the same time, in the swamps, there are more or less bunches of old growth timber. Mr. Jones' tooth pick is a very familiar recollection to me — young timber about six inches in diameter breast high with one cup, or one box; trees of somewhat larger size with two cups or boxes on them. The tree in most cases was bled to death. Now, necessity is mak- ing an end of that, because they are finding today that tur- 78 Proceedings of the pentine chances are not as plentiful as they were; and as in every industry there are progressive and thinking men in this who will make an end of it because it is not good business ; indeed, considering the reputation of the turpentine industry in the country at large, the number of such men that I have run across in the last few months has rather surprised me. I feel that there is a movement on foot which is just starting in this country that is going to mean a great deal for the turpentine in- dustry, and for conservation at the same time. For instance, there is a man in South Georgia who has the reputation in the industry of being a most careful and under- standing man ; a few years ago he purchased 18,000 acres, and so far he has not bled it. He is cultivating a portion, running some stock, and operating for turpentine on leased timber. Meanwhile, he is letting his own trees grow, and has in mind the idea of waiting until there is a sufficient number of good sized trees on that land to make a thoroughly good operation, and then work it conservatively. By that he means bleeding the trees of about ten inches and up for a period of five years, then resting five years, after which he will go back and repeat the process, at the end of which time he considers a large part of the trees will be suitable for lumber. This was the first thing of a comprehensive nature that I had run against, and it was very interesting. I spent a month with this man trying to check up his estimates on growth, to help him technically if I could, and it has been very satisfac- tory indeed. I find further, in that region, that a number of good, capable and substantial operators, seeing the weakness of their old system of working timber, have recently bought tracts of from four to ten thousand acres, with the general broad idea in their minds of doing business permanently on those areas. They say it can be done. For instance, a factor in the tur- pentine business, says he went to a certain place in Florida a few years ago with the idea that he could operate six years and be done. As a matter of fact, his nephews are operating there today, and have been for a good many years, and they have realized that with good business management, they can operate there forever for naval stores, and then bring out the timber when it is serviceable as stumpage. That has just begun. Southern Forestry Congress 79 Over in that country are men of the other stamp — who bleed any tree they can hang a cup on, hang too many cups for the tree to stand, and cut deeper than necessary. Much of that sort of thing I believe is done because men don't know their business. They do these things by habit. They are in the tur- pentine business and work their timber in general, according to fashion, but as to why a particular operation is required or what is the best way to do it, they do not know. The salvation of that situation, as I say, is the elimination of the turpentiner who does not know and can't really learn his business so as to conduct it efficiently. There is a big section in north Florida and south Georgia just starting up with young timber, on which in my opinion good business in the form of turpentining and lumbering both can be carried on. I should like to see brainy men from any other section get into that region along side the bright local man and see just what can be done with it. It looks to me like one of the big business openings in the country. Col. Woolsey: I think that one of the points that Mr. Cary has brought out, should be further emphasized. The Chairman has referred to the turpentine industry as temporary. They tap the trees for awhile and expect to move somewhere else. It seems to me that we have come to the period in forest development when we have got to look at it from the stand- point of permanent production. I would like to emphasize that point. I would like to ask the Chairman why is not the turpen- tine industry a permanent business. Why do you have to fol- low it for awhile and then abandon it? Mr. Speh : For one thing, in a greater percentage of cases than the average, the turpentine man is not the owner of his raw material. That applies as a turpentine man. As a lumber- man, in a good many cases, he does own the raw material. He is especially interested in lumber, and his turpentine is looked upon as velvet. There was an intimation, probably as late as four years ago, that it was not worth while turpentining tim- ber, that good timber was cut round, and there is probably something to it. There are few who still feel that turpentin- ing is destructive to resultant lumber, that is, that you get an in- ferior grade. They are gradually overcoming that feeling, and I believe some of that was unjustifiably brought out through propaganda about damage and a lot of cases of pitch decay and 80 Proceedings of the wind shake. Much of that was not due to turpentining. It was shown that the loss from turpentining was less than from lightning and fire set by lightning. Along the line of the fire proposition, the turpentine man today is in the habit of burning off his woods in the fall. I doubt very much if I could find one per cent of the turpentine men who through necessity burn off their entire woods. It is done for them long before they get at it, and that would indicate that they would keep the fire out of the woods until they are ready to set it. If you would assure them that there would be no fire in there they would simply do away with the burning as it costs money. Today it costs in the neighborhood of $70.00 to rake and burn a small unit, for one man, and just imagine what it means to a large operator. The turpentine men have been protecting their tin> ber through necessity. They are doing that right along and very carefully raking around every single tree for a distance of about three feet. Then under proper weather conditions, probably after a rain, they will set fire to the woods, and gen- erally have people riding around the while to see that it does not spread too rapidly. They do not do that with the idea of protecting the timber, but to save their cups. The cups will take fire quicker than the timber. Anything which they do to protect their interest, however, protects the timber, which is I believe what you gentlemen are after. Mr. F. H. Fechtig : We have bought in the past twelve months in the Southern region something over one billion feet of lumber cut into cross ties. The gentleman has just talked about turpentine. Turpentine rights are sold in timber. Un- less there is some form of contract under which it is sold, that is approved by the Forestry Department, or by some law, you cannot have any system with reference to it. And so with the cutting of lumber. There is lots of lumber sold on a stumpage basis. The people who buy lumber on a stumpage basis have no interest in what becomes of the land after the lumber is cut off. Therefore, if you don't have some form of law with ref- erence to the replanting and taking care of that timber, you cannot get results. You won't do it by education. I am heartily in favor of education, but we all know that any man who plants a tree hardly thinks that he will live to see that tree grow and be cut again. I was very much struck with what an Southern Forestry Congress 81 old lumberman said to me the other night on the train. He has a large place in Warrenton County, South Carolina, on what is called Lynch Creek. That section is one of the finest producers of longleaf pine in the whole South. This man told me that where he cut that timber off and sold it to me when I was purchasing agent twenty-five years ago, he is now farming largely. He has 1,900 acres under cultivation, 1,300 acres of regrowth pine timber, ready to be cut. Now, you have got to get up the interest of big men like that, to take care of this subject. I hardly think you can rely on the small man. What we need in this country is great big men, and great big corpor- ations with individual initiative. We have got to have them, there is no doubt about that. They will be helpful to every one. I think the Forestry Section at Washington has got one of the greatest duties to perform to this country that can be performed, but my thought is that we have got to come to the National Forestry regulation. We cannot handle this matter on State's rights, because one State is not interested like an- other. Mr. Pace : One of the questions asked was as to the best way to preserve our pine forests. I speak from a pine stand point, having been in the turpentine business for twenty-nine years. Our lamented Theodore Roosevelt travelled through the South several years ago ; he was interested in forest preser- vation, and suggested that if we could have a limit of turpen- tining our timber forests, and not cut under 12 or 15 inches, all would be well. Now, there is no profit in turpentining trees of 5, 6, 7 or 8 inches in diameter, under certain conditions. I want to impress upon this Forestry Congress that if the people of the South would only restrict their timber to 12 or 15 inch trees for turpentine purposes, they would be doing a good thing for themselves, and for the turpentine man, too. I speak after thirty years of experience. The thing for us to do is to preserve our forests, as our former president has said. All we have to do is to put, by national legislation, a 12 or 15 inch limit on our pine trees to be operated for turpentine, and then we will have a crop every 15 or 25 years, and also a crop of mill timber. Mr. Peters : How would you bring about this restric- tion— through education or legislation? 82 Proceedings of the Mr. Pace : Through Federal legislation. You can't do it otherwise. The turpentine operator does not care. He will put out a bunch of negroes and put turpentine boxes on every- thing he can put it on. The landowner does not know just how to restrict him. It is all the same to him whether it is a tooth pick tree, or a sapling. When he leaves the tree he does not care what becomes of it. Mr. Peters: You think Federal legislation of that kind would be constitutional ? Mr. Pace: Our President (Mr. Roosevelt) suggested that it might be done some years ago. Mr. Wallace : Legislation of that nature would be in the same category as Child Labor legislation, or the Mann Act. In other words, it would be entirely within the province of the Congress of the United States to make it unlawful to transport any material from any tree, or any naval stores turpentine or otherwise made from any tree under 12 inches in diameter. Mr. Pace : I am from North Carolina and have been in the forestry business for thirty odd years, and the best method of preserving our pine forests is not to let them turpentine a tree, or put a cup on a tree under 12 inches in diameter. That is the only way in the world to get at it. The manufacturer gets nothing out of it, and he murders your tree in its infancy. If he does it after it is 15 inches in diameter, then your children and my children will have another crop of pine forests in this country. Mr. Peters : I would like to see a resolution on this sub- ject presented to the committee having charge of resolutions. Col. Graves : I would suggest that five minutes be given to Colonel Woolsey who worked with the Twentieth Engineers over in the pine turpentine forests of France, to tell us how they worked that thing. Colonel T. S. Woolsey: I think that the last speaker, Mr. Pace, has made the best speech of the morning, because he has hit the nail on the head. He says that those people who say that you cannot turpentine perpetually, are wrong, and I think they are. As Colonel Graves has remarked, I have just come back from Southern Fiance, where they do it perpetually, Southern Forestry Congress 83 and they make a lot of money out of it. I will not go into all of the technical details, but I will tell you, in a few words, how they work the maritime pine : Over a century ago, this land was denuded, just as it is being denuded in the South. Then they spent money to get it back into forests. I will start my story with the forests which grow in dense stands and when young are thinned by being tapped to death. That is, they put so much tapping on the trees to be cut out that it kills them ; those small trees are then cut and sold to England for use in the coal mines. That is the first stage. As the trees grow up, they keep on tapping to death the trees that they want to get rid of. When the trees are thirteen inches in diameter, they tap them alive — a kind of tapping designed not to kill the tree. They tap the tree until it is ready to be cut for lumber, and that period in state forests is usually at seventy years — say sixty- five to seventy-five for state timber. As you can judge mari- time pine is a very rapid growing species. On private places, they cut them after fifty-five or sixty years of growth. In other words, the owner cuts earlier than the state. Five years before the timber is mature, they tap all timber to death. That is, all the trees that are being tapped alive are given an inten- sive tapping. By two years, it is ready for the ax. They get all the rosin they can out of the timber, and when it is mature they cut the timber clean, leave the tops on the grounds, but pro- tect the tops from fire, because the tops contain the pine cones (and seeds) that are to give them their future forests. Then, the new forest comes up, and you start all over again. These men have made millions out of it. There is no question about it. I have authoritative figures that when they reclaimed this land (over twelve hundred thousand acres) they bought it for seventy-seven cents an acre, and in 1914, just before the war, this land, without the timber — this same land — was selling for from $16.00 to $32.00 an acre, and one French writer estimated that they added a value in that whole Landes coun- try of eighty millions of dollars, where before, perhaps, it was worth a few millions. Mr. Cary : Miss Dorman mentioned the matter of the small landowner, and the betterment of his condition, and the way in which we might better that, and conservation promoted at the same time by grazing stock and raising timber on the 84 Proceedings of the same land. Mr. Hardtner could tell a great deal about that. He is the source of my first thinking on the subject. I have done a good deal of it since, and it certainly looks to me as if that was a scheme which should appeal to the owner of farm land, and an industry which should have a wide field in the South on lands of moderate grade. Mr. Hardtner thinks the desirable unit for that is not less than 500 acres. Of this a small portion, sufficient to provide food for the farmer's family and probably a little sales crop, should be cultivated ; cattle would range the balance under fence ; wherever it comes natur- ally or may be planted will grow timber. That program, if economically sound and applied on a large scale, settles the whole question, for the settler and for the country. The ad- vantages are too many to be developed here. Furthermore, it may at numerous places from North Louisiana to South Geor- gia be seen in actual operation. I have seen occasionally men doing practically that same thing, owning a few hundred acres, running his stock at large for the present, but realizing that on their own land he has food for a certain amount of stock, if the range is ever restricted, taking care of the timber growing on their land at the same time. Several are in the region of the longleaf or slash pine section, bleed their own timber, and sell their gum to the neighboring turpentine men. This plan is suited to land of lower grade in respect to agricultural fertility. The suggestion was made that this thing be developed in each parish or county under the leadership of lumbermen, or any one who would undertake it. It looks to me like one of the most fruitful things that has been formulated in the way of advance this morning. I have talked that same thing in Wash- ington, tried to start investigation there and hope that some time educational work will arise from that source. THURSDAY AFTERNOON SESSION Presided over by Mr. J. G. Peters, UNITED STATES FOREST SERVICE The Chairman : We have been hearing a good deal in these discussions about the subject of education in connection with forestry work, and restrictions, both as to State and Fed- eral legislation. I want to take the liberty of a few introduc- tory remarks this afternoon to say that it seems to me no mat- Southern Forestry Congress 85 ter how you go about it, whether through education or legisla- ion — restrictive legislation, I mean, that the first thing to do in these Southern States, as it has been proven to be the best thing to do by other states, is to establish strong and non-political State Forestry Departments, which will be authorized to ap- point a technically trained man as State Forester, and the De- partment given an adequate appropriation of funds. I think that, in addition to that, measures should be adopted that will, so far as possible, do away with the customary practice of for- est denudation, so that lands may be brought back to produc- tivity after they are lumbered. I might say that there is such a law now before the Mississippi Legislature, which will pro- vide for those things, namely, a State Board of Forestry organ- ized along non-political lines, a State Forester, and adequate appropriation of funds, which will be raised through a license tax on the business of cutting timber and of gathering turpen- tine, similar to the tax adopted by Louisiana ; and I want to make the suggestion that the lumbermen here and that the tur- pentine men here get behind that measure and urge its passage. I think that some action of that sort on the part of the lumber- men and turpentine men will go a long way towards bringing together those men — the foresters, landowners and others in- terested in this great subject, and making them see the need for working in cooperation to gain the common end. The first subject on the program is "The Livestock Indus- try, and its Relation to the National Program of Forestry." It was to have been led off by Doctor Blackman, but unfortunate- ly he cannot be present, and I am going to ask Professor S. M. Tracy, in Charge of the Forage Crop Investigations of the De- partment of Agriculture, stationed at Biloxi, Miss., who is en- gaged in testing various forage crops there, to lead off in this discussion. DISCUSSION OF A NATIONAL FOREST POLICY FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE LIVESTOCK INDUSTRY Prof. Tracy* : I did not come here to talk. I did not ex- pect to have anything to say. I shall say very little today. In attending this and other similar meetings for the last ten or fif- * The death of Samuel Mills Tracy at his home in Laurel, Miss., on September 4. 1920, at the age of 73, is learned with great regret. — The Editor. 86 Proceedings of the teen years, I have received a very definite impression that the object of the association was to cover all the territory with trees ; that lumber was regarded as an essential thing for build- ing houses, and building barns, and stables. We must have lumber, no matter whether we have anything else. We do want more lumber. We have to build barns and stables and so forth, and yet it is no use to build those things unless we have some cattle to shelter, or things to put in them. We have need for other things besides lumber. I suppose my ideas are a lit- tle exaggerated, but I cannot help thinking that the forest peo- ple have not given sufficient attention to the importance of grow- ing live stock. At anything like the present price of beef and lumber, beef is a very profitable crop. I would combine the two, and they can be combined economically and profitably. As a rough estimate, I would say that two-thirds of our Southern lands are fit for cultivation or for use as pasture; there is the other one-third, speaking roughly, that is not cul- tivable, and not fit for pasture lands. I do not think you will find it possible, in general, to grow timber and grass, or cattle on the same lands. In the West the grasses are mostly small grasses. They have very little rain. Those grasses dry up and remain there all winter and make good feed for cattle, just as any other good dry hay. Here, as a rule, where there are cut over lands, our grasses, of course, are very tough ; they are not very nutritious, and then, with our heavy winter rainfall, what good there is in them is washed out, and we have very, very poor food in them, although we have plenty of grasses. Some years ago I was looking at the statistics published by the Department of Agriculture, and in it they gave figures on winter losses on cattle in the North and in the South. In Ala- bama, Mississippi and Louisiana, which I looked at specially, the winter losses in cattle were more than double what they were in the North, simply because our cattle had been left out in these cut over lands to feed on wire grass and sage grass. If our cut over lands here are fenced and protected from fire, they will very soon grow up in timber so thick that no grass will come. We have very little good grass in cut over lands. If herds are allowed to run on those lands, they have neither trees nor good grass. The more nutritious grasses, the seeds are destroyed by fire, and are shut out by the other grasses, and we have very little good grass. That is where we have Southern Forestry Congress 87 protection and no fire. Where we have our lands protected by fencing, and heavily grassed, we very soon get rid of wire grass and broom grass, and all those other grasses very easily. It is on such lands that we get our best grasses, and even beef growing becomes profitable. Those lands need practically no protection from fire. Where we have those grasses, there is never enough of them left in winter to burn, so that they pro- tect themselves. It occurred to me that that was one thing we wanted to do — to look out for protection, and fence the land, and grass them heavily with the cheapest and best pasture, and then devote our land which is suited for those grasses, to forestry work, and grow all the trees we can, and in that way we will have both our beef and timber. Mr. Roy L. Hogue : A very casual glance over our timber lands of the South will convince almost any one, I think, that we are denuding them of timber. A more careful exam- ination of these lands will convince one also that many of these lands at present are not agricultural lands. I say at present, because the time may come when these lands will be agricul- tural lands ; but at present it is not economically possible to use them for agriculture. We have in the neighborhood of 50,000 acres near Jackson, Miss., and 20,000 acres in the south- ern part of the State near Gulf port. All of those lands are or have been covered with a heavy growth of timber. We have now sold this timber. Some of it has been removed. On the tract near Gulfport most of it has been removed. It is our problem to know what to do with this cut over land. We have not a single tenant on our 20,000 acres near Gulfport. We do not get a dollar in revenue from all those 20,000 acres of land, which is nearly all cut over. On the 50,000 acres near Jackson in the early days, settlers and squatters and others settled on this land in spots, clearing 20 and 30 and 40, and sometimes 100 acres, making little farms — little indentations in the great timber belt, and when we purchased our timbered land, we purchased these farm lands along wth the timber, our primary purpose, of course, being to secure the timber, and the land was thrown in as a sort of "for better title" proposi- tion. We never considered the land (per sc) as of any ma- terial value. Only the amount of timber on the land that was purchased was considered, and the land was taken only 88 Proceedings of the because the title to the timber was improved by the taking of the land, and no particular time, therefore, needed for re- moving the timber. And that is the way nearly all of the timber land in the State has been acquired. All of the large holders of land in the State, or nearly all of the large timber land owners of the State, acquired their land for this very reason, not that they considered the land worth much, but because they wanted to get better title to the timber, or longer time for the cutting of the timber. Probably that is the reason why lumbermen are so indifferent to the forestry problems of today. It is economically recognized by the forestry students, as well as the lumbermen, that it is now economically im- possible to grow timber on this land under our present system of taxation which, in Mississippi, is a general property tax. In other words, as soon as this timber, which requires, say, fifty years to mature, from a seedling — as soon as this timber in Mississippi becomes of any commercial value, say at thirty years, it is the duty of the assessor to assess that timber at whatever it is worth. At thirty-one years, it is again as- sessed at what it is worth, and at thirty-two, forty and forty- five, and we pay taxes on that assessment, not only for the year's growth, but, on the growth of all the previous years, that have gone by since the planting of the forest, and at the time of cutting, as you will see, we will have paid for not only the year's growth each year — the taxes on the year's growth — but on fifty years' growth, and each preceding year on all the preceding years. In other words, it is something like this : Supposing a farmer — it is not quite a parallel case, but some- what similar — suppose a farmer would pay taxes on his agri- cultural products, but in lieu of disposing of them each year, he would have to store them in a granary until at the end of fifty years, he would be allowed to sell them and get his re- ward, but all the time, like we do in forestry, he would have to begin to pay taxes on not only the crop he raised that year, but all the preceding years. You can readily see that that would "bust" any farmer. There is not so much labor re- quired in growing timber, and that makes a difference. It is not quite a parallel case. However, they are very similar. No man is going to engage in a business that is going to break him if he keeps it up. I think that is one reason that the tim- ber men have been so indifferent to the reforestation program Southern Forestry Congress 89 in the several States. Even in our State of Mississippi, where we are about to pass a forestry law, there is almost no interest among the lumbermen, who should be the ones interested if anybody is, because they are the great holders of the cut over lands of the State. We are trying to make our holdings revenue-producing. I will tell you briefly how we attempt to do this. We fence in large areas. We try to make our units about 2,500 acres. We put a hog-proof fence around this land. Most of our land lies in the Pearl River Valley, which is very rich alluvial soil. The forests are virgin hardwood, mixed in places with pine, and there is a good deal of mast in there for goats and hogs, and some good grazing for cattle. We get men, prefer- ably those that live on an adjoining place, to rent these pastures from us. We furnish the fences and they furnish the labor to put the fencing up. The first year they pay no rent ; the sec- ond year they pay from twenty-five to fifty cents an acre for the use of this land. In this way we have managed to fence in about 25,000 acres of our land in the Pearl River Valley. We are trying to introduce the same plan on our land in the south end of the State. As yet we have succeeded in getting nobody to undertake the fencing of any of these lands. It is true it costs considerable ; about $250.00 a mile for the fencing ; but, in about three years, if we take in large enough areas, we get this money back, and the fence ordinarily is good for twelve or fifteen years, by renewing the posts once. After three years, we have, therefore, liquidated our investment, not counting in- terest, and still have a fence and a revenue producing property. Although the revenue is rather small, it is still better than nothing. Another thing about the pasturing of our land : The stock pastured inside this fence keeps the grass down. Wherever the land is cut over, immediately it starts up in forest weeds and grasses and briars and brambles, and so forth. Some places have only grass and some places only briars, and some places young trees, and in other places all three start, and the goats are our principal allies in keeping this growth down. They would rather have blackberry briars than candy to eat. They are at home in a blackberry patch. Wherever we have 1,000 goats or more on our lands, the people have to go a long way for their blackberries. I might say, however, that in our 90 Proceedings of the stocking of these farms, we never own any of the stock our- selves. We allow the other man who understands the stock business, and who must give it his personal attention, to own and look after the stock. We feel that it is too hazardous a business to turn good stock over to a hired man. So we wait until we secure a renter for this land before we fence it in, because if we do not, these people who have been used to this open range all their lives, and have a sort of neighbor- hood claim on it, would not allow the fences to stand. That would probably be the experence in a large part of the State. It is better to lease the lands to people who live immediately adjoining them, for if you bring in somebody from the north, the local people will feel as though he is an outsider, and does not, maybe, belong there. In this way we have succeeded in getting much of our lands under fences, and have kept the growth down to a considerable extent. The tenants are also interested then in keeping fires out, because they understand that fires ruin the range. In the olden days when it was an open range, everybody's business was nobody's business, and fires would start and nobody was particularly interested in putting them out, if it did not threaten their own clearings, so that the fires would sweep up the valley, taking everything in their course. The way it is now, in case a fire breaks out, the tenants leasing pastures will organize little home crews to put the fire out. We have no organization for putting out fires, and it is up to them to stop fires when they start. Of course, we have had unusually favorable weather for the last sixteen months, and no fires of any consequence have taken place in our tracts in the Pearl River Valley for two years. I be- lieve that if we could have all our timber under fence, we could prevent most forest fires, and if fires can be prevented we can raise a forest. Fires are the greatest enemy, next to man, of the forests. With those tenants stationed along at intervals, with a little assistance, we can soon eliminate our fires. If we could put in roads across these forests, and give them some sort of additional protection, besides what they can give themselves, we could put out any fire inside of a mile square, that would start. We would have to have telephones installed, and more or less expensive protective systems, but that could be done and possibly will be done. As Mr. Peters told you, we are going to have a bill intro- Southern Forestry Congress 91 duced, or it has already probably been introduced in our State Legislature at Jackson. There is a feeling throughout the whole State that something is gong to be done at this Leg- islature. Two or three bills have already been introduced, trying to regulate the diameter of the trees to be cut, but it is doubtful if you can force people to do the things that they ought to do but don't want to do. In my opinion, the best way is try and make it economically desirable for them to do those things. Of course, there will have to be a few reg- ulations, but in order to get the lumbermen to do the things that we want them to do, it is going to be necessary to make it profitable to do those things. At present, so far as I am able to see, it is absolutely eco- nomically impossible for them to plant forests. They can protect what they have got, and save what comes annually, probably, but it is impossible with our present law to plant forests. They are human, like anybody else, and they are not going to do something that they perhaps ought to do without profit — they must have at least a small profit. So that it seems to me that the only thing that we can expect them to do is to give some degree of protection to the forests that are already on the lands, and to the cut over areas, as they develop throughout the State. Mr. Forbes : Might I ask Mr. Hogue what the status of the forest on that land is, and to what extent he agrees with Professor Tracy in his dictum that you cannot raise trees and stock on the same land, with profit to both. Mr. Hogue : I am inclined to agree with Doctor Tracy. As soon as the timber gets big enough to cover the ground, there is no more grass. The grass is gone. But in a good many areas, especially in South Mississippi, in cut over lands, there will be large areas where there is no heavy growth of timber. You cannot fence in just a small area on a large tract profitably ; you have got to take in a good-sized area if you are going to fence it in with a hog-proof fence. Fencing is expensive. Wherever the trees grow thick, there is no grass. Wherever the grass is heavy, the trees do not get a chance. So that if you fail to pasture any land that is not already in trees, the grass grows very high, and fire, which inevitably gets into those areas, will prevent repro- 92 Proceedings of the duction. I do not know whether Dr. Tracy agrees with that or not. Mr. Wilkinson : Might I ask the gentleman to state the source of those fires in his territory? Mr. Hogue: The greatest source of our fires is the dummy line — sparks from the engine. Mr. Spraker: I would like to ask — does not the gentle- man own the dummy line, and if so, why not take precau- tions. Mr. Hogue : We do not control the dummy line. We sold our timber to another concern and we have no law in the State to prevent them from doing anything they please. One might recover at law for damages incurred, but for immature reproduction there is no recognized value and we never press it. In some places we have second growth, some dating back as early as the Civil War, practically, though it is virgin forest except where our farms are. Prof. Tracy : I think it is impossible to grow good timber and grass on the same land. Some parts will grow good grass and others grow good timber, and others any where in between them. A Member: The gentleman says he fences his land prac- tically in 2,500 acre units. About how many acres would it take to feed a steer? Mr. Hogue : We do not try to carry many cattle on our timber lands. We run them in the woods only in the winter time. There is a cane that grows on our land which makes very valuable winter grazing. In summer we take the cattle out of the woods and put them in the open land. It takes about five acres of open land, if we wish to keep them in there all the time, for one steer. Mr. Hardtner : You were asking about grazing on cut over lands in connection with growing trees. Our company, the owners and stockholders, are not foolish enough to own 50,000 to 60,000 acres of land and! not utilize it to the best advantage. We have 1,000 head of cattle that we pasture on our land. We find it very profitable. The store manager looks after the cattle. The cattle almost look after themselves. Southern Forestry Congress 93 We are not foolish enough to own these broad areas without having cattle. We raise all the cattle we need for our local market, and the sawmill people consume a great deal of beef and mutton and hogs, and so forth. Besides, we ship several car loads a year to the markets of the North. If there is anything that I know something about, it is raising cattle and growing timber at the same time. You can make enough money out of your cattle business to pay for reforesting, on ordinary cut over lands. We find that it takes about four acres of ordinary cut over land that has bushes and trees on it, to take care of one steer. These piney wood pastures will take care of cattle about nine months in the year, and then you must either drive them to a cane pasture close by in the creek swamp, or else feed them for three months in the year. It does seem to me though that if you can have free pasturage for nine months, you can afford to feed them for three months. That is not nearly as long as you have to feed them in the North and other places. We have 2,500 acres fenced, and we keep a great many of our cattle in that pasture. We also have a herd of elks in that same pasture which we expect to make a success in rais- ing as soon as they become thoroughly acclimated. But to show you my confidence in cattle raising, in addition to the cost of the land, I am spending $8,000 this year in fences, and buying a good grade of cattle, in order to make one spe- cial experiment in Winn Parish. We will put a good grade of cattle there, and have a man in charge, and while the trees are growing and the pine seeds falling, and germinating, we will be raising cattle, and we expect to make a great deal of money out of it. We will fence 1,500 or 1,600 acres of this piney woodsland. We are also going to fence three or four hundred acres of adjacent swamp land that has good grass and cane on it, and we confidently believe that we can raise those cattle without giving them an ounce of hay, or any other kind of feed. However, if necessary, and I think it will be good business, we are going to feed those cattle two months in one year, because they are too valuable to be neglected. The tramping of the cattle does not hurt the pine seedlings. In the 2,500 acre pasture that is fenced, we have from three to ten thousand seedlings to the acre, and there are trees six years old of pine, and all kinds of hardwood, and while 94 Proceedings of the we have had heavy grazing on that land, we do not find that it hurts them. Later on we would rather the cattle would thin this stand anyway. So, cattle raising and tree growing go hand in hand, and any one owning broad areas of land who does not engage in the business of both, is really miss- ing a good opportunity. I have a reprint here from the Lumber World Review, that I will be glad to give any of you as you go out. It relates to a permanent timber land policy, and its plan is for re- foresting 1,500 acres in Winn Parish. We go into the sub- ject very fully, and we find that the cost of this venture — I figured out last year that, including $4.00 an acre for cost of land, 1,500 acres, was $12,450, and I suppose it will cost us maybe a couple of thousand dollars more. The point I want to make is that we are making this experiment — not an ex- periment, after all, but we are going into this business, be- cause it is not an experiment with us. We have been over the experimental stage ten or twelve years. We figure the land at $4.00 an acre, and the cost of that venture will be some- thing like $14,850. We expect to get back annual returns sufficient to more than pay the interest on the investment. This table shows the cost of operation, profit, taxes and inter- est on investment, at 7 per cent, and feed for the cattle, and the annual returns will be 500 cords of wood, and we will have fifty head of cattle to sell. Thus, we find the annual return amounts to 7 per cent interest on the investment, and reforest- ation is accomplished without one cent of cost. Then, I go on to state how we expect to handle the timber and how we expect to bleed it for turpentine when it gets about 25 or 30 years of age, and how we expect to make posts, rails, ties and pulpwood out of the thinnings, and all about the turpentine operations, and at the end of an investment of $14,850 for 1,500 acres of cut over piney woodsland, yielding 7 per cent interest for 60 years, we will then have a surplus of $450,000 for the timber. We expect the timber on those 1,500 acres to be worth $450,000 in 60 years time. If you do not believe it, just read this paper and you will be convinced, because I have studied the matter very carefully, and I know what the price of timber will be 60 years hence. I know what it is now, and there is no doubt in my mind but what that 1,500 acres will be worth $450,000 when we have to cut it for lumber. Southern Forestry Congress 95 You see now that I am engaging in the cattle business while growing trees. I know that it is profitable. Col. Woolsey : May I ask Mr. Hardtner a question? Have you tried raising goats? Mr. Hardtner : Yes, to my sorrow. About a year ago I thought that the black jack oak bushes were taking my forest and were not permitting the young pine to grow as they should, shading the ground too much, and I decided that I was going to find a cheap way to get rid of the black jack oaks, so I got 1,000 goats and put them in there, and on those 2,000 acres, you could not tell that there was a goat in evidence, they made so little impression on those black jack bushes. So I decided that if I had to use goats to keep down the bushes, they would have to be restricted to a very small area, and I would have to have 10,000 head of goats to keep those bushes down. Besides, it is not necessary. There is always the sur- vival of the fittest. Pine will soon reach above the bushes, and the bushes are not in the way at all. Mr. Hogue : They interfere with the growth of the grass, don't they? Mr. Hardtner : Oh, yes. In this pamphlet I touch on this that we will have grazing for ten or fifteen years probably, after we commenced this special experiment or business ven- ture. We can graze one head of cattle on four acres for at least ten years. Then when the trees begin to shade the ground somewhat, you might have to reduce the number of cattle which you have on that pasture. You can very well afford to do that, because you will begin to sell bean poles, tomato stakes, pulp wood and other products from the land, and maybe when the trees are 20 years of age, you can keep only a. limited number of cattle on that pasture. That is what we want to do. We want to raise cattle while we are growing timber. That i's exactly the idea. Mr. Pace : Are you getting short or long leaf pine to replace the growth? Mr. Hardtner : Both. Where there was longleaf pine before, we have had considerable bushes growing up, but the longleaf pine is growing equally as well as the shortleaf or loblolly. Too much shade may prevent the longleaf pine from 96 Proceedings of the getting a good start, but it will hold its own with the shortleaf or loblolly pine, if you give it an equal chance. Mr. Jones : The great bug-a-boo with the lumbermen in Texas is taxation, and yet I have never seen an estimate of what the taxation will amount to in 50 years. I would like to know this. Mr. Hardtner : We provide for taxes each year, and we still make 7 per cent on raising cattle and using up the surplus wood on the ground, and at the end of 60 years, we will have $450,000 worth of timber. You have to settle the question of taxation any where, if you intend to try growing anything on an extensive scale, but you can pay taxes on a pretty good valuation, and still make money. No one wants to engage in the cultivation of timber unless he knows exactly what his taxes will be for the next 30 or 50 years. That should be settled, and people all over the State should be foresighted enough to see that the question of taxation is settled. The heavier grazing you have on sage grass land, and cut over land, the better the grazing will become. The only way to get rid of sage grass is heavy grazing. Fire won't do it. It makes it grow tougher. We want to get rid of this grass as it is very poor for cattle and has very little nutriment in it. Mr. R. C. Jones : What is the discrepancy between Mr. Hardtner's and Mr. Hogue's experience with goats? I would be much interested to know why one finds its profitable and the other does not. Mr. Houge : Mr. Hardtner said they were unprofitable. He said they failed to eat down the blackjack bushes on the longleaf pine land. They do not ordinarily try to pasture them closely enough to keep the oaks down very much. They keep the briars and blackberry briars down, and some of the more tender woods. Unless you pasture very closely, they do not bother the blackjack. They are not very palatable ; they are pretty tough. You would have to pasture them pretty closely to get rid of the blackjack. However, they get very fat on this cut over land, and they are a profitable crop, because they cost so very little to raise. They are very hardy, and require very little attention in the pastures. They are an inmitigated nuisance, if you turn them out on the range. They get over Southern Forestry Congress 97 any wire fence, or any other fence that the settlers ordinarily build, and are not very profitable on the outside for that rea- son, but, in the pastures, they thrive and help to keep the bushes down. However, as Mr. Hardtner suggested, prob- ably, in order to keep the blackjack crop down, you would have to keep a good many. A Member: Just a point that Mr. Hogue touched on, that has no bearing on the livestock question, that I would like to draw attention to, and that is with reference to planting forest lands in the South. I do not want any of you here to get any idea that any forester, so far as I know, Federal or State, is advocating the planting of these Southern lands. The Chairman : As I understand it, Mr. Hogue, you must rely on natural reproduction to come in, provided you keep out fires. Is that correct? Mr. Hogue : We cannot rely absolutely on natural re- production in every case. However, wherever fires are kept out of the original virgin forests, natural reproduction will come in. On the old fields, if they are large enough, if you wish to put them back into forests, planting would have to be done. There is a limit to the area which pine seed will cover; that is, will go from the seed tree, naturally, and if we wish to take in all of our lands and put into forests all fields that are now in cultivation, we would have to do some planting. A Member : We leave seed trees on our land for the pur- pose of reproducing our timber— seed bearing trees. DISCUSSION OF A NATIONAL FOREST POLICY FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF SOUTHERN AGRICULTURE (In the absence of the author Mr. R. S. Maddox read the following paper). SOUTHERN FARM FORESTS By Mr. E. E. Miller EDITOR, SOUTHERN AGRICULTURIST Any state or national program of forestry must concern it- self largely with the farmer. Forest conservation is a matter of vital importance to the farmer even though he so seldom realizes it; and the farmer is a vital factor in any program of 98 Proceedings of the forest conservation. A large part of the country's forested land is owned by farmers. This land may roughly be divided into farm woodlots and farmer-owned woodlands. The farm wood- lot is the plot of timber kept on the farm to supply the farm's timber needs, in part or in whole. Farm woodlots are not nearly so numerous as our talk and our habits of thought some times lead us to believe. The wooded lands owned by farmers embrace lands that the farmer expects some time to clear, lands that are in the process of being wholly or partially cleared, lands that are left uncleared because it would not pay to clear them. Farmers own a lot of these wooded lands, first and last, and most of them are handled with little thought or care as to for- est preservation. Some of them the farmer himself lumbers as he needs lumber or money, or has an opportunity to put spare time to profit ; and he usually does his cutting as if the here- after were not a doubtful proposition at all, but a thing certain not to be. Large areas of stumpage are annually sold by farm- ers to lumbermen, usually with no cutting regulations at all, and the lumbermen having no future interest in the forest, sel- dom gives a thought to its future welfare. On vast tracts ef- fort is made to convert the woodlands into pastures by burn- ing. The result, of course, is an appalling waste of timber, of soil fertility, and of the forest's ability to hold back and con- serve the rainfall. The tendency is for the farmer to dispose of the woodlands he does not expect to clear or is not preserving particularly for his farm use. This is a tendency to be encouraged. It is bet- ter, as a rule, for large areas of woodland to be owned by the companies that cut the lumber off of them, and who are there- fore likely to have some interest in keeping up the supply of timber on them, than to be held by owners who think of the timber only in terms of immediate return. The sooner all non- agricultural forest land passes into the hands of government or into the hands of men who have a direct interest in forest pre- servation, the better it will be for the country. That time, however, is yet a long ways off. Until it has arrived there must be no let up in the effort to make the farmer understand that trees, too, are a crop, a crop to be harvested at long inter- vals, but a crop which can be kept constantly renewing itself if the seed stock is protected. The farmer who owns wooded lands needs to be reminded over and over that the cutting of Southern Forestry Congress 99 timber may be made a constructive process instead of tbe usual destructive process. Above all, perhaps, he needs to be re- minded over and over that the burning oil' of the woodlands is always a destructive process. The laws against forest fires need to be strengthened in almost every state, and a campaign of education that will teach the criminal folly of such burning, is one of the things the whole South needs. Land clearing needs to be discouraged too, in many cases. Of course, much land now in woods is suitable for farming and will ultimately be brought into cultivated fields ; but every year, especially in the hill country, land is cleared that should remain in timber for all the years to come One can go into any moun- tain section of the South and see cleared lands that prove be- yond all question the utter lack of vision or foresight possessed by the men who did the clearing. The pioneer idea of the forest as an obstacle in the way of agriculture still persists ; countless thousands of farmers still think of the woods only as something to get out of their way. The farmer who finds himself without timber, or who finds his timber supply running short is not likely so to think. Once in this condition, he soon perceives that a plot of woodland is one of the necessary parts of a complete farm. Then comes the woodlot stage — the stage where timber is valued and the forest more or less well taken care of. Usually the farm woodlot is a patch of uncleared forest land that the owner attempts to pre- serve. In some cases it is a plot that he has himself planted, too often it is a tract of timber the future of which has already been sacrificed to the live stock by pasturing. Usually the woodlot is mismanaged. New farm woodlots impress one as things of permanence. With most of them it is only a question of time when they will cease to pay their owners to keep them in timber. The average farmer does not know how to care for his woodlot so as to preserve it, and at the same time make it profitable, and there is a deplorable lack of information avail- able on the subject. I know of none except a few bulletins of the most general nature, or a few even less explicit chapters in text books on forestry. There is need of some close special study of the farm woodlot to secure and make available the special localized information that is needed. Where could one get for instance, the detailed information about its management 100 Proceedings of the that a Tennessee Bluegrass woodlot owner needs ? Or the owner of one in Piedmont North Carolina? Farm woodlots are bound to become more numerous and better appreciated by farmers ; but I do not think they can be counted on to supply any large proportion of the lumber the country needs. Indeed, I believe they will tend more and more away from the general forest type and more and more to the specialized planting type They will contain fewer and fewer, comparatively speaking, of the forest lumber trees — oaks and hickories, maples and pines — and more of the rapid growing species that meet the farm's immediate needs for fence posts, poles, and so on. Black locust, catalpa, black walnut we may expect to see farmers planting these trees, even in preference often to preserving their old forest growths. We may expect, too, to see them harvesting them at an early age. In a word, the farm woodlot is going to be a place where the special kinds of timber needed on the farm are grown, and not a place for the production of the lumber of commerce. It will seldom be a profitable business for the individual farmer to grow lumber on land that is suitable for cultivation. Yet the fact remains that some lands of agricultural value can be of more value to the community, if not to the individual owners, in forests than in anything else. What may be called strategic forests, forests about the headwaters of streams and in other locations where they will have a direct influence upon stream flow and the control of rain waters, are going to be increasingly important as the years go by. It seems that as a people we have determinedly put off any serious consideration of them; but we shall one day have to consider them, and to provide them. They will have to be provided, however, by the community, the state, the nation, rather than by the individual. Forest preservation will not cease to be an individual business, but it will become more and more a government function be- cause we are all the time more fully realizing its importance to the state and to society, and more fully understanding the increasingly public character of the woodlands and their con- tribution to human welfare. Mr. Ff. B. Holroyd: Our corporation maintains an Ag- ricultural and Industrial and Immigration Department, all com- bined in one, purely for development work within the territory served by its line. We enter 13 States, and consequently that Southern Forestry Congress 101 calls for a great variety of work. We have carefully built up an organization all of agricultural men but we have specialties in forestry lines, horticulture, animal husbandry, economics and all those various lines of agriculture. With us it is purely a business proposition. I am unalterably of the opinion that our Southland is des- tined to be the greatest live stock section of the United States. I agree thoroughly with Prof. Tracy, because I understand his statements and understand the points made from a practi- cal standpoint. You take it in the dense woods along what we call, in forestry terms, the pole stage, in most of the land you would have very little but the wire grasses, round grasses, as we call them. They are mighty poor feed, but the moment that forest is cut away or there is a natural opening made by some damage, like fire or lightning, or such as that, what we call blade grasses come in. Some are sweet grasses, but the most of them are still sour grasses. The next step in graduation is the carpet grass, and they are sweet, and then lespedeza and na- tive clover, the latter coming, however, mostly on land that has been ploughed at the same time and permitted to come back. So there you have the transition from the strictly dense forest on native grazing area. Native cattle will grow rolling fat on these blade grasses for about three or four months in the spring. They will fatten even more rapidly than our Western cattle do on what we call our Buffalo grass ranges. But after they have put on that quick fat, they will simply carry along — perhaps decline a little. Then comes the necessity of providing supplemental winter feed, and with that feed those cattle will go through on the same dry grass in the same condition, but will not hold up to their spring fatness. It would be the height of folly and absolutely wrong for this Congress to leave here with the idea that cattle raising and forestry cannot go hand in hand. There is coming a time when forests are full grown or even at an earlier stage, where cattle grazing will not be practical from the standpoint of putting fat on the cattle in the timber, but up to that time it can be carried on very, very advantageously. 102 Proceedings of the DISCUSSION OF A NATIONAL FOREST POLICY FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE PAPER AND PULP INDUSTRY Led by Mr. McGarvey Cline consolidated naval stores co. Mr. Cline : The pulp and paper industry is one which is divided into three or four rather distinct branches, and in con- sidering the relation of Southern forests to this industry, we have to consider the needs of those different branches. First the most important, from the standpoint of tonnage produc- tion, is the news print industry. A sheet of newspaper con- sists of approximately 70 per cent ground wood pulp and 30 per cent of high grade sulphite pulp. In making ground wood, the principal requirement as far as the qualities of the wood are concerned, is that they produce a white fibre, having sufficient length to felt well in a sheet and be free from rosins. It re- quires about 100 continuous horsepower to produce one ton of ground wood pulp. This requirement alone limits the points at which the ground wood pulp can be produced. As a rule, it has to go into regions where there are large water powers available that cannot be used for more profitable purposes. One hundred horsepower means, when fuel is used, something like 5 tons of a good coal. In other words, it would take 5 tons of coal to produce one ton of ground wood pulp. When we go into chemical pulp fuel, there again the power requirements are quite large. In the production of chemical pulp, it takes from 55 to 60 horsepower to produce one ton. One-half of this power requirement is for steam, and means that that fuel has to be had. In terms of ground wood all the power can be me- chanical power from the connection of turbine to water. One other very important requirement of the industry is a pure clear water supply. It takes about 40,000 gallons of wat- er to produce one ton of paper. So when you consider these limitations upon the location of pulp and paper mill enterprises, it somewhat narrows down in its scope as far as wood is con- cerned. In other words, paper mills must be located where they can have a sure supply over a long period of years, of a comparatively cheap fuel, and an abundant supply of clear clean water. The second large definition of the pulp and wood industry is the book and print papers. These are the papers which you Southern Forestry Congress 103 wish to use in having a permanent print record of something. News print has a short life. It turns yellow and hecomcs brit- tle, and is only used for a very temporary record. Book print papers, in order to get the durability which is needed, must be entirely made of chemical pulp. The chemical pulps are the pure wood cellular, which is a very durable material. In al- most all these pulps, some of the hardwoods furnish the bulk of the pulp, such as poplar, aspins and gum, could be used, al- though they are not now extensively used. There are hard- woods which give a high yield of cellulose. Other hardwoods such as oak and birch and maple do not give a high yield of cel- lulose, so they are not well suited for the production of pulp and paper. In time the Southern region may contribute more to the production of those papers then they do now, although even at the present, large quantities of these papers are pro- duced in the Ohio River Valley, and draw upon the Southern hardwood supply for their pulpwood. The third large definition of the paper industry is in the making of wrapping paper and boards. These are papers in which the chief requirements are strength, and where color is a secondary consideration, and in their production any of the long fibre conifers are all right, and those which would prob- ably be favored in the long run are the ones which will give the greatest yield per cord of cellulose suitable for making pa- per. We find that the yield of cellulose from different coni- fers varies about with their dry weight per cubic foot. From a cord of pine wood we can get about 1,400 pounds of high grade pulp suitable for making wrapping paper, and boards. From a cord of spruce, we can get about 1,200 pounds of pulp, which is not only suitable for wrapping paper, but for practi- cally all other grades of paper. Spruce will probably always remain supreme as a paper wood, due to the fact that it has a white pure cellulose. Pine pulps are difficult to bleed and get white. They will probably be limited in their application to the dark grades of wrapping, or, at best, papers having a light cream color. It is fairly easy to produce a light cream colored paper without ex- penditure of too much money in the form of bleaches. If we find sites in the South, which is such a very essential feature to the pulp and wood industry, then we can look forward, and 104 Proceedings of the we might find the Southern conifers in this region suitable for the production of this paper. If wood waste were used as fuel for paper, it would re- quire about nine tons of wood waste to produce the power re- quired to make one ton of paper. For those reasons, it has always occurred to me that the paper industry — pulp and paper mills — would have been a very valuable adjunct to the sawmill in the working over of our timber tracts. There has been a large amount of wastage that results from lumber operations which would have had a rather high value, if they had only had a market for power, and what I have just said has shown what a wonderful market for power a paper mill creates. In fact, there is not any part wasted. This consideration of the needs of various industries has al- ways made me feel that there would be quite a variation in the various forest types of the future — the type and proper method of forest arrangements would be largely determined by the need of the industry that the forest was serving. The ideal pulpwood would be a rather tall straight tree, not necessarily over eight inches in diameter. It would be easier to handle and easier to work and easier to work up than a larger tree. And if longleaf pine were used, or grown for the production of pulp and paper, it would always be advisable to turpentine it before it was cut for wood pulp. The question of fixing a time limit upon the turpentining of timber — to put an arbitrary time lim- it— might not be fair ; that is, provided the wood was to be cut for pulp. This is, I mean, if there was a legal provision that wood could not be turpentined before it was ten inches in diame- ter, and it was desirable to cut it for use when it was eight or ten inches in diameter, it would simply mean that the tur- pentine value of the timber could not be utilized. I think that these remarks I have made will probably show the limitations on the extension of the pulp and wood industry in the South. Mr. Jones: From what is bristol board made? Is there any chance of having old cotton stalk cut into bristol board, or to practical use, to save the supply of timber? Mr. Cline: It can be truthfully said that paper can be produced from any fibrous material. Papers can be produced from cotton stalks, or corn stalks, or grass, or from a number Southern Forestry Congress 105 of other natural crops. The thing that limits us in these ma- terials is the question of mechanical handling. First, they pro- duce a low yield per ton — much lower than wood. Wood is the concentrated form of cellulose and produces a high yield per cuhic foot. The significant thing that complicates the use of those materials is the necessity for harvesting enough material at the time that the crop is harvested, to conduct a paper mill until the next crop comes. The use of nitro plants, especially corn stalks, is a subject that has been gone into a number of times. Corn stalks con- tain some sugar. As soon as these stalks are stored in large quantities, fermentation starts and destroys the value of the material for paper, and the yield is low, so that it means that in order to make a ton of paper from corn stalks, you would have to have about five tons of corn stalks. Now, about the smallest unit in a paper mill that can be run economically is one that will make about 50 tons of paper a day. We figure on an operation of 300 days, and you can just see what the problem of storing and harvesting enough material to run a mill all that time continuously would be, when we have to depend upon an annual crop to do it. Now, there is hardly any wastage in the making of paper. All the old newspaper — all the waste from the office — is col- lected and baled, and is sent back to centers where they work these chip board mills. They usually crowd about large cities, but even waste is baled and shipped to those mills. The waste paper is stored and worked into pulp, and worked into pulp again, and run on the machine, and worked into a sheet. A good mechanical pulp is added to that stuff to give it the nec- essary strength, but it is used over and over again, adding, to it from 10 to 15 per cent of a new pulp to keep its strength up to the requirement. Mr. Jones : What are the requirements for a site for a paper mill? Mr. Cline: I might summarize that idea by saying that there must be a sure supply of cheap fuel, first. If it takes three tons of coal to produce one ton of paper, it will take in terms of fuel oil about nine barrels of oil to produce one ton of paper. A mill, in other words, that produces 100 tons of paper a day, would use over 900 barrels of oil a day, or would 106 Proceedings of the use 300 tons of coal a day. So the mill must be located where it can obtain this fuel in an open market over a long period of years. The investment cost in a paper mill is probably more than any other wood working plant. A 100-ton plant at the present costs, in building, would cost something over $3,000,- 000. So, with such a large investment, it means that you have to look ahead for 25 or 30 years for all of your material, es- pecially fuel, and next in importance comes the water supply. It requires 40 gallons of water per ton of paper, which means that a 100-ton mill would consume 4,000,000 gallons of water a day, which is sometimes a problem to obtain that much water at certain localities. So you first have a place where you can get a reasonable fuel cost, and next an adequate water supply, and next, cheap wood. But the other two considerations are as important as the wood supply — even more so. Take three tons of coal at $6.00 a ton, that is $18.00 alone for fuel in a ton of paper. A Member: Can you tell us the names of the paper mills in the South, where paper is made? Mr. Cline : I am familiar with the location of all mills in the South. One of the first mills that ever produced paper on a commercial scale is at Orange, Texas. That mill was a pio- neer in the use of pine in the production of paper. In recent years it has, I think, fully justified the support that its original promoters gave it. They stood by the enterprise very gamely and persevered in their efforts even when losses had amounted to large figures, but in the last three years I understand they have been paid back fully for all money put in it. Probably the largest paper enterprise that is now operating in the South is at the plant of the Great Southern Lumber Company, at Bogalusa. It is not producing, strictly, a paper, as I understand it. They are making the boards, of which sam- ples are around the room here. There is another mill which has been followed with quite a little interest, by the men in- terested in this subject, at Moss Point, near Pascagoula, Miss. That mill was considered a well designed mill when it was started. It had difficulties, but they have all been worked out. The principal difficulties in the use of pine for paper have been in the recovering process — not in anything which is pe- culiar to the wood, but in the recovery of the chemical. The Southern Forestry Congress 107 pitchy matter in the wood has made the liquor foam badly, and in driving the water off, in order to retain the chemicals, they have had troubles due to that foam, and it has taken them some time to work out the detail of the process, but they have made good headway now, and I think as far as the technical points are concerned, that there is little difficulty about the feasibility of producing a good wood-paper from pine. Mr. Drolet : Might I ask the speaker what he considers a reasonable price per cord delivered of that raw material — that is, pine, especially? Mr. Cline: Well, on the present prices, you could have a very handsome figure for pine, but as compared with other woods, it is felt that pine should not cost more than seven or eight dollars a cord delivered over a period of years ; that is, with a wood supply that would assure you that price of wood, a paper mill enterprise looks more attractive provided the other things are all right. Of course, there is quite a little inertia to overcome in the shaping of any industry that involves such large investment of capital as the paper industry. It is not like a sawmill. It takes an enormous investment in the plant, and that means that it looks out for its supplies — long supplies — much more carefully, and has to do it much more carefully, than a mill enterprise. Mr. Calver : What about the price of newsprint? Is it likely to advance, and what is the possibility of getting it, and why is it so high? Mr. Cline : The reason why it is so high is why every- thing is so high. That is, it is partially that, but there has been a very enormous increase in the consumption of newsprint pa- per, and I just mentioned the fact, and cited, that the manu- facture of ground wood is limited to places where large quanti- ties of cheap power are available, and where the wood supply is available. So there are decided limitations on good mill sites for the making of newsprint paper, and I think if the increase in the consumption of newsprint paper goes on as it has been, and as it seems it will go on, that it is in that grade of paper that we will see the western forests come in heavily, because the western forests produce the number of species which are excellently adapted to the production of the ground wood, 108 Proceedings of the and there is a large amount of power available which can be developed at very little cost per horsepower, and at the present price of ground wood for newsprint, the freight into the consuming point would not be a prohibitive thing. Every- thing has gone up enormously. The mills, in 1914, or earlier than that, charged $40.00 a ton for newsprint paper, and that was a profitable price. I think it is selling now — I do not keep in very close touch with the quotations — at $160.00 a ton. Mr. Holmes : I would like to ask one question in regard to what Mr. Cline said about turpentining a tree before you use it for pulp. Would not that harden the fibre? Mr. Cline : I neglected to say that in the production of chemical pulp, there are two processes ; one, a sulphite process, known as the acid process, that can be applied successively to resinous wood, or alkali process, of which there are two — soda and sulphite — that can be applied to resinous wood. The alkali process can handle any amount of pitch. That is, the presence, of pitch does not affect the application of the pro- cess. It increases the chemical requirement slightly, but does not affect the use of the wood. This paper could be made from low wood by the alakli process. It would take more chemical per ton of pulp to do it, but it could be done. The question of the amount of pitch in wood, while the less there is the more desirable it is, yet pitch does not bother in the alkali process. The only trouble that it has caused is the one I have mentioned before, in recovery. It causes more trouble in re- covering the chemical output, but the foaming has now largely been overcome. Mr. McCurdy : I would like to ask the gentleman if he has any information on the use of tupelo gum in the manu- facture of the higher grades of paper? I know nothing about the manufacture of paper myself, but in these latter years, when print paper has gone so high, my mind has persistently turned to the great tupelo gum forests of the South, which are composed of a number of soft woods that have no gum, and it has often occurred to me that that offered a very golden opportunity to some man to make a fortune out of print paper. I don't know anything about it. Southern Forestry Congress 109 Mr. Cline: Well, the gums and poplars are good wood for the production of pulp that is used in the manufacture of book and print papers. They can only be used for the pro- duction of chemical pulp. That is, they have to be made by chemical process. And it is in that expensive class of paper — writing papers and print papers, such as they use for printing books — that these woods would find a use. Mr. McCurdy : That is a feature in its favor ? Mr. Cline: It is, and the time will probably come when they will be used more and more as available wood. A lot of poplar and cotton wood is used now. Of course, we find that a paper industry will cling to a site a very long time due to the heavy investment in a mill, and it very frequently pays to haul wood from a long distance rather than to abandon a mill. Mills are located in certain places and frequently high freights are paid in order to bring wood to them. Mr. Sinclair: I belong to that part of the game, gen- tlemen, where we destroy timber, and that is for providing cross ties for the different roads. We have purchased 25,000,- 000 feet. I am very much interested in the conservation of timber. There is so much good timber everywhere being wasted. Almost every day I go through woods and I find thou- sands of feet of good timber wasted in the production of cross ties that could have been utilized for some purpose. These cross ties are, of course, very necessary for the upkeep of the railroads, and we have to continue, I suppose, to butcher tim- ber in order to get them. I do not know what can be done in my section of the country, that is, in South Georgia and Flor- ida, to stimulate the production of new timber for the purpose of producing ties in future. There should be something done along that line. PROJECTS OF THE FORESTY COMMITTEE OF THE NA- TIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL By Dr. H. E. Howe VICE-CHAIRMAN, DIVISION OF RESEARCH EXTENSION The question of forestry never comes up without recalling to my mind that my maternal grandfather built his log house of black walnut and that many of the rails of the original 110 Proceedings of the fences were of the same wood, now so valuable. Of course, one could hardly afford to raise black walnut on Indiana farm land, and as the population increases and there is a greater demand for suitable areas where settlements can be made and agriculture pursued with profit, those regions which can be devoted to the growing of timber become more restricted, and at the same time increasingly important. It requires no emphasis to have you realize the great difference between yesterday and today, even here in the south, for as lumber- men, you know far better than I what vast resources the south- ern virgin forests represented and how rapidly these natural resources have been used or dissipated. Whereas but a short time ago timber resources of the south were described as in- exhaustible, today statistics prove that the remaining mer- chantable timber is very apt to be cut out within the next ten or fifteen years. What I have to present, however, does not concern the more efficient utilization of present timber so much as ques- tions involving land upon which the timber grows and its importance to the continual supply of merchantable timber. We all recognize the desirability of having settlers take up their abode in the south, for under the climatic and economic conditions here the settlement becomes attractive. It is be- lieved, however, that this settlemnt will be slow, and that there- fore those who now own cut over lands and who will remain the owners of such land for sometime in the future must continue to have considerable interests here. In other words, notwithstanding the desire of many to dispose of cut over lands and re-invest the proceeds in other parts of the con- tinent where timber is still to be had, the lumber and timber owners are sure to be interested for some little time in cut over lands. We must recognize that in many instances the old forest land is not suitable for agriculture, that it is best fitted for the production of forests, and that those of us who have profited so greatly by the exploitation of these natural re- sources owe it to posterity to replace at least a part of what we have consumed. There is a moral obligation in perpetu- ating the forests in those areas particularly well suited for that purpose. Besides this, such forests tend to make the settle- Southern Forestry Congress 111 ment of adjacent lands more attractive and the economic well-being of the community depends upon adjacent timber to a remarkable extent. The people at large, as well as the holders of the land, can no more afford to have it idle than can the owner of a busi- ness block afford to have it untenanted, or the factory owner to have part of his equipment unused. You have already sensed a certain growing sentiment in our country averse to the private ownership of large tracts of land, and it seems reasonable to expect this feeling to be augmented in cases where such holdings are productive. The utilization of cut over lands is by no means a new topic, and the work which has already been done in the south is to be commended and supported. The southern foresters deserve great credit for their work on the question, while the Southern Pine Association and similar groups have under- taken to question the problem in a serious and persistent fashion. The foresters generally, and particularly the United States Forest Service, have determined many factors that bear upon the solution of these problems, and too much can- not be said in praise of the work as a whole. Principles have been laid down, and many stones set in the foundation of a knowledge upon which we must construct our policy for the future. It is felt, however, that the problem is so large that progress cannot be made as rapidly as is desirable unless a co- ordinated attack upon a large scale can be made. The desirability of turning this guerilla warfare into a well thought out campaign has been discussed with a number of those interested, and the plan which I shall now present has the approval of the United States Forest Service, State and other foresters, and upon the recommendation of Secre- tary-Manager Rhodes, the Southern Pine Association will provide the funds thought necessary to carry out work here in the south. I can assure you at the outset that the keynote of the whole projects is cooperation, and that it contemplates bringing together all of those who have already undertaken work along this line who can be interested in joining in it. It is believed that the National Research Council offers the best opportunity for bringing together these forces and agencies for research, and a brief description of that organization may be of service here. The Council is not a Government Bureau, 112 , Proceedings of the nor is it supported by Government funds. It was organized by some forty national and technical societies and rests upon the Congressional charter of the National Academy of Sci- ences. It is a war product, having been established to co- ordinate the scientific resources of the country upon work on war problems. Such success attended the cooperation obtained that by executive order of the President of the United States it has been permanently established on a peace basis, and will promote and stimulate research, with particular reference to educational institutions from which our research workers must come, and to the industries which are benefactors in the first instance of results obtained through scientific study. The Council means to accomplish in a democratic way in our de- mocracy even greater scientific results than did autocratic Ger- many by methods unsuited to American conditions. The Coun- cil derives its support for general maintenance and organiza- tion from an endowment granted by the Carnegie Corporation, granted upon conditions which have been met through the generosity of a number of public-minded men, and some of its special work is supported by the General Education Board, the Commonwealth Fund, and the Rockefeller Foundation. In suggesting that the National Research Council undertake work along certain lines in forestry, it may be pointed out that funds required are for the traveling expenses of those who must do the field work, for clerical assistance, and for publi- cation expenses. The money will not be used for salaries of those who may be considered directors in the movement, for already a considerable number have expressed the willingness and desire to serve gratuitously. Fortunately, the National Research Council can accept such services, is enabled to invite anyone to cooperate, and is in an unusually advantageous po- sition to act as a clearing house. A particular advantage which th£ Council affords is due to its organization, in which the services of related sciences can be brought to bear .quickly upon the solution of problems engaging the attention of the Forestry Committee. Thus, in addition to the other committees in the Division of Biology and Agriculture we can mention the Divisions of Physical Sciences, of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, of Geology and Geography, and of Engineering. Southern Forestry Congress 113 In this connection, I may mention a calendar of current forestry research which is about to be published, and in which will be outlined the forest research projects under way in the United States and Canada. Those to whom the work has been assigned will be indicated, as well as the present status of the undertaking and the plans for the future. The publication of such information is certain to be of direct value to you. The personnel of the Forestry Committee is as follows : Prof. I. W. Bailey, Bussey Institute, Jamaica Plain, Mass.; Mr. C. C. Bates, U. S. Forest Service, Denver, Colo. ; Prof. Donald Bruce, University of California, Berkeley, Calif.; Prof. H. C. Cowles, University of Chicago, Chicago, 111. ; Prof. B. L. Grondal, University of Washington, Seattle, Wash.; Prof. C. D. Howe, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Prof. J. S. lllick, State Forest Academy, Mont Alto, Pa.; Mr. W. H. Kenety, Cloquet Experiment Station, Cloquet, Minn. ; Prof. Raymond Pool, University of Nebraska, Lin- coln, Nebr. ; Mr. W. N. Sparhawk, Forest Service, Washing- ton, D. C. ; Dr. Harry D. Tiemann, Forest Products Labora- tory, Madison, Wis ; Prof. J. W. Tourney, Yale Forest School, New Haven, Conn.; Mr. Raphael Zon (Chairman), Forest Service, Washington, D. C. Following a number of meetings and discussions on the part of the Committee, four major problems were outlined as those which deserve the earliest consideration. These are, first, The Quantitative and Qualitative Forest Increment on Cut over Lands ; second, The Standardization of Silvicultural Practice in the Various Forest Regions of the United States ; third, Correlation of Biological Factors with Physical, Mechan- ical, Chemical, and Structural Qualities of Timber; and Fourth, The Effect of Forests of the Atlantic Plain in the Path of Prevailing Winds upon the Humidity of the Central Prairie Region of the United States. Any one of these problems interests the entire profession of forestry — forest schools, state forest and federal forest ser- vices. The solution in every case is more complex than would appear upon casual examination. For example, the quantita- tive and qualitative forest increment on cut over lands involves the consideration of a large number of factors. One of these is the succession of vegetation on cut over lands. It is a matter of common knowledge that a certain type of forest, after it is 114 Proceedings of the cut over, particularly if the cutting is very heavy and followed by fire, does not follow itself, but is often succeeded by an en- tirely different type of vegetation, frequently of an herbaceous or shrub character. It becomes important that we should know just what cut over lands will produce in the next twenty-five or fifty years, and even further in the future. We need to know not only the kind of trees that are coming up, but how fast they are growing and the kinds and grades of material that will be pro- duced at the ends of definite periods. The study involves the measurement of thousands of sample areas well distributed over all the forest regions of the United States, and because of its wide scope it cannot be undertaken by any single academic or state agency, or even by the Forest Service. It calls for the cooperation of the entire forestry profession with the business interests. It is distinctly a research problem, the results of which will be of immediate value in determining policies of management with respect to this great natural resource. The standardization of silvicultural practice has to do with providing practical ways and means of securing continuous forest growth on lands unsuitable for any other purpose. This task involves a basic knowledge of the part played by such nat- ural factors as light, soil moisture, exposure, effect of fire, number of seed trees necessary per acre, longevity of seed stored in the forest floor, and anything else which applies to the solution of the problem of perpetuity of our forests by natural means. With respect to the correlation of biological factors with physical, mechanical, chemical and structural qualities of tim- ber, it may be pointed out that notwithstanding the excellent work done in the studies of mechanical, physical, and chemical properties, the work has been carried on in most cases without taking into consideration the biological features involved. The work has been done as upon any structural material, using prac- tically the same methods of testing, and while much valuable knowledge has been secured, we are still far from possessing definite laws regarding the structural properties of our timbers. It should be handled as an organic product and in the light of the organic processes that produce it. The effect of wide and narrow rings on the strength of the timber is well known, yet Southern Forestry Congress 115 the width of the rings is a direct result of conditions of growth and can he varied almost at will hy forest operations. The presence of knots in timber is a source of its weakness, and the production of clear or knotty timber is entirely dependent upon the density of the stand in which the timber grows — again a forest condition that can he modified hy forest opera- tions. The age of the tree, the amount of sap in the wood, the season of cutting, the falling of the timber, and the subsequent handling of logs all enter into the problem of strength. It is our firm conviction that without correlating the biological fac- tors that affect the growth of timber with its mechanical, phys- ical, and chemical properties we shall never be able to reduce our structural properties of wood to some definite laws of general application. The fourth problem has to do with proving or disproving the theory that the forests of the coastal plain, which are in the path of the prevailing moist, southerly winds, play an im- portant part in helping to carry the moisture further into the interior, acting in a sense as relay stations, giving up by evapo- ration moisture to winds which begin to give off their moisture in the form of rain after they strike the land as they move in- ward from the sea. If there were no forests these winds would soon be drained of the moisture absorbed by them from the ocean close to the coast, and would be relatively dry in their movement northward over the great granary of the country. If this theory could be proved correct, then it would have a di- rect bearing upon our entire forest policy and its effect upon agriculture in the central states. The broad scope of this program is, of course, very clear, and in order to concentrate their efforts the Committee proposes the following as the program which shall be undertaken here in the south : The determination of the factors that hinder or help forest growth to the end that the best means of bringing forest lands into the greatest productivity may be determined. It is believed that within three years sufficient data can be ob- tained to judge the economic conditions and to form a rational policy based on scientific facts. It is at once evident that this work must be tied up with that now in progress, as for ex- ample, with that of the conservation commissions, experiments such as those which Mr. Hardtner is conducting, the proposed work for the new experiment stations to be established in the 116 Proceedings of the south, and the cooperative undertaking in which the Southern Pine Association has joined with the Department of Agriculture on the development of better forage grasses. The first work will be to learn what is being done and what is planned by those now at work on the problem. Much of this information is al- ready in hand. Next a large number of plots must be examined and studied, and the Forestry Committee of the National Re- search Council is in a position to bring to bear the experience and training of many of the recognized leaders in special fields who can contribute knowledge of unusual value. It is also planned to ask that an Advisory Committee be appointed from among the southern lumbermen who are very close to the prob- lem in question, in order that the Committee may confer with them for the benefit of their practical experience. The plan has been worked out carefully and represents the best judgment of a considerable number of specialists, and it is felt that the willingness of those interested to join in the pro- gram will be regarded favorably by the public at large, which is interested in seeing forestry and the utilization of forest products become less of a speculation and more of an estab- lished industry. To be sure, other sections of the country are also interested in the productivity of cut over lands, and the Committee will seek cooperation in the region of the Great Lake States and the northwest in work of a similar character to be carried on under conditions peculiar to those localities, and financed by the interests to be benefitted. Further studies on silvicultural practice will be encouraged in those regions where there is yet time to so manage the forests that they will be- come self perpetuating. It is hoped that if you see faults in the plan thus briefly outlined you will contribute your constructive criticisms and suggestions. I trust you will find in the project much that meets with your approval, and that we can count upon your valuable support in carrying the plan through to a successful conclusion. The Chairman: I would like to call attention to the movement in the South for two Federal forest experiment sta- tions, one near Asheville, North Carolina, and the other in the Florida National Forest. A bill has already been introduced in Congress, one in the Senate and another in the House, to Southern Forestry Congress 117 provide for the station in the Southern Appalachians, at Ashe- ville, and similar hills will he introduced with reference to the Southern pine station in the Florida forest. This section will have to do with the determining of such questions as the best use to which land may be put and the most practical methods of forestry to adopt, and the like. The movement is very worthy of your support, gentlemen, and I earnestly hope that you will give it such. ELECTION OF OFFICERS Mr. J. C. Jones, for the Nominating Committee, reported the names of Mr. Henry E. Hardtner, President, Urania Lum- ber Company, Urania, La., for president ; and Mr. J. S. Holmes, State Forester, North Carolina Geological and Eco- nomic Survey, Chapel Hill, N. C, for re-election as secretary. On motion these gentlemen were then nominated, and elected by a rising vote. FRIDAY MORNING SESSION Mr. Henry E. Hardtner, President of the Louisiana For- estry Association, in the chair. Mr. Hardtner introduced Ex- Governor Jared Y. Sanders of Louisiana, now member of Con- gress from that State. Mr. Sanders spoke with pride of the twenty-seven conser- vation laws which he and Mr. Hardtner had been instrumental in framing and passing in the legislature during Mr. San- ders' term as Governor. He said that Louisiana was an excep- tion to the rule that communities do not practice conservation until all of their resources have disappeared. He felt that if the lumbermen had shown very great ability in exploiting the forests, their ability to preserve them should be as great, once they determined upon forest preservation. The Governor said that it was not necessary to destroy the forests entirely in or- der to secure the lumber which is so essential to human pros- perity, and that in his opinion it is possible to devise ways to remove the mature timber without injuring the smaller stuff. It is essential in his opinion that the forest industries be made permanent through forest conservation, and the practice of forestry. He declared emphatically that he would back proper conservation laws both State and National. 118 Proceedings of the The Hon. Fred J. Grace, Registrar of the State Land Of- fice, was introduced as the first forester of Louisiana. Mr. Grace told how he had helped in framing the early conserva- tion laws and had been instrumental in securing the chair of forestry at the Louisiana State University. Resolutions were presented by Hon. J. H. Wallace, Conser- vation Commissioner of Alabama, providing for the appoint- ment of permanent committees to carry on the work of the Congress until its next meeting; and by President W. Good- rich Jones of the Texas Forestry Association calling upon the President and Secretary to draw up by-laws for the Congress, to be presented to the next meeting. Both this and the former resolution were subsequently adopted. Mr. Henry E. Hardtner, President of the Louisiana For- estry Association in addressing the annual meeting, spoke in part as follows : Mr. Hardtner: "The evils resulting from deforestation are too often blamed on the lumberman, when in reality he is no more responsible than any other individual and is only car- rying on a business encouraged by the government and giving employment to thousands. A lumberman knows the lumber business just as the banker, the merchant, the mechanic, the farmer knows his, though some obscure individual may have a better idea of the plan and need of forests and reforestation than the lumberman who only knows the art of cutting trees in- to lumber. The lumberman has had to fight for the protection of his business and the government is equally persistent in getting as much taxes as possible from that business ; so the warfare will continue until the last tree is cut when the people will look around, take an inventory and wonder why they were so careless. I have no censure for the lumberman because of our fast disappearing forests, show him the remedy — the cure, and he will be the first one to act. There is one thing, however, that I am ashamed to ac- knowledge— Louisiana in her feeble efforts to perpetuate her forests has not kept faith with the lumberman in the original plan of conservation. The Conservation Commission created in 1908 under the Sanders' administration decided that it was the duty of the State to protect and perpetuate the forests. In order to have Southern Forestry Congress 119 the necessary funds to carry on the work the lumbermen agreed to pay a license tax on all timber severed from the soil ; and in order to make this tax effective a constitutional amendment had to be ratified by the people. Ample funds were to be secured in this way to be used for the prevention of forest fires and the purchase of denuded lands for state forests. The very next administration diverted every cent of this "severance tax" to other purposes and thus the forests have suffered. Governor Pleasants' administration has in a small way righted this wrong. Governor Sanders, Harry Gamble, Fred Grace, Sam Wood- ring and Col. Sullivan know that these are the facts and the records speak for themselves. The lumbermen have been mute, seemingly content to pay tribute so long as they were not further molested. All I ask of the lumbermen is, that they join with the Louisiana Forestry Association in urging the incoming administration to use this "severance tax" as the law intended and as the people by their votes said it should be. If the Federal and State Governments do their part and point out the fair, correct way, I am sure the lumbermen and forest owners will do theirs and the evils that come from com- plete deforestation will be averted." N. B. The legislature of Louisiana met some weeks later and appropriated $60,000 annually for two years for forest protection ; also passed a new forestry act which is almost per- fect. Thus the administration of Governor John M. Parker has righted past wrongs and set the pace for Southern States in perpetuating forests. LAND CLASSIFICATION By Austin Cary u. s. forest service A man drafted at nearly the last moment to fill in for another listed for an important paper, particularly if he has given no systematic study or thought to the subject, may be allowed to treat it in a free way. First, I would like to indicate a general attitude toward the Southern Country and its problems, the region to which in the main the paper must apply. Coming from New England, a section more densely populated and further developed in in- 120 Proceedings of the dustrial lines, more or less acquainted also with most other sections including the Far West, this Southland seems to me the land of greatest opportunity and promise in the United States today. The vast area involved, its immense productivity in various lines, an industrial development simple and primitive as yet, with development of corresponding volume and va- riety yet to come — these are the elements of a situation most interesting, of vast promise, at the time unique. A word may be said too as to the spirit in which this sit- uation should be met by those concerned. A narrow, individ- ual, selfish attitude may on the one hand be maintained. That will indeed accomplish some things, meet the situation in a somewhat effective way ; but there are so much better possibili- ties than that. True, each man must look after his own in- terests, hoe his own row, but the complimentary fact may well be in his mind at the same time that his sound and permanent prosperity depends on that of his neighbor as well. Then the big idea appropriated to oneself, the sense of being a free and loyal unit in a country growing, developing, becoming great, is a stimulus to the heart and mind. Given these conditions and this spirit, the next thing to secure is development according to sound methods and plans, and here we touch on the subject of this paper. Every useful thing is derived from the land. Timber, grass, farm products — we do not create any out of hand. They come out of the earth though labor and care may combine with nature in their production. This is patent to all in connection with the two last named, and coming to be a fact and to be recognized as such in connection with the first of the trio. From that it is a very short step to the further idea that some land is best suited to one sort of production and some to another. Land classification began in fact with the first settlement of every country. Prof. Lovejoy of Michigan in a late article on the subject has clearly recognized that fact, and while he would no doubt, like others, admit the frequent effectiveness of such classification, unconscious often and untrained, he gives illus- tration on the other hand of its frequent weakness and failure. This is one case he does by the career of the father of Abra- ham Lincoln who spent his life in moving from one location to another because after the long and laborious process of land clearing and home building he found in each case that he had Southern Forestry Congress 121 chosen a spot on which it was hardly possihle to make a living ; and Prof. Lovejoy goes on to say that the region in which he spent his efforts has proved unrewarding to this day, is now a region of small, unthrifty and dwindling population. With that, however, I feel like putting in a word for the untrained pioneer, for if he did work at disadvantage, on the other hand he worked hard and was resolute in it. The high qualities displayed hy the son in the case above mentioned per- haps arose in large part out of the very limitations of the father. 1 think too of my own New England stock. It has been told of the piece of land in Maine on which I was born and brought up that when first put under cultivation about 100 years ago, after the timber was cut and the stumps removed, it cost $100 an acre to clear the rocks off it. But a very sturdy and admirable life was in fact built on that and other such foundations. Those men meant single mindedly and without question to possess that land and to rear on it their social fab- ric. In that they succeeded, and furthermore as the years have passed when opportunities have arisen or calls been made they and their descendants have done their share in the develop- ment of and service to the country. Poorly rewarded labor due to unskilled selection of land, we cannot, however, in a broad way consider good and de- sirable ; it goes against our deep-seated judgment. Therefore, with increase of population and a growing volume and variety of industry based on the land comes, or may well come, skilled, professional classification. Let us in the first place draw a distinction between classifi- cation of land and soil classification. The latter is a purely technical thing, based on mechanical and chemical elements of the soil itself, and with relation, as thus far carried on, to adaptability to agricultural uses. The former is, or should be, broad, taking into account topography, location, relation to present population and markets, and should result in clear and specific statements as to what the land in question is actually and in the circumstances and time best suited to produce. Uti- lization for some purpose is, of course, the key ; we are all agreed that when the products of land, as they are in this country today or promise to be in the near future, are all needed, no great areas should be allowed to lie idle. 122 Proceedings of the I might, in the next place, define and illustrate this matter, and that will be done in part through instances derived from late experience. These I can derive best from Florida, and on mentioning that state I am reminded of a story which, however good or poor in itself, bears as will be seen on another aspect of the subject before us. The point of this story is not compli- mentary to Florida, but I can fairly tell it because it was told me by a Florida landowner and because I am perfectly free and ready to say in connection with it that along with what according to present knowledge is some of the poorest land known, Florida has also much that is good and some of the very richest that can be found anywhere. The two extremes in fact lie often side by side or checker-boarded in small areas. The story is as follows : A northern man, from Chicago perhaps, bought a piece of land sight unseen from Florida real estate agents. He did really know considerable about land when he saw it, but this time, for some reason unknown, trusted to representation. Af- ter a time, however, he had opportunity to visit the state and while there took a look at his property. He procured a guide and as is common practice in land examination started at one corner to go around it. It wasn't an attractive sight at the start — Florida has a lot of pure sand within its limits — and as they proceeded further it got no better. Down one side, across the end, up the other side they went. Finally, as they were tra- versing the last boundary, they came to a hole in the ground several inches in diameter. The landowner, new to Florida, asked what that was and received the answer that it was a go- pher hole. "What is a gopher?" was the next question, and the guide explained, what may be new to most of those here, that the gopher in Florida is a small land turtle. "Is he in there?" again asked the landowner, the guide answering that he probably was as he is a nocturnal animal. The visitor then reached in his pocket and pulled out a paper which proved to be his deed, shoved it down the gopher hole and made this sententious remark, "Well, he is in possession and I guess he might as well have legal title." To come back to the subject, two of us, a Bureau of Soils man and myself as forester, were recently examining with a view to its possibilities for timber production in future, a large Southern Forestry Congress 123 tract, now covered with longleaf pine, in the lower part of the Florida peninsula. For several days we had heen finding very slow growth, and soil factors responsible for that were readily identified in the shape of nearly pure sand, hardpan, and a wat- er table close to the surface. But one day we struck the prop- erty at a new point, found the young timber looking better, and stopped to cut a couple of trees and ascertain the rate at winch they were growing. And almost with first glance at those ax cuts I realized that the timber was growing at a vastly greater rate than we had previously found, and I said to the man who was doing the cutting that the soil man would surely find something different from what we had been having. Sure enough, the words were hardly out of my mouth when he came up saying that he had struck clay five feet down, at the end of his auger. Many other instances might be adduced in the same line — distribution of tree species in accordance with soil types, types of grass varying with the depth of the water table, etc. But such things, at least in relation to agriculture, are in a general way familiar. Scientific men work with these elements, and poorly educated but observant farmers, as was recognized in a late paper by Prof. A. D. Hopkins, very frequently use these elements, and that to the best advantage, as their guide. I may next bring out concretely, what was referred to in a general way before, the difference between soil and land clas- sification. We have for instance over large areas of the South, land whose soil is capable of high production, but of too strong topography to allow it to be profitably cultivated. It washes when stripped of a close cover of vegetation and the farmer's efforts are lost, perhaps the results are disastrous also on neigh- boring territory. Such land to be useful ought to do something else — bear grass or timber. Here I would like to refer to a phenomenon at the South, which strikes one coming from New England as peculiar. It seems in fact to be confined to the South at the present day, an heirloom from its earlier history That is the very small size of farm units in many sections, these embracing only such area as the farmer wishes to actually till, he depending on surround- ing land, the legal property of others, large lumber concerns in many cases, for his pasturage and perhaps also for his fire- 124 Proceedings of the wood and small timber. This system it seems to me is an un- desirable one for these and coming times, leading to irrespon- sible treatment of large areas. Just when or how or to what extent it will be changed is a question difficult to answer. Were the condition otherwise, the farm pasture and woodlot would take care of the matter of most desirable use for such land as I have mentioned on a large area. Of other elements outside the soil classifying land as suit- able or not for agricultural settlement, nearness to markets and the possibility of building up communities, so much su- perior generally to the detached farm, are others which need only reference. One other element, however, enters — that of timeliness, the date at which a given piece of land promises to be needed agri- culturally ; and here the key has been given by that sturdy worker for the sound upbuilding of the South, Mr. C. S. Ucker. He suggests that land in the South should be thrown into the three following classes : 1. Lands immediately available for general agriculture. 2. Lands of lower grade, that will not be wanted agricul- turally for a considerable time but well suited to grazing and timber growing. 3. Lands which as far as can be judged, it will not pay to handle with care for any of the above purposes for one or two generations. Those of this last classification in the South are certainly of small area. The advantages to be derived from general availability of sound information on the suitability of different bodies of land should be evident. In the first place, much misdirection of ef- fort on the part of large landowners would be saved. I think for instance of a recent occurrence not very far from this place — a large area cleared and put in crops to furnish winter feed for a big grazing enterprise. As a matter of fact the crop failed two out of three years following, and the con- clusion was finally arrived at that the soil, which bore grass naturally and before clearing was covered with a handsome second growth of timber, was fundamentally unsuited to cul- tivation. Take also the following: The land of a big lumber com- pany having the idea that it may perhaps be able to grow sue- Southern Forestry Congress 125 cessive crops of timber as a basis for a permanent manufactur- ing enterprise, is examined by a soil expert. As a result it comes out that about half the area owned by the company is underlaid by two of the most productive and reliable types of agricultural soil known to the South and when cleared of tim- ber, if knowledge of its existence spreads, will be wanted at once for agricultural purposes. That was a surprise to the company. Without the knowledge it stood a chance of mak- ing large expenditures to no good purpose. Great advantage to the proposing settler may also be de- rived. All are familiar with cases of unsuccessful settlement due to poorly selected land and the loss and demoralization of- ten resulting. This is frequently due to sheer ignorance on the part of those concerned ; sometimes it is due to commercial scheming. This last, to right-minded men, I think, appears about as criminal an act as any that can be perpetrated. Waste of years of effort, destruction of the life hopes of well-mean- ing people, — can anything be better calculated to tear down the morale and cohesion of the country? Really sound and ex- pert land classification, its results made available and utilized by all who may profit by them, would obviate very much of this difficulty. Then there is a third service which such information may render, and that more in line with the aims of this Congress — it might in a broad way designate what lands are clearly suit- able for early agricultural settlement and on the other hand those areas, if any, which is not worth while for any purpose to spend money on. That done, it would be clear that grazing and timber growing were the best uses to which much land of an intermediate character can be put, at least in the early fu- ture. Minds would then be cleared, owners and the public would settle down to the idea, and measures and adjustments might be freely carried out designed to get the best that is practicable out of them. The great gain to all parties and the state which would result from the frank adoption of this course I think should be evident. It is clear, however, that the work in mind cannot be entrusted to men of merely technical training and viewpoint. Broad, informed judgment must be applied to the matter. Turning next from the facts and needs of the situation to study what may be done actually, it would appear that what 126 Proceedings of the is required in the first place is clear and general understanding. If the relations above set forth are agreed to, (I believe I may say that in the minds of men of the forestry profession that has long been the case) it will be admitted that they have not been clear in the minds of many who are in one way or another in- volved, or will be. That remark is not meant to apply to the public and to business men only, but to scientific men who have been working on the borders of this problem. Soil surveys to date for instance have had in view almost without exception, value for crops alone, and have not considered these broader and equally important questions. A first step in advance, it would seem, might well be to get this idea of broad use clearly seated in the minds of workers in this field, a matter of adjust- ment among government and other scientists. Take the following, for instance, as a result of misconcep- tion on this subject. Soil men in some cases have indeed desig- nated what they called land suitable for forest, and that land as far as I have noted has soil so poor that it cannot possibly be utilized under American agricultural methods. This also is true with regard to some portions at least of the land so desig- nated— that its power of producing timber and grass is so small that for the present at least it is hardly, even for these purposes, worthy of attention. We would, in fact, by taking a fraction of the better soils (and there is an abundance of these not required for settlement for a very long time) raise our timber very much cheaper. This conception of absolute forest soil then, has sometimes had among us a rather misleading influence. Similarly, men seem often not to realize that considerable frac- tions of our very excellent soils are now and long will be avail- able for timber production for accidental reasons. What, however, may be done, specifically and practically, to secure for the service of business and the guidance of broad development at the South the benefit of sound information on this head ? One possibility comes to me from my own expe- rience. A year and a half ago application was made to the Forest Service from Florida for a study of forest fires and their ef- fects in that state. I happened to be the available man and as a first measure spent a month in looking the ground over. As a result of that I concluded that if the matter was to be ade- quately handled three men of different training were required, Southern Forestry Congress 127 an expert on soils, a grass man and a forester. Going baek to Washington with this idea, I met with a very friendly response in the Bnreau of Soil Survey, and Mr. J. (). Veatch, a man of wide experience and thorough training in the fields of geology and soils, and a pretty fair systematic botanist as well, was de- tailed to go back with me. We spent a number of months to- gether on that work last winter, and have since cooperated in doing a couple of jobs for large and broad-minded landowners. What comes of this work? Men cannot, indeed, working as we do, make a detailed survey of men's property, its soil types and aggregate producing power for timber. They can, however, in a relatively short time, determine the types of soil and of land existent and place an approximate rating on the grass and timber-producing power of those types under speci- fied methods of treatment. The owner, getting results in a clear and understandable form, may then make more detailed surveys for himself, or the information so secured may in it- self be sufficient for business purposes. Reliable and pointed, even though incomplete, information may be of great service in mapping out sound policies in connection with a big property. The results derived from one such piece of work have been cited already, and I have just come from another, the owners stating that results would be particularly valuable to them in settling development policy for 600,000 acres of land in con- nection with the local railroad. My suggestion is that the gov- ernment bureaus or state institutions train and make available men who on demand may be employed to make such land ex- aminations. Nor need this sort of work be done under public auspices entirely. In that connection there comes to my mind a fine piece of work, in another but equally important line, done on the initiative and at the cost of the Southern Pine Association. In making a survey of standing pine timber in the states from North Carolina to Texas, that great commercial organization has shown broad-mindedness and public spirit and done a piece of work of great value to the country no less than to its mem- bers. These are so many and own in the aggregate such a vast area of land that it seems as if the Association might very profit- ably employ a small group of well equipped men to settle the sort of questions we have been considering. Other bodies might perhaps usefully do the same thing, for instance, either the 128 Proceedings of the state or the parent organizations of those now being organized by Mr. Ucker. So much, to my mind, seems desirable, and practicable as well an opportunity for highly rewarding expenditure of money. Some indeed have gone further and suggested thor- ough-going, state-wide land classification. The idea is submitted here without comment further than the remark that such thor- oughgoing treatment of a subject generally takes a long time for completion, to set on foot even, and on the principle that half a loaf is better than no bread I think we would do well in the present instance to keep at work on lines of least resistance. Mr. L. V. Spraker, Land and Development Agent of the Natalbany Lumber Company of Hammond, La., described the careful survey which his company is making of their large land holdings, aggregating a hundred thousand acres or more. In this survey topography, types of soil, amounts of standing tim- ber and young growth, amount of down material, etc., are being recorded, and notes are also being made as to the accessibility of the various tracts, the cost of clearing, and similar data. The final object is to classify the land into agricultural land, grazing land, and other land. Mr. B. T. Gallaher, Logging Superintendent of the Trout Creek Lumber Company, Trout, La., described the holdings of his company as being very largely grazing lands. State Forester, Wm. T. Cox, of Minnesota, suggested that the foresters eschew the term non-agricultural in speaking" of land not suited to farming or grazing. He pointed out that owing to local pride many communities will resent having any of their land described as non-agricultural, but that they would on the other hand welcome statements showing the high value of the land for timber growing. Mr. H. B. Holyroyd, Agricultural and Immigration Agent of the L. & N. Railroad, described some of the late agricultural developments on what had been considered the poorer piney woods soils of the South. Miss Caroline C. Dorman, newly appointed chairman of the forestry committee of the Louisiana Federation of Wo- men's Clubs, made a plea for the reservation of a small area of virgin pine timber in Natchitoches parish as a State Park. She expressed the hope that this movement, which was based Southern Forestry Congress 129 on purely sentimental consideration, would not interfere with, but rather help in, the larger movement for the practice of forestry on great areas in the state. State Forester, Wm, T. Cox of Minnesota, described the part played by the Minnesota Forestry Association in further- ing the work of forestry in his state. Mr. Cox was emphatic in declaring that the Association had played a vital role in se- curing the passage of much of the State forest legislation, and in championing the establishment of state forests. He urged every Southern state to develop a strong state forestry asso- ciation as an effective means of support for the constituted au- thorities. FRIDAY AFTERNOON SESSION FORESTRY IN THE LANDES (SOUTHERN FRANCE) By Theodore S. Woosley, Jr. MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE INTERALLIED WAR TIMBER COM- MISSION, 1917-1919 Introduction : The reclamation and f orestation of the sand wastes of the Landes and Gironde between Bayonne and the Garonne River (north of Bordeaux) is perhaps the best possible illustration of the benefits of forestry to the individual, to the community and to the nation. The individual who pio- neered in sowing these sands made a handsome profit, the com- munities were saved from obliteration by the encroachment of the sand dunes and became rich after being bankrupt, and lastly France found itself sovereign of departments producing a handsome revenue instead of having to furnish them assis- tance. Nor should the indirect benefits of this work be over- looked ; a region formerly fever stricken became healthy and today places like Arcachon and Mimizan are health resorts both in summer and winter. And I wish to emphasize that much of this land was sand worthless for agriculture, mediocre for grazing but nevertheless an ideal soil for the rapidly growing, resine producing, maritime pine, which yields up to 20 M. ft. bd. m. per acre at sixty years. Bremontier, a great engineer and believer in forestry, was able to put the work of stabilizing the dunes and forestation on a sound basis during the years 1787 to 1817 and the problem was solved during his adminis- tration. He proved to the canny French that the work was sound financially. The parallel between the so-called sand 130 Proceedings of the wastes of the South and the great Landes Region in Southern France is most striking. What will the South do with its sands? Surely it will profit from the example set by France and avoid its costly early mistakes. Let me give you a picture of the Landes conditions before and after the application of forestry and the measures that were necessary to repair the results of past improvidence. Preliminary Work: The "Landes" is a triangular area of some 1,977,00 acres *bounded by the Atlantic Ocean, and the three rivers, Agronne, Midouze and Adour. Three quarters of a century ago this was mostly an unhealthy level sand waste of swamp land, ponds, brush, and limited mediocre stands of maritime pine with a scattering of oak with other broad leaves. There was no system of roads and the chief industry was sheep and goat grazing. As early as 1737 the reclamation of this waste land was under consideration but only after Cham- brelent, Bremontier and others had shown that drainage and forestation were practicable did the state secure the law of 1857 which provided for the (a) drainage of communal land and (b) the construction of a system of roads to tap the areas drained. The drainage was finished in 1865 and cost only $172,484 to drain 468,767 acres (which had been purchased from the communes) and by 1860 they had spent $1,238,095 on roads. The communes had forested 183,000 acres by 1891 (or y!\ the waste area they owned) and the forestation of private land had not lagged behind. The foundation stones were thus drainage and good roads. But before forestation, the coast dunes also had to be sta- bilized. Dunes: The maritime dunes of France are formed of sand drifted from the ocean, f The sand dries out on the beach at low tide and is blown inland. The normal dune is entirely a natural phenomenon, but its movement far inland is usually caused and accentuated by the destruction of bordering forests and soil cover. *Huffel, Economic Forcstiere, Vol. 1. pp. 177-184. t Notes sur les Dunes de Gascogne par J. Bert. 1900. Southern Forestry Congress 131 Huff el says there are the following maritime dunes in France :* DEPARTMENTS Nord, Somme Finistere, Morbihan Loire-Inf., Vendee, Charente-Inf. Gironde, Landes On depts. on Mediterranean Totals for France AREA IN ACRES MAIN OWNERSHIP, PRIVATE 30,147 3,954 % private, % state 33,606 State 252,046f Vz state, y2 private or communal 2,422 Private 322,175 private, Yz state The dune areas in the Gironde and Landes are about equal. The maritime pine covers considerable ground outside the dunes. There is a total of 1,656,630 acres of forest (mostly maritime pine) in the Lot et Garonne, Landes and Gironde divided as follows : OWNERSHIP Private and communal forest Communal forest under state control State forest ACRES 1,510,549 17,411 128,670 1,656,630 By 1899 there were 140 miles of artificial barrier dunes in the Landes and Gironde Departments alone, the first barrier dune having been constructed in 1833. Construction and Objective of Coast Dunes: We have al- ready seen that the ocean said, if unchecked, drifts inland and submerges everything of value in its path. The theory of fixing or stabilizing the sand is to secure and maintain the following- conditions : DESIRED CONDITION Gradual shelving beach Barrier dune OBJECTIVE To allow the waves to break their force without eroding or washing the dry sand. To dam the drifting sand. * Huffel, Vol. 1, 149-150. f This is substantially the same area as was reported in 1822 ; in 1800 Bremontier had estimated it at 271,815 acres, and at over 181,420 acres in 1803 while Villiers had grossly over estimated the area in 1779 at 878,913. 132 Proceedings of the DESIRED CONDITION OBJECTIVE Grass or vegetable cover To maintain the sand in place on and around the barrier dune. Forest protection belt To help maintain the sand in place and to protect the merchantable stands from the effects of the wind. The underlying principle is as follows : *"Every fixation system is founded on the following prin- ciple : In the mass of bare sand, susceptible of being eroded by the wind, the transport takes place grain by grain. There- fore, if the displacement of the surface particles can be stop- ped, there is nothing to fear regarding those underneath, and the entire mass is fixed. "The method consists in sowing the maritime pine under cover. It is to a landowner at Teste, Pierre Peychan — often known under the name Maitre-Pierre — that we owe this method, both simple and practical which he advised Bremontier about, and which we still use, almost without modification. "To keep the seed from being buried by the sand a cover of brush is laid over the entire surface seeded. This precaution is necessary not only for holding the seed but also for protecting the young plants against the action of the moving sand ; for the moving crest of particles, projected without end against the growing stems, wears them out to a point where they fall over being no longer able to hold up their heads ; most of them would thus die. In practice, bundles of fagots, up to 1,000 per acre, are scattered over the area to be forested. These fagots are 3.3 feet in circumference and 4.3 feet in length. For their manufacture the furze (a jouc) is the species preferred ; then comes the genista (genet), then the heather, tree heathers, the rouches (reed of fresh water marches) and pine branches; but these latter have the disadvantage that too often under their cover, cryptogamic diseases break out. The thorns, briars, ferns and light woods do not protect the soil sufficiently. Immediately after the sowing of the seed, the areas sown are covered over, or better still, the two operations are carried out at the same time. The brush is placed as you proceed to- wards the sea, the large ends facing (the sea) and the branches of each tier covering the base of those which precede them. ♦Boppe, p. 478-481. Southern Forestry Congress 133 Then in order to keep this cover in place the workmen put good sized piles (pelletees) of sand on the portions where no seed has been sown, and spread it on the outstretched branches, about twenty-four inches apart, measuring from the centers. The sole improvement made on the system of Pierre Peychan and Bremontier, is that of fixing the cover in place by means of small poles placed across and held down by notched stakes driven into the sand. At the end of the day's work the last row is securely fixed so any wind storm will not wreck the work already done. "To sum up, it is really a dead cover which has been placed on the soil. P>ut it would not last indefinitely, it is clearly but the beginning to be followed by a living cover which will carry on its role." At Lacanau, there were four kinds of barriers against sand erosion: (1) To prevent the erosion of the tops of barrier dunes; upright stakes were placed 1.6 feet apart, 1.3 to 3.3 feet in height, with interwoven branches and genista to pre- vent the sand from shifting through. Here the ordinary pali- sades had been abandoned because the natural method just described is considered cheaper to maintain when once the pro- tective dune is raised to the proper height by use of the pali- sade method. Here the artificial dunes were fifty-two feet in height. (2) To protect the rear of the protective dune ; rows of genista 2.3 feet high were sunk 1.1 to 1.3 feet in the soil. This resulted in keeping the rear of the protective dune to the proper height. (3) To hold the sand; branches were laid on the sand to prevent wind erosion. (4) To hold and build up areas where the sand had been excavated by the wind near the ocean; clumps of genista (1.6 feet in circumference) were planted in quincunx. Forcstation : We have seen that the first step is to make sure that the protection dunes are stable, and that the first essential is to sow or plant grass on the slopes towards the sea about sixty to seventy feet from high tide. The present method of sowing takes about eighteen pounds of seed* of maritime pine per acre, 1.8 of genista, and 1.8 of ♦Maritime cones are collected from Jan. 1 to March 1 ; genista seed is collected June to July and thrashed the end of July ; maram grass is collected in August. 134 Proceedings of the maram grass. The tendency is to sow too densely. The cor- rect method of sowing means scattering the seed, theoretically about one to two inches apart. The seed is then covered with branches held down by sand. The cover is absolutely essential so that the sand will not burn the seed and so that the surface will not blow. A second method is by holes four inches deep and twenty inches apart ; covered with genista and held down with sand. Where forests are sown or planted taxation is re- mitted for thirty years. But natural regeneration is the rule. Cost Data: Bremontier's original estimate for the dune control and forestation was about $772,000. The final cost* of reclaiming 195,212 acres totaled $1,854,344 or $9.50 per acre. In addition $656,200 was spent on maintenance for roads, forest houses, fire lines, and barrier dunes, making a grand to- tal of 2^2 million dollars. But just as Bremontier predicted, the annual revenue from this land, which would otherwise have been worthless, is more than the original amount spent. Ac- cording to Huffel f the total "Landes" pine forest (including state, communal, and private) comprised 1,611,121 acres which represents an investment of 10,331,290 on the following ba- sis: * The details were as follows : Cutting 1,400 fagots at 80 cents per 100 $11.20 Working them up at 80 cents per 100 11.20 Transport 1,500-2,000 metres at 4 francs per 100 56.00 Drying at 1 franc per 100 14.00 Miscellaneous fagot expense at 75 cents per 199 10.50 Yz hectolitre maritime pine seed 10.00 5 kilograms genista seed 2.50 Miscellaneous expense and repairs 4.60 Total $120.00 (or $9.26 per per acre) tHuffel, Vol. I, p. 159. Southern Forestry Congress 135 TOTALS IN DOLLARS 74,131.3 acres of dunes reforested by the state at a cost of $10.75 plus per acre $926,400 1,536,989.3 acres of private and communal interior holdings forested at $4.25 per acre 6,602,530 1,611,121 acres of soil at cost of ^.77 plus per acre 1,258,360 K.7K7.290 Road betterments 1,544,000 Grand total expense $10,331,290 This is equal to an average investment of only $6.41 per acre. A conservative estimate of yield (before the war) was $2.22 per acre per year. Thus if taxation is eliminated the original investment yields over 30% as a national "speculation." But it must be noted that the real soil value was almost nothing at the time the investment was made. Huffel estimates the average forest revenue in the Landes at $2,702,000 net per year representing a new capitalization (including timber) of at least $86,850,000 or about $54 per acre. As a matter of fact, state forests with growing stock have been sold for around $60 per acre and today average more than $93 per acre for land purchased at less than a dollar. Bare land sold for $16 to $32 an acre prior to 1914 for what it could produce. And today there are winter and summer resorts where formerly it zvas a fever district. The artificial barrier dunes cost about $96 per mile. The forestation cost has been as high as $38.60 per acre in the Landes, and in Coubre dunes only $14.20. In 1817 a large area was sown at a cost of $15.05 per acre. In 1827 Dejean* reported the cost per acre had been reduced to $9.26. Today it would be double or triple, but the average is largely reduced by natural regeneration. The cost per acre for hoeing (to eight inches depth) and clearing fire lines has been (according to Bert) about $6.50 or for fire line thirty-three feet wide $26.00 per mile. THE MANAGEMENT OF THE ESTABLISHED FOREST Once the forest is established it is managed so as to produce timber and rosin perpetually; the French had learned their les- son. First comes a protection belt bordering the dunes. On the Lacanau (Gironde) State Forest the dune protection strip* *According to current working plan. 136 Proceedings of the is 2,625 feet wide where only the dead and dying trees are cut. In the state forest of Carcans (Gironde) the protective zone is in three distinct parts, and the growth of the dune forests as you approach the ocean (east to west) is similar to the decrease in growth as you near the limit of tree growth in the moun- tains. (1) The littoral zone of mere shrubs which is 535 to 1,322 feet wide. (2) A zone of badly formed trees of no com- mercial value, of slow growth and open formation. (3) A third zoneN where the stand is sufficiently dense to be tapped but which is maintained without tapping as a protective bar- rier. It is very significant that these trees which are exposed in part to the rigors of the ocean winds are not tapped at all but are maintained exclusively as a protective zone. Silvicultural Systems: Next to the protection working group ( which is in the shape of a long strip parallel to the ocean) additional working groups (in strips Y% of a mile wide) are laid out from west to east. These are treated as high for- ests by the shelterwood computment system with the usual seed fellings and secondary fellings omitted since regeneration is easy by clear cutting without the necessity of seed trees or the shelter of a portion of the mature stand. The seed is furnished by the felled trees. Immediately around Arcachon, the maritime pine is under the selection system and is kept entirely cleared of undergrowth, since it is maintained as a sort of pleasure park for the tourists. In the nearby forest of LaTeste, some clear cut- ting was practiced entirely too near the sea and after two years, the regeneration had only partially succeeded. It would have been much better to have left a protective zone of virgin timber for seed since clear cutting close to the sea is always dangerous, especially with the current fire danger. Intermediate Fellings: After the stand has been regen- erated, the sapling thickets are thinned to avoid fungus damage (before they reach merchantable size) by the so-called "de- pressage" and cleanings are sometimes necessary to protect the pine against the heather. In the forest of Biscarrosse partly logged by the A. E. F. (Landes), thinnings by tapping alive are conducted as follows : Southern Forestry Congress 137 "The thinnings made every five years* will aim to open up the forest. This favors both the production of wood and resine in maritime pine. The thinnings will aim to maintain the tim- ber in a good state of growth by placing it under the best con- ditions for increment owing to the fact that maritime is a light demanding species ; one should not forget that in the case of this species the underwood as well as the suppressed trees are valueless and that the upper story alone is of interest. This cultural rule seems much surer than that given in the working plan report. "In the regenerated stands the thinnings with tapping will commence at about twenty-five years of age, as soon as the timber shall have attained a sufficient size to enable it to stand a face. Except when the removal of a pine is more or less ur- gent, tapping to death or 'tapping to exhaustion' will be fol- lowed. The tapping to exhaustion will precede the application of tapping to death by at least the length of a period (five years)*. It can be accomplished by one or by two faces ac- cording to the size of the trees. This method of tapping will be applied to the entire stand of each periodic block during the period which precedes regeneration. The tapping without kill- ing (gemmage a vie) will continue to be applied to the pine thirteen inches and over at breast height. Very vigorous trees measuring at least sixteen inches in diameter can be intensively tapped without killing and receive two faces. This method of extracting the rosin can be made general and will be justified chiefly during the three or four periods preceding regenera- tion. "The application of 'exhaustive tapping' and of intensive tapping without killing (without injury to the stands) has been rendered possible by the decision of the Director General dated March 23, 1908, who has authorized the Mont-de-Marsan in- spection to reduce the sizes of the faces in height and in diame- ter." It should be particularly noted that so-called exhaustive thinnings which precede the usual thinnings by tapping to *But see "new tapping" scheme where the period will be four years. 138 Proceedings of the death, are a new feature of French practice aimed at the in- crease of rosin production* in state forests. According to present methods it takes seventy to eighty years to grow maritime pine in state forests, and fifty-five to sixty-five years in private forests, which are usually on richer soil. The scheme of management is simple. Each forest is divided into working groups (or logging units) which are in turn divided into compartments. These compartments are tapped for rosin and finally cut for timber when ripe, and the brush scattered on the ground. The equal annual yield is ob- tained by cutting and tapping equal areas each year. The tim- ber is thus thinned, tapped and cut when it reaches maturity. The new forest comes from the seed in the tops of felled trees which are protected from fire. New Tapping Scheme: The French have officially aban- doned the fifth year of tapping because of the following ob- jections: (1) difficulty of chipping the face when it is over 9.8 feet high. (2) this high face (which is often too deep because of the difficulty of accurate chipping) heals poorly or at least very slowly. (3) an important part of the bole is damaged by * The rosin industry has been prosperous in France during the war and according to Conservator De Lapasse, writing from Bordeaux De- cember 16, 1919, the average price per liter (1.05671 liquid quarts) of rosin (resines ou gemmes) for the past fourteen years are as follows: YEAR 1906 PRICE PER LITER $ 0.050 YEAR 1913 PRICE PER LITER $ 0.048 1907 0.052 1914 (a) 0.054 1908 0.052 1915 (b) 0.025 0.046 1909 0.058 1916 0.093 1910 0.071 1917 (c) 0.125 1911 0.079 1918 (c) 0.135 1912 0.071 1919 (c) 0.208 (a) Price up to the war. (b) Price August 1 to October 1, 1914. (c) In 1917 the franc ran S]/2 to the dollar, in 1918 about 5l/2 to S¥A and in 1919, 5*4 to 11^. The normal rate per cent $.193 to the franc has been used in conversions. Southern Forestry Congress 139 high face. For these reasons the tapping period is to be chang- ed from five to four years. The dimensions for the faces now are: WIDTH HEIGHT YEAR (centimeters) (inches) 1 9 3.5 2 9 3.5 3 8 3.1 4 7 to 6 2.75 to 2.36 (cent.) (inch i:s) 60 23.6 60 23.6 75 29.5 it. 95 37.4 2.90 9.5 meters With the former fifth year system in vogue, the total height was 3.70 metres (12.1 feet) before 1904; 3.40 metres (11.1 feet) from 1904 to 1909; 3.20 metres (10.4 feet) since 1910. Technique of Tapping : It is necessary* for a good worker to be able to cut a thin even slice of wood to increase the face, and to continue the face vertically following the grain of the wood. The sliver is about three inches wide, five to sev- en inches long and usually less than .4 of an inch deep. The first step is always to smooth the outer bark with an axe. The tendency is always to bark too much rather than too small an area. In placing the gutters, care should be taken not to cut into the tree with the "place-crampon" more than .2 of an inch since this is a sufficient depth (in as much as the gutter is glued by the sap as soon as it flows) and besides if the gutters are set too deep, it is very difficult to remove them in the au- tumn. The gutter should, of course, be slightly inclined to- wards the ground so that the sap will run off into the cup. There seems to be a good deal of variation in the frequency of tapping. Some chip once per week during the entire season and others every five days while some will only chip every twelve to fifteen days, which decreases the rosin flow. On the whole, it is better to chip at regular intervals with the rule that the chipping should be more frequent during the hot weather in the summer than during the spring and autumn. A common rule followed in the Landes is : "To chip once every five days from May 15 to September 15 and once per week during the remainder of the period." * Le Pin Maritime (Manuel Pratique) par R. Cattin et J. J. Saint- Jours. 140 • Proceedings of the The cups are usually cleaned seven times a year and the rain is poured out after chipping. The trees are scraped once, sometimes between October and December. It is usually rec- ommended to commence at the first of March and continue un- til the end of October. It is not only necessary to secure a quantity* of gum but also to secure a good quality. Therefore, it should not be al- lowed to deteriorate in the cups. On the other hand to collect too frequently means an unnecessary expense. To dip ten times per season is hardly necessary while seven or eight times is a good average. Five collections a year on the other hand, is not often enough. The difference between good clean rosin and that which is full of chips and other debris may amount to as much as a dollar a barrel. French and American Methods Contrasted : The main dif- ference between government tapping methods in France and America seems to be in the width of the face and the annual rate of increase in its height and the number of faces per tree. In the United States, the first streak cannot begin higher than ten inches above the ground. In France it can be anywhere above the root swelling. In American, the maximum depth of streak is .5 inch ; in France it is approximately .4 inch. In American, in Federal tapping operations no tree less than ten inches can be tapped and trees sixteen inches and over can have two faces, while trees ten to sixteen inches can have but one face. In France, the minimum diameter of tree tapped on State forests (unless to be removed in thinnings) is thirteen inches and the number of faces is especially designated by the Waters and Forest Agent. In the United States, the face can be ten to twelve inches wide (on one experiment the faces av- eraged nine inches) with no specified decrease in width as the face proceeds up the tree. In France it is 3.5 to 2.4 inches, de- creasing each year as the distance above the ground increases. The maximum height increase per year in the United States is sixteen inches, while in France the face can be lengthened twenty-four to twenty-six inches, and even up to thirty-nine inches in case of four-year tapping. Without more exhaustive *The workman received (before the war) one-half the resin for their pay and the operator or owner furnished the cups and gutters. Southern Forestry Congress 141 experiments the best methods to follow cannot be stated ; here is a field for scientific investigation which must not be over- looked by the Southern States*. Accomplishment: What has been accomplished in the Landes? In place of virtually worthless fever stricken land the French have a balance sheet of : ( 1 ) Revenue producing forests protected from fire. (2) A protection for important industries such as agricul- ture. (3) A needed supply of timber,** mine props and resine products. (4) A healthy land to live in with largely increased popu- lation. Is it to be wondered that the French Chamber of Deputies has declared that producing forests are of paramount neces- sity to the nation and insist on their perpetuation? But it should be noted in closing this paper that the French govern- ment itself took the initiative financially and technically in the reclamation and forestation of the Landes ; it blazed the trail for the private owner. A PREDICTION If we may judge from what has happened in Southern France (Landes and Pyrennes) under somewhat similar con- ditions the following predictions (or guesses) may be made regarding the future of the potential forest soil of the South, say twenty-five years hence. General: When forests must be grown as a crop or a permanent industry instead of being mined or destroyed as a natural resource the stumpage prices for smaller trees will be two or three times the present rates and the business of for- estry will be next to agriculture the most important industry of great land states like Louisiana which has the sunlight, soil and water necessary for the rapid growth of timber. But be- fore the Southern States have time to start forest production *Such experiments as were commenced by Mr. Hardtner are needed all over the South to determine the best methods of forest practice. **The principal exploitations of the American Forests Engineers, A. E. F., were in the Landes South of Bordeaux. They cut 41.4 million board feet. 142 Proceedings of the in earnest there will probably be disastrous floods and other damage as well as an economic shortage of wood products through unwise use of existing forest resources. Plains : In the level or rolling country unsuited for agri- culture : 1. Forestry will be the economic backbone of the region; without productive forests the country cannot be prosperous. 2. Without forests the region would be less healthy. 3. Where forests are cut off the water level would be lower than before their destruction. 4. With forest destruction the local population will de- crease, and vice-versa. 5. The yield from perpetual rosin crops on certain soils will be greater per acre than from timber production. 6. The value of land will decrease with forest destruction and increase according to the net revenue from forest produc- tion. 7. With a warm climate and species of rapid growth short rotations will be possible and therefore forest production will be more profitable than in the Northern States. Mountains: Unless the steep slopes remain forested there will be millions of dollars of damage from floods and erosion. At least yi to % the Appalachian ranges will be in public own- ership, and the public will own a much larger per cent of forests in the mountains than in the plains. These mountain forests when publicly owned will pay in- terest charges on the money invested from a sale of the timber products produced, will give the necessary soil protection, and will furnish a summer playground for the Southern people. Mr. J. E. Rhodes, Secretary-Manager of the Southern Pine Association, spoke briefly on the economic conditions which are making forestry a possibility in the South. Mr. Rhodes described the members of his association as producing six out of ten billion feet of pine lumber manufactured in the region which it covers. He declared the recent rise in lumber prices, which have been accompanied also by a rise of stumpage values, have made the practice of forestry more and more possible. He cited the fact that longleaf pine stumpage five years ago was worth $4 to $5 a thousand, and is now worth $8 to $10. Saying that there is a 12 to 15 per cent loss in lum- Southern Forestry Congress 143 ber manufacture due to the inability of the mills to dispose of odd widths and odd lengths; he described the efforts of the Southern Pine Association to persuade the lumber retailers to accept odd lengths and widths and lower grades, fie said that the retailers are beginning to consent to accept such material. Laminated construction is another conservation measure which his association is urging. He remarked upon the fact that vir- gin white pine stumpage in the Lake States has reached a price of $25. Mr. Rhodes cleared away the misconception which has existed with regard to the responsibility of the Southern Pine Association for the stumpage figures given to the public by the Emergency Fleet Corporation during the war. The Fleet Corporation's survey had shown a total volume of standing pine timber in the South of slightly under 100 billion board feet, of a quality suitable for ship construction. This estimate while quoted by the Southern Pine Association in some of its bulle- tins was not originated by the Association. During ' the past year the Southern Pine Association had undertaken to check the estimates of the Fleet Corporation, and in so doing its agents had secured data on 5,531 mills in the southern pine re- gion. This survey had shown that about half of the timber is in the hands of the operators, who for the first time were able to make money out of the actual manufacture of lumber as distinct from the realization upon stumpage advances. During 1919 the Association found that 800 new mills, stimulated by the possibilities of profit in actual manufacture, had been es- tablished. Most of these were small and many are cutting small growth. The Association figured that the year's output of southern pine was about 15 billion board feet, which is al- most a record, and is unlikely ever to be reached again. In its survey of standing timber the Association had made an at- tempt to report on the annual increment through second growth, and believed it to be 3 to 5 billion feet, or possibly as high as 6 billion feet, annually. Mr. Rhodes touched on the possibility that with the increasing substitution of other ma- terials for wood the annual cut in the South would drop until it was equalled by production. He declared that the practice of forestry is becoming a serious commercial possibility. Secretary C. E. Van Camp of the American Hardwood Manufacturing Association of Memphis, Term., was called on to comment upon conditions in the hardwood industry. He 144 Proceedings of the said that these were not unlike the conditions in the pine in- dustry as described by Mr. Rhodes. He cited as an instance of high prices the fact that the present stumpage value of gum is $6-$7 per M., while gum veneer logs are bringing $70. He stated that the present high prices of hardwood lum- ber are due to high wages and to very bad weather, which has greatly depleted the stocks on hand. He stated that there is no immediate shortage of hardwood stumpage, and deprecated "scares" based on a timber famine. Upon being questioned by Colonel Graves, however, he admitted that hickory, walnut and ash stumpage is getting scarce. Mr. R. C Jones, State Forester of Virginia, was prevented by work connected with the session of the Virginia legisla- ture, from preparing a formal paper on "Fire Protection and the Private Owner," but spoke informally on that subject. He described how individuals, mostly lumber companies and land- owners, had cooperated with the state of Virginia in fire pa- trol, in the construction of roads, trails, telephone lines, and other improvements necessary to fire protection, and in slash disposal. The extent of this cooperation had been very consid- erable. He mentioned a number of new forestry bills which are to be presented in the present legislature, particularly those dealing with the railroad fire situation. Among these was a proposed law which would permit railroads to burn strips for protective purposes parallel to their tracks of greater width than their rights of way where the latter were too narrow to make effective fire lanes. State Forester, J. S. Holmes of Chapel Hill, N. C, and J. G. Peters of the United States Forest Service, Washington, spoke briefly on the fire situation — Mr. Holmes touching upon cooperation with the railroads, and Mr. Peters upon statistics concerning fires in the South. After the passage of a number of resolutions in addition to those passed on the previous day, President Hardtner called upon Conservation Commissioner, J. H. Wallace of Alabama for a concluding address. Mr. Wallace paid a tribute to Louis- iana and the South. The Congress then adjourned. Southern Forestry Congress 145 RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY THE SECOND SOUTHERN FORESTRY CONGRESS 1. FOREST DENUDATION Whereas, The supplies of softwood and hardwood timber in the Southern States are rapidly diminishing, with a consequent influence upon the price of lumber and other forest products, and Whereas, The customary practice in lumbering and turpen- tining results in the denudation of the forest and the leaving of large areas unproductive and idle for indefinite periods ; there- fore Be it Resolved, By the Southern Forestry Congress that it deplores the continuance of such practice of denudation and urges, in order that such practice may be avoided, the enact- ment of legislation by the Southern States that will require or make possible the adoption of measures by owners that will prevent such denudation and will afford an opportunity for a natural replacement of forest growth on lands not suited or not now needed for agriculture or settlement ; and, further- more, the Southern Forestry Congress urges the States and the Federal Government jointly to cooperate liberally with owners in this direction. 2. SEED TREES Whereas, The South is approaching the end of its virgin timber supplies, and Whereas, Great necessity exists for retaining on cut over lands enough seed bearing trees to restock these lands ; there- fore Be it Resolved, That the Southern Forestry Congress urges all owners of forest lands in the South to pay particular at- tention to this matter which is of such vital concern to the South's welfare. 3. TAXATION Whereas, The present system of annual taxation on grow- ing forests encourages or compels early cutting, and Whereas, Special consideration in matters of taxation is often necessary in order to encourage the investment of pri- vate capital in timber growing ; therefore 146 Proceedings of the Be it Resolved, By the Southern Forestry Congress that it approves and recommends passage by State legislatures of spe- cial tax legislation relating to forests, based on the separation of land and timber values, and the deferment of taxes on the timber until harvested , also laws giving special tax relief on properties devoted to timber growing ; provided means be de- vised for reimbursing the counties for any lack of revenue in- curred by such deferment or relief. 4. state forestry departments Whereas, The forestry problems of the South are of mo- mentous importance, and Whereas, The science of forestry involves in its practice long periods of time, and necessitates continuity of work ; there- fore Be it Resolved, That the Southern Forestry Congress urges upon the Southern States to immediately organize strong, non- political forestry departments and to make adequate appro- priations for their effective maintenance. 5. forestry department FOR MISSISSIPPI Whereas, The supplies of timber in the South are rapidly diminishing, and Whereas, There are large areas in the South lying unpro- ductive and idle as a result of the denudation of the forest, and Whereas, It is essential to the welfare of each Southern State that such denudation be prevented ; therefore Be it Resolved, By the Southern Forestry Congress that it urges the Legislature of Mississippi now in session to enact the bill recently introduced which provides for the establish- ment of a State Board of Forestry, and the appointment of a State Forester. 6. STATE FORESTS Whereas, The Federal Government recognizes the economic importance of forests in the preservation of stream flow, and the production of timber, and has in consequence set aside por- tions of the public domain and acquired other areas through purchase as National Forests, and Southern Forestry Congress 147 Whereas, Public forests are of equal importance to the sev- eral States; therefore Be it Resolved, That it is the sense of the Southern Forestry Congress that the Southern States should purchase and main- tain State Forests for these reasons ; and, also, to serve as dem- onstrations in practical forestry. 7. weeks' law purchases Whereas, The Southern Forestry Congress is heartily in accord with the principle of increased ownership of forest lands which are chiefly valuable for timber production and the protection of streams ; therefore Be it Resolved, That we do hereby urge the Federal Con- gress to enact the measure now before it for continuing the purchase of forest lands under the Weeks' Law appropriating two million dollars a year for the next five years. 8. federal cooperation in fire protection Whereas, The problem of forest fires is the most serious one in connection with the regeneration of our Southern for- ests, Be it Resolved, That the Southern Forestry Congress urges the Federal Congress to increase the cooperative fire protec- tion appropriation to $200,000 for the purpose of cooperating with the States in fire protection under the Weeks' Law, which appropriation is contained in the bill appropriating funds for the Department of Agriculture for the Federal fiscal year 1921. 9. FEDERAL FOREST EXPERIMENT STATIONS Whereas, There is great need for demonstration areas in the Southern pineries and the Southern Appalachians, upon which methods of forestry practice may be tried out ; therefore Be it Resolved, That the Southern Forestry Congress urges the establishment by the Federal Government of a forest ex- periment station in each of these regions, with adequate ap- propriations by the Federal Congress for their maintenance. 10. SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH Whereas, The Southern Forestry Congress recognizes the importance of scientific research and the value of close cooper- 148 Proceedings of the ation in work of such fundamental character ; therefore Be it Resolved, That the projects of the National Research Council in regard to Forestry be endorsed and the support of the Southern Forestry Congress be pledged to the undertaking. 11. COMMITTEES Be it Resolved, That the following standing committees be raised to consist of five members each, except the Committee on Finance, which shall consist of ten members, said commit- tees to be appointed by the President of the Congress ; namely 1. Executive 2. Finance 3. Forestry Policy 4. Legislation 5. Publicity Resolved further, That the Executive Committee shall con- sist of its chairman, appointed by the President, and the chair- men of the four other above named committees, together with the President and Secretary as ex-officio members. 12. BY-LAWS Be it Resolved, That the President and Secretary of the Southern Forestry Congress be authorized and requested to draw up a set of by-laws suitable for the government of this Congress to be presented for consideration to the next regular meeting. 13. TIME AND PLACE OF MEETING Be it Resolved, That it is the sense of the Southern Forest- ry Congress that when practicable its session be held at a State Capital while the Legislature of that State is in session. 14. EXPRESSION OF THANKS Be it Resolved, That the Southern Forestry Congress here- by expresses its thanks to the management of the Grunewald Hotel for its courtesies extended to this body as a whole; that hearty thanks be expressed to the public press for the gener- ous cooperation it has given in bringing before the South the vital forest problems discussed at the sessions of this Congress ; and, that the Congress as a whole, and the members individ- ually, express their appreciation to the Louisiana lumbermen for their courteous and generous hospitality. APPENDIX I LIST OF REGISTERED DELEGATES ATTENDING THE SOUTHERN FORESTRY CONGRESS Alexander, M. L., Comm'r. of Conservation, New Orleans, La. Anderson, Miss Lola, Kingsport, Tenn. Angle, Mrs. N. P., Rocky Mount, Va. Angle, N. P., Bald Knob Furniture Co., Rocky Mount, Va. Arber, j. B., Gulf Lumber Co., Fullerton, La. Baird, C. A., Geologist, Simms Oil Co., Houston, Texas. Beal, J. M., A. & M. College, Agricultural College, Miss. Benedict, Mrs. J. T., City Federation of Women's Clubs, New Orleans, La. Berckes, H. C, Sou. Pine Association, New Orleans, La. Bievenharn, Mrs. J. A., Pres. 20th Century Book Club, Mon- roe, La. Bishop, L. L., Forest Supervisor, Fla. National Forest, Pensa- cola, Fla. Booze, J. M., Lake Charles, La. Breland, Mrs. R. O., Moss Point, Miss. Breland, R. O., Moss Point, Miss. Brisbane, Mrs. Sherard, Rep. of La. Federation of Women's Clubs, New Orleans, La. Browne, Margaret, New Orleans, La. Browne, Mrs. Virgil, Chairman of Conservation, Dist. 1 and 2, State Federation of Women's Clubs, New Orleans, La. Buck, B. A., Mobile, Ala. Calver, V., Times-Picayune, New Orleans, La. Camp, Vaughan, North Carolina Pine Ass'n., Norfolk, Va. Campbell, W. M., Fire Marshal of La., New Orleans, La. Cary, Austin, U. S. Forest Service, Washington, D. C. Chestnut, I. B., Prof, of Forestry, Agr. College, Berea, Ky. Clayton, W. D., 1226 St. Mary Street^ New Orleans, La. Cline, McGarvey, Consolidated Naval Stores Co., lacksonville, Fla. Coates, F. J., I. C. R. R., Chicago, 111. Cocks, R. S., New Orleans, La. 150 Proceedings of the Cohen, Mrs. L. S., City Federation of Women's Clubs, New Orleans, La. Corbett, H. B., Gulf Lumber Co., Fullerton, La. Core, Norman, La. Dept. of Conservation, Folsom, La. Cox, Wm. T., State Forester, St. Paul, Minn. Cushing, D. T., Great Sou. Lumber Co., Bogalusa, La. Day, F. H., New Orleans, La. de Coriolis, E. G., Arthur D. Little, Inc., Cambridge, Mass. Dorman, Miss Caroline C, Chairman Forestry Committee, State Federation of Women's Clubs, Campti, La. Dorman, Miss Virginia T., Natchitoches, La. Drolet, Geo., Forester for Kaul Lumber Co., Birmingham, Ala. Dunn, T. R., Chicago, 111. Everley, H. E., National Council of Furniture Ass'ns., 530 Monadnock Building, Chicago, 111. Fechtig, F. H., Purchasing Agent, A. C. L. R. R., Wilmington, N. C, and Atlanta, Ga. Ferry, E. A., 111. Central R. R., New Orleans, La. Fitzhugh, J. E., Supt. Fire Prevention, Sante Fe R. R., Gal- veston, Texas. Forbes, R. D., Supt. of Forestry, Dept. of Conservation, New Orleans, La. Fulham, Mrs. Fannie, City Federation of Women's Clubs, New Orleans, La. Gallaher, B. G., Trout Creek Lbr. Co., Trout, La. Gassie, H. J., New Orleans, La. Gerrans, A. T., Vice-President John L. Roper Lbr. Co., New Bern, N. C. Gilmore, A. B., Modern Farming, New Orleans, La. Glenk, Robert, La. State Museum Building, New Orleans, La. Grace, Fred J., Registrar, State Land Office, Baton Rouge, La. Graves, H. S., Chief Forester, U. S. Forest Service, Washing- ton, D. C. Gray, Mat., New Orleans Correspondent American Lumber- man, Chicago, 111. Hallowell, R. M., Industrial Lumber Co., Elizabeth, La. Hardtner, H. E., Pres. La. Forestry Ass'n., Urania, La. Hart, W. O., New Orleans, La. Haydock, C, Development Agent, 111. Central R. R., Memphis, Tenn. Southern Forestry Congress 151 Hendrix, U. R., La. State University, Baton Rouge, La. Hewes, H. B., Sou. Cypress Mfg. Ass'n., Meanerette, La. Hogue, Roy L., Interior Lbr. Co., Jackson, Miss. Holmes, Mrs. Lydia VV., Federation of Women's Clubs, New Orleans, La. Holmes, J. S., State Forester, N. C. Geological and Economic Survey, Chapel Hill, N. C. Holmes, W. S., Supt. of Game, Dept. of Conservation, New Orleans, La. Holroyd, FI. B., Agril. and Immigration Agent, L. & N. R. R., Louisville, Ky. Howe, H. E., National Research Council, Washington, D. C. Jones, R. C, State Forester, Charlottesville, Va. Jones, W. Goodrich, Pres., Texas Forestry Ass'n., Temple, Texas. Johnson, Ira, Greenleaf Johnson Lbr. Co., Norfolk, Va. Johnson, Mrs. J. F. Kingsport, Tenn. Kaul, John L., Kaul Lbr. Co., Birmingham, Ala. Kopman, H., Dept. of Conservation, New Orleans, La. Kress, S. F., Corning, N. Y. Law, Geo., Lock, Moore & Co., Ltd., Westlake, Ga. Lee, Mrs. J. G., Baton Rouge, La. Lee, J. G., Prof, of Forestry, State University, Baton Rouge, La. Maddox, R. S., Forester, State Geological Survey, Nashville, Tenn. Marsh, Chas. E., Lumber, St. Louis, Mo. Marshall, R. D., Natalbany Lbr. Co., Hammond, La. Morton, Mrs. J. A., Pres. Dist. 1 and 2, La. Federation Wo- men's Clubs, New Orleans, La. Moore, J. M., Marion, La. Moore, Wm., Raleigh, N. C. McCall, S. P., Dept. of Conservation, New Orleans, La. McCurdy, W. O., Department of Conservation, Alexandria, La. Nalty, J. B., Pres., Plammond Lbr. Co., Hammond, La. Neal, W. T., T. R. Miller Mill Co., Inc., Brewton, Ala. Pace, John H., Pensacola, Fla. Palmer, L. J. O., Lumber Trade Journal, New Orleans, La. Parker, John M., Governor-elect, Baton Rouge, La. Pet"rs, J. G., U. S. Forest Service, Washington, D. C. 152 Proceedings of the Poe, John H., Lake Charles, La. Raine, John, Meadow River Lbr. Co., Rainelle, W. Va. Rhodes, J. E., Secretary, Sou. Pine Association, New Orleans, La. Richey, S. W., Alexandria, La. Robinson, C. H., Jr., New Orleans, La. Ryan, Thos. H., Purchasing Agent, Ala. & Vicksburg R. R., New Orleans, La. Salmen, Fred W., Pres. Salmen Brick & Lbr. Co., New Or- leans, La. Samuels, T. L., New Orleans, La. Sanders, Jared Y., House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. Senac, E. R., Dept. of Conservation, New Orleans, La. Shirers, W. O., Marion, Ala. Silvera, T. A., New Orleans, La. Sinclair, Jas., Purchasing Com., U. S. Railroad Administration, Atlanta, Ga. Spraker, E., Natalbany Lbr. Co., Hammond, La. Storm, Mrs. A. F., Pres., State Fed. Women's Clubs, Morgan City, La. Thomas, B. A., New Orleans, La. Tierney, D. P., Asst. State Forester, St. Paul, Minn. Townsend, W. B., Little River Lbr. Co., Townsend, Tenn. Trabue, R. B., New Orleans, La. Tracy, S. M., U. S. Bureau, Forage Plant Investigations, Washington, D. C. Tyler, W. D., Clinchfield Coal Corp., Dante, Va. Van Camp, C. E., American Hardwood Mfgrs. Ass'n., Mem- phis, Tenn. Wallace, John H., Jr., Commissioner of Conservation, Mont- gomery, Ala. Watson, Geo. E., Secretary, Sou. Cypress Mfgrs. Ass'n., New Orleans, La. Weston, H. S., The H. Weston Lbr. Co., Logtown, Miss. Wilkinson, L. W., County Agent, Gretna, La. Wisner, Mrs. Ed., City Federation of Women's Clubs, New Orleans, La. Woodruff, F. K., Kansas City Sou. R. R., Kansas City, Mo. Woolsey, Theo. S., Jr., Asheville, N. C. Wurts, G. O., Coryville, Fla. APPENDIX II SECOND SOUTHERN FORESTRY CONGRESS List of contributors to the entertainment fund under the aus- pices of Louisiana Forestry Association* Krause & Managan Lbr. Co., Westlake. Lock, Moore & Co., Ltd., Westlake. Gulf Lumber Co., Fullerton. Poitevent & Favre Lbr. Co., New Orleans. Brooks-Scanlon Co., Kentwood. Peavy-Byrnes Lbr. Co., Emad. F. L. Sanford, Zona. Miller-Link Lbr. Co., Orange, Texas. Natalbany Lbr. Co., Hammond. Pickering Lbr. Co., Cravens. Good Pine Lbr. Co., Good Pine. Hammond Lbr. Co., Hammond. Crossett Lbr. Co., Crosset, Ark. Lutcher-Moore Co., Orange, Texas. R. H. Downman, New Orleans. Calcasieu Longleaf Lbr. Co., Lake Charles. Louisiana Central Lbr. Co., Clarks. Great Southern Lbr. Co., Bosralusa. *Acknowledgment is made with hearty appreciation of contributions amounting to four hundred and five dollars for the banquet and other local expenses connected with the meeting. APPENDIX III LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS TO PUBLISHING FUND SOUTHERN FORESTY CONGRESS ALABAMA Allison Lbr. Co., Bellamy. Bell, A. E., Carrollton. Big Sandy Lbr. Co., Hull. Blacksher Lbr. Co., Magazine. Black Warrior Lbr. Co.,, Knoxwood. Cahawba River Lbr. Co., Brent. Carney, W. M., Mill Co., Atmore. Chickasaw Lbr. Co., Demopolis. Himrod-McKay Lbr. Co., Flatwood. Horse Shoe Lbr. Co., River Falls. Jackson Lbr. Co., Lockhart. Jackson, E. E. Lbr. Co., Baltimore, Md. Kaul, John L., Lbr. Co., Birmingham. Lathrop Lbr. Co., Birmingham. Miller Mill Co., T. R., Brewton. Oden-Elliott Lbr. Co., Birmingham. Scotch Lbr. Co., Mobile. Smith, W. T., Lbr. Co., Chapman. Vredenburgh Sawmill Co., Vredenburgh. Whitewater Lbr. Co., Autaugaville. ARKANSAS Arkansas Land & Lbr. Co., Malvern. Arkansas Lumber Co., Warren. Eagle Lumber Co., Eagle Mills. Edgar Lumber Co., Wesson. Fordyce Lumber Co., Fordyce. Fourche River Lbr. Co., Bigelow. Freeman-Smith lbr. Co., Millville. Gates Lumber Co., Wilmar. Southern Lbr. Co., Warren. Stout Lbr. Co., Thornton. Union Sawmill Co., Huttig. Wisconsin & Arkansas Lbr. Co., Malvern. Southern Forestry Congress 155 LOUISIANA Alexander, M. L., New Orleans. Alexandria Lbr. Co., Alexandria. Bel Lbr. Co., J. A., Lake Charles. Calcasieu Longleaf Lbr. Co., Lake Charles. Forest Lbr. Co., Oakdale. Frost-Johnson Lbr. Co., Shreveport. Great Southern Lbr. Co., Bogalusa. King-Ryder Lbr. Co., Bonami. Louisiana Central Lbr. Co., Clarks. Tremont Lbr. Co., Rochelle. MISSOURI Central Coal & Coke Co., Kansas City. Chicago Lbr. & Coal Co., East St. Louis, 111. Long, R. A., Real Estate Co., Kansas City. Missouri Lbr. & Land Exchange, Kansas City. Pickering, W. R., Kansas City. NORTH CAROLINA Johnson Lbr. Co., Greenleaf, Norfolk, Va. N. C. Pine Association, Norfolk, Va. Silverstein, J. S., Brevard, N. C. Smoot, C. C, Sons Co., North Wilkesboro, N. C. TENNESSEE Babcock Lbr. & Land Co., Maryville. Bedna Young Lbr. Co., Jackson. Bellgrade Lbr. Co., Memphis. Card, J. M., Lbr. Co., Chattanooga. Farris Hardware Lbr. Co., Nashville. Ransom, John B., and Co., Nashville. Southern Lumberman, Nashville. Van Buren Coal & Lbr. Co., Nashville. Williams Lbr. Co., Fayetteville. TEXAS Alexander Gilmer Lbr. Co., Remlig. Carter, W. T., & Bro., Camden. Fidelity Lbr. Co., Doucette. Hickerson, A. E., Conroe. 156 Proceedings of the Jones, W. Goodrich, Temple. Kendall, Harry T., Houston. Lufkin Lumber Co., Lufkin. Miller-Link Lbr. Co., Orange. Southern Pine Lbr. Co., Texarkana. Vaughan, Geo. C, Lbr. Co., San Antonio. Wier Long Leaf Lbr. Co., Houston. VIRGINIA Clinchfield Coal Corporation, Dante, Va. Ritter, C. L., Lumber Co., Huntington, W. Va.