The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-01-17
HERTY MAY CHANGE
NAVAL STORES METHODS

the first years cut, whereas If the gum
were allowed to flow over the old faces
as well as the new ones, the exposure
would be longer, there would be a
( greater evaporation and the rosin be-
! ing discOlored by contact with the old
face would be of a much poorer grade.
In third and fourth year crops the re-
suits are practically the same.
system in Operation.
The system has been in practical op-
GRAFTON at Ocilla on land operated by
Powell, Billiard & Co. and where, for
the sake of comparison figures were
carefully compiled by DR.. Herty from
half crop worked under his method
and half a crop worked under the old
system. The Bureau of Forestry sim
ply placed the materials on the trees;
Powell, Billiard & Co. did the work,
secured the profits and gave the Blu
reau Of Forestry the figures showing
the result Of the experiments.
These figures show that the excess
sales Of the first years crop secured
by the Herty method over that secur-
ed by the old system was 206 for
the half crop, so that the excess sales
for full crop, 10,500 faces, would
have been $4l3.5E To cut boxes for a
crop costs $500. while to put in the cup
outfit costs $3.50, but the excess yield
when the Herty method is used is so
much greater, both because of the
quantity Of gum secured and the SUI
periOr quality of it that not only is
the outfit paid for out of the excess
yield, but there is still a balance of
this excess to the amount of 1858.
A further advantage to recommend
the new method. If such advantage be
needed, is the fact When once tree
has been worked out under the old
system it costs quite as much to DoX
new tree, while the cups and cutters
are readily transferred from worked
out tree to new one. The figures
show the profits merely of the first
year; the profits of the second year are
much greater, through. the saving by
the new method of the evaporation Of
the gum and the deterioration of the
rosin, which take place under the old
system. According to DR.. Herty's fig
ures the excess profits on the second
years crop would be $341.54; on the
third years, $513, and on the fourth,
$516.
PrOIong Life of Industry.
Other advantages that are claimed
for the Herty system are that whereas
under the old system three barrels of
product were lost out of every seven
that came from the tree, under the
new system there is practically no loss;
therefore the operator could afford to
work nearly half as much land with
the new system and secure the same
results that he would If he worked
nearly twice as much under the old
way. Further, there would be a great
saving of cost of labor, there would
always be a supply of hands where
now there is often lack, and last but
of prime Importance, it would so con-
serve the forests that they would last
about twice as long as they will If
worked under the old system.
This matter of the conservation of
pine forests or the replacing of those
destroyed through the operations of
lumbermen led DR.. Herty to express
very decided views as to the dismal
outlook for the pine in Georgia unless
certain abuses now allowed are prohib-
lted and, stopped. The chief of these
ABUSES is the forest fire. 1t is started,
said DIR. Herty under the impression
that it improved the land. for spring
pasturage, but for the few cattle that
may be benefited, incalculable injury is
done to other interests, chiefly those of
lumbermen and naval store operators
Prevent forest fires for five years Mr..
Herty states and there would spring I'm
lnnumerable small pines, that in TWEEN
W years would yield a handsome feWe-
ilue 10 the state ana their owners. but
until forest fires are stopped the pine
is DESTROYED almost as soon as sprout-
ed, and the possibility of replacing the
Old forests is destroyed. OF course Dir
Herty does not mean that all land
cleared of forests should be allowed to
grow them again, but refers to that
sort of land, very plentiful in South
east Georgia, that is not suited to agri-
culture, and which, in fact, will support
the growth of little of any value except
the pine.