The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-01-12
Southern Appalachian Forests

Southern Appalachian Forests"
In the current issue of Leslie's
Weekly a writer deplores the waste
full destruction. now nearly com
|plete, Of the great forests Of white
|pine and hardwood timber which for
|merly covered a great part of the
North American continent, and con-
Itrasts American wastefulness with
providence. That writer had not had
1.-THE opportunity to read The South
fern Appalachian Forests" a publica-
ltion just issued by the United States
geological survey and bureau Of forest
Try of the agricultural department. in
connection with the geological survey
lof North Carolina. If he had he would
lhave been made acquainted with the
lgreat timber resources yet remaining,
but his comments on destructive meth
fods and prospective almost entire ex-
Ihaustion would hold good. We have
mo desire to attract 70 the North Caro-
tina mountains any of those lumber
ing interests whose methods are illus
ltrated by the saying hat they have
made Michigan "a state of stumps'-
Jour present object is to convey to our
Iown people the warnings to be found
lin the valuable government publiCa-
|tion issued primarily for their benefit.
The professional paper as it is
lstyled, is a volume of 291 pages, and in
addition to Introductory observations
lof a general nature it deals specifi-
lcally with conditions as fOund exist
ling in each drainage basin of any con-
sequence. 1t is copiously illustrated
with attractive and instructive photo
lgraphs. The portion OF the ADpata-
Chan region under cons deration is
defined as that extending from Virgin
ia southwestward, AMI comprising
lparts of North and South Carolina,
Tennessee and Georgia. between The
piedmont plateau on the sOutheast and
Appalachian valley on the northwest.
lit is estimated that power amounting
Ito 1000, 900 horsepower could be de-
Iveloped on the rivers of this region.
THE population is placed az $4,000,
ialmost entirely white. The railway
mileage is given as about 44O, with
$50 miles of tramway. II IS estimated
that probably not over 10 per cent OF
the log timber is merchantable at pres
Ient, owing to difficulty of t~ransporta-
ttiOn, but that cheap transportation
would make all understandable.
The three agencies which are in5ur-
ling the forests in ever increasing de-
gree are stated to be fires, lumDering
and clearing OF lands for farming. Of
these, the clearing Of precipitous land
really not worth cultivating is deciar-
led to be the most injurious. After the
Trains of a few years the mountain
Iside is washed bare. the waters de-
lscend in muddy deluge upon the
lstreams. which in turn wreak ruin To
Highland and lowland valleys.
1.-THE lumberman." further says the
lpaper. lis increasing in his activities
lat a rapid rate. The removal OF trees
does not damage the forest as much as
docs the destruction of other trees and
seedlings Of valuable species in lum-
herring operations. Furthermore, the
ltous and other brushes scattered
Through the forest increase the danger
Iof severe forest fires" Tanneries arr
found in North Carolina at Lenoir
lMorganton, AsheviTfe, Marion, Hazel
wood. Waynesville, Andrews and Muir
iphy.
On the subject of forest fires, tn
uaper saws that the killing of matur'
stimber trees is the least serious evil
since, for each mature tree killed
dozen saplings would spring up IL the
lwere not affected much o than Tn
ltrees. Evidence Of such hres wa
found. over approximately 4,Soo,oo
acres, or 80 per cent OF the enfir
area The destruction or the fores
carpet by fires is noted as another q