The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-22
n,Alfl q u. " STREETS

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one woodlot are seen beyond another
descending like stair steps and mark
ing the sites OF one abandoned field
beyond another, each succeeding one
little later and the trees little
smaller. The descending series fire.
quently ends with field where young
trees are just starting from seeds
blown from neighboring woods. I'll
may mark the site of the last remnant
Of former plantation which was al
lowed to relapse into woods because
the soil was worn out.
The Old Field Ptue.
The encroaching forests are mostly
loblolly pine. Occasionally other stands
are seen, and hardwoods in mixture
are not lnfrequent. Small poplar trees
are cut by pulpwood cutters mary
years before they are mature. The
pines and oaks are cut locally for
fuel, and a Few small mills saw lumber
from the larger sizes OF the second
growth.
The loblolly pine is doubtless much
more IN evidence now than when the
first forests covered the region. It
is an old field tree 1t thrives on poor
| soil and creeps down from the sterile
| ridges and occupies land which has
| been exhausted by tillage. For that
reason it is important to the regions
/ physical geography, 1t grows where
| little else will, shades the ground.
checks erosion, and slowly brings UP
the soils fertility by dropping needles
and tWigs. which decay.
| Few, If any, of the primeval for
ests remain in Tidewater Virginia, but
| large trees OF second growth exist.
years old. and known to be of second
| growth, was cut this year on the sitc
| Of building burned durinI Bacon's
/ Rebellion in 1875. and many other
| trees as large are growing where to-
| bacco was cultivated two centuries
ago The forest in its hunger TO oc-
cupy again is no respecrer OF historl-
cal places.
1. is slowly taking the entrench-
ments ut Yorktown. Where the British
| made their last stand, and the tablet
marking the very spot where General
O'Hara surrendered the sword OF Corn
wallis (then an open tield) would soon
be invisible II the ak we're not fire.
| quently called into use to clear away
the encroaching woods.
May Now BE Preserved.
Until recently the loblolly pine was
looked upon as almost worthless for
lumber. The trunk is mostly sap
i wood, subject to quick decay. In clear
ing loblolly land the wood, which
could not be disposed of for fuel. was
usually burned on the ground. Re-
j Gently, however. new value has been
i given to that neglected timber. IN
/ perinents and tests by the United
4 States Forest Service show that many
/ neglected woods may be treated with
i creosote and other preservatives, an
i be rendered immune to decay for many
/ years, Loblolly pine yields 10 the treat
II ment in the NEST satisfactory manner.
|! a vide field OF usefulnessh is open TO
Ilt. The Burning loblolly log-heap VIII
soon be thing of the past
The preservative treatment, winch Is
cheap and not difficult, makes THIS "oo q
suitable for crossties. mine timbers, tel
ephone poles. pillns ana many o.Ael
purposes.
Business men have quickly seen pos
sibuities for this old-held pine a
few years ago the grown up land down
on the peninsula between the York ano
James Rivers. as well as elsewhere II
that region, could scarcely find buyer
al 81 or 50 an acre. Nobody wanted IT
TODAY 1t Is held at SIS or $40. The
timber gives part OF this increased
value; the land itself gives the balance
The soils long rest In the shade ma.
partly restored it's fertility. and lnaus'
trious settlers from the West, thu
North and from Europe are buying !
for homes. The old plantations will o.
cleared again. not as plantations, bu
as little farms, and the cycle Will bt
complete-froln forest to field, from
field to forest. and from forest bach
to field again.
May Grow Timber.
In view of the threatened timber
famine in this country, the suggestion
has been made that the old plantation
of the South might properly be per
mitted to relapse into woods In nature'
| way and grow timber. The wisdom Q
] that sso,!ey,qt1s questionable. In tn.
| first place. the land thus growing III
is usually we'll situated for farming
t and It's fertility can be restored b.
! artificial means. IT should produce
farm crops. But the bulk OF the coun
try's timber ought to grow on rough
and steep land, At for little else. Gen
orally, forests should occupy mountail
tops and steep slopes; pasture the NOR
gentle slopes, and the plains and val
leys ought to be re served for the pillow
But even II the old Southern planta
tons ara to be given over to timbe
growing, 1t Is poor economy to hay
them overrun with inferior species, a
a, present. Good kinds should b
planted-white pine, oak, ash, popla
and others suited to the climate an
soil. IT Is as easy, to grow good tim
Der as poor, and immensely more PROT