Hattiesburg daily news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1907-1908, 1908-03-31


aroused and took immediate steps to
correct these grossly erroneous state
ments. Congressman bowers, who
represents the Sixth district of that
state, seeing the report as published
in the press, at once called at the
Forestry Bureau, took the matter up
with great yigor, and, after demon
strating that the report as to these
lands was incorrect, insisted that 1t
should be Immediately corrected.
Among other things, he called atten-
ton to the soil survey made on these
very pine lands, which demonstrated
that they were admirably adapted to
agriculture, and that all manner of
farm crops could be grown on them,
and to the fact that at the last Missis-
sippi state fair this section had take
more than 70 per cent. of the pre-
miums given for farm products. He
also called a meeting Of those inter-
ested at Biloxi, Miss, where Federal
court was then in session, and the
forestry service at his instance d.
rected their representative, who COM
piled the report, to attend that meet
ing, which he did.
The matter wps fully discussed,
and the forestry agent, Mr.. Holmes,
forwarded to Washington revised
and corrected report, which has been
under consideration in the bureau
since, and today, as result of Mr..
Bowers labors, the report, after being
further revised and corrected, was
promulgated in its amended form.
All of the statements as to the I'M
fitness of these lands for agriculture
are eliminated, and the proper cor
rection is made.
The opening clause Is as follows:
This circular is based on study
of the forest conditions of Mississippi
recently made by the United States
forest service, in cooperation with
the Mississippi State Geological Sur
vey. 1t lis supplementary to prelim-
mary report on the conditions of cut
over lands in the long-leaf pine region
of the state. and corrects and modifies
number of the statements made in
that report"
Elsewhere, with reference to the
soil, the report says:
"Of course, much of the land which
has been cleared of trees is more valu-
able as agricultural than as forest
land, and where this is the case the
passing of the lumber industry will
work no hardship. The decline of the
lumber industry makes little difference
to communities where farming is the
chief Industry, although every farmer
is more or less dependent upon a
cheap and convenient wood supply
permanently maintaininghis own wood
lot as ready source of timber for
all farm needs. And, while the raising
the raising of timber crops, each has
its place in the economic development
of the state and the lumber industry
furnishes, indirectly, an excellent
home market for farm produce"
And from this he argues that the
land should be kept in timber only sc
long as it is not needed for agriculture
The report contains some interesting
suggestions'as to the possibility of pro
curing a second growth of long-leai
yellow pine in the south, and will be
read with interest for this reason, as
we'll as on account of the correction
of the erroneous statements contained
in the first report which was made
upon insufficient investigation ant
without any accurate knowledge as t.
the character of the soil.
In speaking of the matter today
Mr.. Bowers, who has made a specia
study of the resources of South Mis-
sissippi, says:
While our wealth in timber is
very great-greater, indeed, l be
lieve, than is generally understood
or appreciataed-and while l want tc
see our forests prudently used ant
conserved as far as can practically
be done, l am certain that when oui
lands are brought generally into cul
tivation the returns from agriculture
and the wealth accruing thereby will
astound even the most optimistic OBJ
server of this immediate time. The
acreage titled is increasing yearly
not gradually but rapidly, and the re
turns are sure and always satisfac