The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1908-09-28
FOREST PRESERVATION.
A National Awakening to the
Need-The South Produces
Strongest Structural Timber
Forestry in the States.

Forestry in the States.
I'm the last ten years." says
the Yearbook of the Department
of Agriculture for 1907, "fores-
try has advanced in this country
from an almost unknown science
to a useful growing profession.
In that time the number of tech
nically trained foresters has in
creased from less than a dozen
to over 400. Ten years ago there
was not a single forest school in
the country; now there are sew
eral professional forest schools
which rank with those of Europe,
and score more with cours-
es in elementary forestry whose
usefulness is steadily growing.
Forest lands under management
have grown from one or two
tracts to many, aggregating
7, ,503, 900 acres, scattered through
38 States. The national forests
have increased from $4,000, 900
acres, practically unused and un-
protected, to 165, 100000 acres
used, guarded, and improved
both in productiveness and acces-
sibility. The number of States
which have State forests has
increased from l to 10; and of
those which employ trained for
esters from none to II. The
membership of forest associa-
tions has increased from $500 to
1890. Ten years ago, except
for a few botanists, European
foresters knew more about Amer
ican forests than did the people
of this country. In Europe they
were then using preservatives to
prolong the service of beech ties,
and so adding from twenty to
forty years to their life. Here,
on the other hand, scarcely, a
treated tie had been laid, though
there are now 80 treating plants,
| 27 of which treat ties exclusively,
= and an engineer who recently re-
turned from Europe reports that
both in size and mechanical per.
fection the treating equipment
of this country is adead of any
to be found abroad.
"And yet American for
forestry has only safely passeC
the experimental stage and go
ready to do something. Action
> immediate and vigorous, must b.
taken if the inevitable famine O.
wood supplies is to be lessened
. We are now using as much woo
in a single year as grows in three
with only twenty years. suppl
of virgin growth in sight. Onl
! the application of forest knowl
v edge with wisdom, method, an
energy, in the next ten years
can prevent the starving of ns
tional industries for the lack Q
wood" "
THE SOUTH PRODUCES STRONG
, EST STRUCTURAL TIMBER.
Recent tests on structur:
timbers, loblolly, longleaf, an
Norway pines, and tamarack, fc
the eastern United States, an
: Douglas fir and western hemloc
for the western, have show
longleaf pine to be the stronges
\ and stiffest of the timbers me1
toned, with Douglas fir a clos
second, while western hemlocl
loblolly pine, tamarack, and Mo-
way pine follow in the orde
given. Fortunately, Douglas f
and western hemlock, of whic
there are comparatively larg
). supplies, have high structur;
merit, as has also loblolly pine
:. the principal tree in the opera
tions of the southern lumbe
companies, which are beginnin
to look upon their forest holC
ings as part Of their capital frol
which successive crops should b
: secured.
D "Plans have been made for
I Florida tract, which involve tn
most extensive replanting eve
begun in the South. The lands
situated in Marion and Citru
counties, include 5000 acres {
, sandy brush and grass covere
land, which it will be necessa1
to restock by artificial mean
Longleaf pine seed will be SOW
in spots as a means of accon
plishing this
J. FORESTRY IN THE STATES.
Delaware, Kentucky, Mi
souri,, and Mississippi are bette
= acquainted with their, forest r
sources by reason of fore
! surveys conducted in cooperate
with the Forest Service. Ia:
alton, now the most dificu
problem in State forest work,
receiving thoughtful attention.
During the year the State
. Alabama created a forest cor
3 mission, which has been orga,
lied and has begun work. {
especial importance is the clau
which provides for exernpti'
from taxation for ten years
small areas which bear a your
and growing stand of timbe
. provided the land is protects
y from forest fires. Bulletin
Forestry and Forest Rreserv
Beware of Ointm enfs for Catar