The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-08-04
REf0RESTIMG The SOUTH.
NEW PLANTING PLAN TO RE
TRIED AT GRANITEVILLE.
Renewal of the Southern Pine Forests
Depends Upon Adequate Fire Pro-
lection and COservative LAUNDERING
-LoblOlly Pine Plantations Estab-
lished by Seeding.

Washington, July 3O.-The yellow
pines of the Eastern and Southern
States are being cut at the rate Of 49,
600, ,000,0 900 board feet year. The to-
tai stand at this time is approximately
10000. 900. 900 board feet.
One discouraging condition on cut
over lands in the Southren States Is
the lack. for various causes, of ade-
quate young growth. Much Of the
cut-over land has grown up to scrub
oaks with very little or widely scat
tered pine reproduction. A realiza-
tion Of these unfavorable conditions is
becoming apparent all thorugh the
South, and there is q manifest inter-
est in reforesting such lands.
Successful renewal of Southern pine
forest lands depends essentially upon
conservative numbering and adequate
protection from fire. The problem of
fire protection. however, is goth Sc
rious and a difficult one.
Reforestati6n of Southern pine
lands can probably be effected by di-
rect seeding, but such efforts would
prove futile unless the lands were
protected against fire. The forest SER
vice has made plans for several pri-
vate land owners and companies in
the South for direct sowing of pine
seed on the permanent sites. Because
OF the more rapid growth of <lobiolly
pine 1t is preferred where the soil and
moisture conditions are favorable
The feasibility of establishing loblolly
pine plantations by sowing seed broad
cast, on prepared ground, has been
determined by experiments and by
observation on the natural reseeding
OF this tree on abandoned fields. The
perpetuation Of loblolly pine on sites
suited to 1t is therefore not a matter
Of much concern. But there are vast
areas ON. which the less exacting but
slower growing long leaf pine is the
only one that will thrive. Artificial
regeneration Of longleaf pine, either
by sowing seed OF by transplanting
seedlings, is still in the experimental
stage. LOngleaf pine seedlings grow
Very slowly in height for the first four
to six years, but in the meantime .!e-
velop long fleshy taproots. This ha,,ir
Of growth makes it very difficult 70
transplant them successfully ana
makes some method of direct seeding
necessary.
"A planting plan for the lands of the
Graniteville Manufacturing Company,
Graniteville. S. c., has just been pre-
pared by the forest service. The plan
provides for direct seeding Of loblolly
and longleaf pines on about 500 acres.
1t recommends that loblolly pine seed
be sown broadcast on the cleared
lands which occur on the lower
shopes. Longleaf pine seed is to be
planted on the high sandy land in
Seed plots. prepared about six feet
apart each way. The plan also in
cludes detailed directions for prepar-
ing the ground and sowing the seed.
1t is estimated that the cost Of
planting will be about $3.50 per acre
for broadcast sowing of loblolly pine,
and about $685. per acre for seed plot
planting Of longleaf pine. A conserva-
tive estimate Of the time required to
produce merchantable crops, the yield
of each pine ano the total cost of
producing lumber, per thousand
board feet, compounding the initial
investment at four per cent are about
as follows:
Loblolly pine, fOrty-year rotation,
$4,000 board feet per acre; cost per M
board feet, 1855.
Longleaf pine, seventy-year rota-
ton. 1900 board feet per acre; cost
per M. board feet, $967.
Thus anything above 1886 for lob
lolly stumpage value for longleaf
pine advances considerably, planta-
tiOns of this pine will yield consider
ably less than a per cent return. On
the basis Of the estimate the cost ut
per cent. compound interest would
be $4.47 per NJ board feet.
Il,