The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-11-13
FORESTER SOUNDS WARNING.
URGES PRESERVATION OF
WOODLANDS IN THIS STATE.
Government Expert Declares That the
Cutting of Much of the Timber I'm
South Carolina Has Had Disastrous
Effect Upon the Soil-PrOtcction of
Mountain Forests is Necessary.

Columbia. Nov. 9.-Forester Moore
sounds a warning note in his prelim-
mary report on the forests Of South
Carolina after a survey Of the prin-
cipal wooded sections. At the outset
he says: "a large part Of this timber
has been cut" previously pointing
out that the greater part of the State
was once covered with forest growth.
Mr.. Moore was detailed by the gov
ernment to make forestry survey of
the state. and together with Capt.
Miller. OF Commissioner Watson's Of
nee. has visited the following coun-
ties: Oconee. Pickens. Greenville,
Spartanburg. Cherokee. Aiken and
parts OF Richland and several coun-
ties In the northwestern section of the
State.
A plea Is made for the protection
Of the forests OF the Appalachian
Range. In that the destruction Of the
trees means floods for the low coun-
try OF South Carolina and sends down
sand. which becomes menace to
navigation OF the rivers of commerce.
'It Is to be hoped that the time Is not
far distant when the remaining for
ests on the mountain lands of South
Carolina will be placed beyond the
possibility OF destruction or unwise
exploitation for the benefit. not only
OF this generation. but OF those to
come"
The following Is the report issued:
The greater part of the State Of
South Carolina was once covered with
n forest growth. consisting perincipal-
ly OF pine. sometimes In pure stand,
sometimes mixed with oaks. hick-
ories. naples. elms. walnuts, birches.
gums and other trees. while cypress
has always been one Of the important
trees Of the coast region.
"a large part Of this timber has
been cut. Some Of 1t has been WISE
ly used for lumber. and for firewood;
the rest of 1t has been gathered into
piles and burned. When timber had
little value. and the price Of cord
wood did not pay for the hauling, 1t is
not strange that many good trees
were destroyed--it was the logical
thing TO do. In order to prepare the
ground for the culture OF corn or cot
ton; but at the pesent time, when the
prices for nearly all grades of lumber
are rising from year to year. and
when people in the cities and towns
are paying twice as much for fuel
wood as they did ten or twelve years
ago. It pays to manage timber lands
In q conservative way with some re-
gard for the future.
"The area Of lands under cultiva-
tion In South Carolina will doubtless
increase slowly each year for an in
definite period. With the high price
OF cotton. many people are doubtless
planning to cut of all the trees on
their land and put II into this crop.
hut In the long run II will generally
be found that a woodlot Is q very i'm
portant part of farm. Wood for
cooking and heating purposes and
fence posts and other timbers must
be secured from some source, and
why not from the home woodiots?
The yellow pines are good seed
ers. restocking the ground with young
pines. thus providing for a future for
est without any labor or expense on
the part OF the land owner. Fires do
great damage and should never be al
lowed to run over the ground. They
do not improve the grazing to any
great extent, and they kill the young
seedlings and impair the vitality of
older trees.
while II Is desirable to retain
wood lots throughout the central part
Of the state. II is exceedingly impor-
tant 20 keep intact the forests on the
mountains along the northwestern
boundary. There Is a very close con-
nection between the forests of that
region and the stream flow. The
heaviest rainfall In the State is along
the Blue Ridge Mountains. The soil
is quite susceptible to erosion and
deep guliles are quickly formed dur
Ing heavy rains, where the surface
OF the ground is unprotected.
when rain falls on a forest,
large part Of II strikes tn leaves OF
limbs Of the trees; its velocity is
greatly impeded. and 1t falls gently