The new era., 1909-10-07

a ed States Forest Service in
cooperation with the state. The re-
port is now completed and has boon
submitted to the governor for MS con-
sideration. 1t is hoped that the leg
islature may be able to incorporate at
least some of the recommendations
into law In the near future.
Florida occupies a prominent posi-
tion among the timber and turpentine
producing states of the country. 1t
has. at present. a greater per cent of
its land in forest than any other state.
Some of the finest stands of longleaf
pine in the south are contained with
in its borders. The development of
the forest Industries during the past
few years has been phenomenal.
While the agricultural development
in certain parts of the state will make
permanent use of immense areas of
cut-over land, the bulk of lands now
being cut over will not be needed for
agricultural purposes for many years
to come. In the meantime the tim
ber producing possibilities of such
lands are being destroyed by repeated
fires. turpentining. and reckless lum-
bering. The opportunity to organize
and adopt plans of forest manage
ment should not be delayed until the
forest lands have all been cut over.
Many states have temporarily de-
veloped at the expense of their for
est interests and have realized too
late the disastrous effects of wasting
their forest resources.
The report of the Forest Service
Examiner in Florida lays particular
stress on the Importance of strong
forest policy for the state There
should be commission of forestry
to have general supervision of the
forestry interests of the state and
to appoint a state forester It should
be the duty of the state forester. un-
der the direction of the commission,
to advise private owners in reference
to forest management, to bring to pub
lie attention the damage done by for
est fires. to formulate and put into
execution firewarden system to pro-
tect the forests from fires, to encour-
age more conservative systems of
numbering and turpentining. to inves-
tigate tax and grazing problems. and
in general promote healthy interest
in forest preservation in the state.
The forest fire problem in Florida.
as in other southern states, was found
to be a most serious hindrance to the
perpetua ton of the forests. The
practice of burning over the ground
annually destroys all possibility of
a young growth of pine to take the
place of the mature timber when it
is cut. Moreover. fires injure the
standing timber. especially where the
trees have been boxed. and destroy
the vegetable covering of the soil 1t
has been demonstrated that repeated
fires decrease the value of the forest
for grazing purposes.
In order to check the annual fire
evil. the report proposes forest fire
law for Florida which shall make it
unlawful and punishable by fine or
Imprisonment. or both, for any indi-
vidual or corporation to start fires on
land not their own. The proposed
law also makes every owner liable for
damages resulting from the spread of
fire from his own land to that of an
other. There are many other impor-
tant features in the proposed law,
such as the appointment of firewar-
dens, the use of spark arresters on
locomotives and engines. and posting
of fire notices.
The report furthermore recon-
mends the establishment of state for
ests from tax lands and by purchase.
~ has airedy been done by many
states in the country.
The forests of Florida have lasted
longer than in many states. perhaps
because the state has been more gen.
.erously endowed with valuable
growth. The need of forest preserva-