Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1909-08-15
FOREST CONDITIONS TN FLORIDA.

forest conditions OF Florida was made
during the past winter By the United
States Forest Service in cooperation
with the State. The report Is now
Completed and has been submitted to
the Governor for mis- consideration. IL
Is hoped that the Legislature 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 turpen-
tine-producing States OF the country.
Il has. NJ present. a greater per cent
Of its land In forest than any other
State. Some OF the finest stands OF
lOng-leaf pine In the South are con-
tanned within it's borders. The de-
velOpment 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 pur.
poses for many years TO come. In the
meantime the timber-producing posi-
bilities OF such lands are being de-
stroyed by repeated fires, turpentin.
ing. and reckless numbering. The op-
portunity to organize and adopt plans
of forest management should not be
delayed until the forest lands have
all tcen cut over.
Many States have temporarily de.
yelOped at the expense OF the forest
interests and have realized too late
the disastrous effects Of wasting their
forest resources.
The report OF the Forest Service ex.
aminer In Florida lays particular
stress on the importance OF a strong
forest policy for the State. II recon-
mends that there should be a Commits
sion Of Forestry TO have general su.
pervision OF the forestry interests OF
the State and to appoint a State For.
ester. Il should be the duty OF the
State Forester. under the dlrec.
tion Of the Commission. 10 advise pri.
yate owners in reference 90 forest
management. to bring TO public atten.
ton the damage done by forest fires,
to formulate and put into execution a
hre-warden system to protect the for
ests from fires. TO encourage more
conservative systems OF numbering
and turpentining. To investigate tax
and grazing problems. and in general
promote a 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 perpetuation OF the forests.
The practice OF burning over the
ground annually destroys all posi-.
bilsty of a young growth OF pine 20
take the place OF the mature timber
when II is cut Moreover. fires iniure
the standing timber, especially where
the trees have been boxed. and de.
stroy the vegetable covering of the
soil II 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 a forest fire
law for Florida which shall make IL
unlawful and punishable by fne 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
another. There are many other i'm.
portant features in the proposed law,
such as the appointment Of Are
wardens, the use Ut spark arresters
on locomotives and engines. and post
ing OF fire notices
The report Furthermore recommends
the establishment OF State forests
from tax lands and by purchase as
has already been done by many States
In the country.
The forests uf 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
ton has not been so apparent in the
past. but those who understand the
present conditions in Florida and in
other States should BE- alive To the
necessity Of taking some action to-