The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-27
OWNERSHIP IF
 SOUTH'S TIMBER Individual Farmers Own Less
 Than Half Of Area WASTE IS VERY GREAT Corporations Own Greater Part of For ests and Cutting the Timber on
 Large Scale Causes
 Heavy Waste.
WASTE IS VERY GREAT

Washington, December 26-(Speciai l. The 2S5,O0o,ooo acres of forest area in the Southern States, Maryland to Texas, in- cluding Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Mis- sour, constitute an imperial domain. It is an area almost six times as large as all of New England, or putting it another way, an area considerably larger than all of New England combined with New York. Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, The diana and Wisconsin.
 The fact is an imposing one and coti- pied with it's possession lies the comfort- ing fact that In this forest area is con- tained not only nearly half of the nations remaining timber, but by far the most valuable kind.
 It means that with proper management and by wise use this source of wealth to the south can be made to perpetually yield an income which in importance and size is only second to the south's cotton crop!
 The ownership of this vast area may be roughly divided into two classes: 1st. farmers woodlots, aggregating approxi- mately 10000, GOO acres and, 2d, individual or corporate holdings, aggregating about 125,00o.000 acres and they will be taken up in some detail.
 Farmers woodlots are mainly scattered and detached remnants of the original forests, chiefly valuable for protective and ornamental purposes--they contain much valuable timber, mainly in the shape of ties. posts, poles, hrewood, etc. and while immensely valuable for such purposes.
  sive numbering operations that would en- tirely destroy them.
 I wish there could be put before the owners of such areas some Idea of the economic waste so much in evidence in the south In the present handling of this area-a waste that involves among other things Its gradual clearing for farm pur- poses, while cleared land lies idleI the burning of timber to get rid of 1t; the sale of timber at prices that totally dis regard its cost to the ownert wasteful numbering operations that destroy the young growth. and invite fire damage, etc.
 The man who has a forest area on his farm has a perpetual source of income. if 1t be properly handled, and in time, perhaps. can be so made to realize its po- tentiality as a profitable asset almost as valuable as well watered lands; that he will in time also realize that if he wants to be true to himself and to his children, he must consider himself as trustee. In his future use of his timber area.
 The lands held by individuals and cor porations are of another class, for not only Is the area much larger, but the tim Der stand Is immensely more valuable and extensive. This area is almost wholly used as the basis for future exploitation and sale or for timber cutting and man. ufacture on a large scale for such hold ings frequently comprise vast areas of several hundred thousand acres and in- variably contain the best timber.
 The shrewd lumberman who has cut the northern and lake forests has seen to 1t that the opportunity to buy and profit largely from the cheaply bought but ex- tremely valuable Southern timber lands, has been promptly taken advantage of. with the result that over 50 per cent (and possibly 75 per cenD of the timber lands in the south are In such hands today.
 If the south has not sold and is not even now selling it's birthright for mess of pottage, it has come dangerously near doing so, for lands so held are not being wisely used; appeals to the moral ques- tions involved in timber conservation fall on the deaf ears of men and corporations whose only motive is to cut and to add up profits therebyl There Is nothing so deaf as the proverbial adder unless 1t be lum- herman to the idea of conservation and to the moral and legal right of the state to prevent total devastation of forested areas on which the very life of the state may depend.
 What is the answcr7 Broadly speaking, it means a realization on the part of our southern people that deep responsibility is laid upon them in this forest question: a duty to be performed now. that cannot be evaded by thoughtful citizenship, cov- ering such wise use and management and care of the south's forest area ss will iri- sure the perpetuation of the south's tim Der wealth.