The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-01-29
SOUTH CAROLINA FORESTRY.
what Commissioner Watson Is Try.
tng % DO, and How He Is Being
AIDED by the u. 8. Government.

Columbia, Jan. 26.--Commission ner
Watson has received the report Of
Mr.. w. NJ. Moore Of the government
forest service who spent some time
In this state In a survey Of the forest
conditions last summer and fall. The
report will be printed by the de-
partment Of agriculture of the state
In connection with Its forestry work.
which Commissioner Watson has as
eumed and been carrying on most re-
markably we'll considering that he
had been given no money to use in
this matter. dr. Watson has been
able to get great deal of govern
msnt aid by showing the different
bills that have been introduced In
the house for the past four years to
have q forest commission appointed
and 10 have a survey OF the state
made, for the government will not do
much for those who are not interest
"a enough to de- something for them
solves. While the dilatory General
Assembly has played foot ball with
ths propositions Mr.. Watson has been
ouiotly at work securing government
aid to show the thinking people of
the state how much is needed to be
done, and what can be accomplished
by . very little bit Of money and In
tsrcst.
M. Moore has shown q quick and
eomprehsnsive grasp Of the situation,
ne has surprised even those who were
fsuiliar with the work Of the govern
msnt forest service in the extent Of
the things he learned In O short while
about the State while we who have
been here all the time. and more VI
feily interested, have passed them
unnoticed. His survey Of the State
geographically. the climate. soils.
river systems. geological formation.
labor agricultural and real estate sta
tistscs. are brief. but they are COM
prehsnsive. making his little book q
most interesting and instructive one
OF South Carolina geography. He
nnds that much the land that 10 In
e~s--sss 70 really Impractical for cui-
tivation. but formerly were well
wooded. and might be converted into
WOOD lots at profit to the owner,
but recommends most strongly that
farmsrs DO not pasture the wood lots,
.{1 hogs end cattle DO destroy the
ysuss trees. whils the grass Of the
wpod let 10 not o. much value for
ssasins. the feeding b tas stock and
ths pasturing In the icpsn f,eids pays
for itself In the value az the stock
yhsn 20 cared for. r.
N9s hnds the ore problem one Of
enc most serious and hard to meet.
bus suggests a nrs y<trol. the burn
ins OK the roAAfishts of way, the
care Of timber fands by the lumber
men operating In them, the appoint
msnt Of each supervisor az county
nrs warden, with authority to ap-
point the employees Of lumber COM
pAnies deputies under him. and pas.
s~.s Of stringent law against the
burning Of forests. and banishmsnt
for negligence OF wanton disregard
Of the provisions. Nearly all of the
nrst. he says are the result of delib-
crate burning for pastureage or
clearing. Logging and turpentine
methods ne finds unnecessarily waste
fui In the State. and he recommends
more stringent laws along those lines.
and he suggests many ways In which
those operating In the forests could
cave much of the waste now suffered,
He finds some farmers managing
their woods lots wisely, but many
need advice. and would manage well
II they had the advice. so he suggests
q campaign Of education by the State
along that line. and that IL a forester
cannot be created just now, to have
the department Of agriculture given
. small extra appropriation for that
particular work. He urges forest
commission especially, along the line
Of the frequently proposed resolution
on this subject which has never been
able to get to the light Of day In the
house In four years. but remains per-
sistently on the calendar. He finds