The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-07-21

ponSe to the address OF welcome at
the annual convention Of the North
Carolina Forestry Association. Ashe-
Vile, N. c., June 10th and 11th, 1914,
and issued as Press Bulletin No. 100
Of the North Carolina Geological and
Economic Survey
1t is with genuine pleasure that l
respond to the most cordial welcome |
that has been extended to the dele |
gates to this Foresty Convention. 1t
is perhaps most opportune that the
Association is holding its annual con- |
vention here at Asheville, as the eyes
81 the whole country have been turn
ID to this section by the most liberal
contribution to forestry Of Mrs. Geo.
Vanderbilt The people Of Asheville
and weste>a Eorh Carolina must have
q very warm place in their hearts
for this good woman who has made it
possible to have the celebrated Pisgah
Forest remain forever as a National
Park. All Of us who are interested
in forestry and in tie protection and
preservation of the forests of North
Carolina owe her a .Jebt Of gratitude.
and l sincerely hope this Convention
will take some formal action regard
ing the conveying of the PlSgah Forest
by Mrs. Vanderbilt to h Federal
government. The value Of PiSgah
Forest to western North Carolina car
onIy be maintained by adequately
protecting the area from forest fires.
The whole State is interested in this
National Park. and therefore interest
ed in retaining the forests and the
beauty of the area.
Another reason why 1t is an apprO-
pirate Trims for US to meet here is be-
cause we have illustrated in the city
Of Asheville the great value to a
municipality Of being anle to advertise
an absolutely uncontaminated water
shed. Asheville showed her foresight
in tho ptrnhnCn of NOR uyotQrChaG
making it possible for her to assure
her visitors that at all times she is
ready to serve them with an adequate
supply Of pure water. This large area,
owned by the city, Is only Of value to
the city for this purpose as 1t is pro
Asheville City and western North
Carolina should be extremely interest
ed in h policy the State will adopt
in regard to forestry. / shall, there
fore, as part of my address in response
to the one just made. welcoming us
to Asheville, speak on "A Forest
Policy for North Carolina"
AS citizens of North Carolina, we
are all vitality interested in the pre-
%petuation of our timber supply, the
protection of our and the
improvements of our soils. We are
all eth IT producers or consumers OF
timber, and the majority Of us both
grow and use wood.
In 1910 North Carolina was secon
In the number Of sawmills and forth
in the total amount of lumber pro.
duced by them of all the state in the
Union. Our wood-using industries
now consume more homegrown tim
Der than those Of any other state witt
the exception Of Michigan. Nearly al
our armers comprising SO per cent O.
the population, cut their own fire
wood, and most of them sell ever.
l i ~o ~
another. Our water powers, perhap
the most important in the country, ar
rapidly being harnessed to run GU
own and our neighborS' mills. Rapid
ly increasing demands are being mad
upon our soils, from which nearl,
seven-eightS of our people directl
draw their livelihood. Can we, il
keeping pace with the march of pro
gress, afford to neglect these our grea
natural resources, on which we are a
so directly dependent?
Lumbermen and Farmers Want to b
Shown.
IT can not be expected that lumbe
companies, which often operate on
small margin n frequently do nc
own the land from which they ar
taking the timber, will ~voluntaril
take precautions and spend money o
forestry measures, which will benef
the next generation of lumbermen an
consumers alike, but will not brin
in to the present operations any finar
Cial return.
On the other and the farmer VIII
owns woodland and who expects
continue in possession indefinitely ca
much better afford to spend money Q
the Improvement and protection of h
roc because he or his sons will rea
the benefit. And yet, when it com
to taking a less price for his limb,
in order that reservation of seed tre'
be made or protection to your
growth be secured during logging,
when planting, thinning, and prote
ton demand labor for which the ia
mer will have to wait a generate
for money returns, we can not be su
prised that he does not precipitate
adopt forestry measures.
Forestry a Legitimate State Activit
1t is undoubtedly the province
the State to foster in every possit
way the industries and resOurc
which affect the lives, the proper
and the happiness of the whole pc
l. 49, -,>11 ~ O