The farmer and mechanic., 1915-10-12


Short Leaf Pine in D>
COn%ttt2r tie Status OF " T. ne
FHtE years ago white pine was E,o
ucaliy ValueieSs wood aS far as stu|/
age values were concerned Now il >
couiC be found $40 a t::ousan. on ne
stump would not be counted excessive.
he only tree to take ine U.ac> Of
white pine is the North Carolira short
leaf pine which has the world for its
!, market. Because the white pine has
gone tEe lfObiefn OF saYl!!- tl.r .>.trx.l
| Carolina pine forest is more than a
local affair. The saw mill ma is con
| cerned in saving the timber for a fu-
! ture operation. The land owner is
! concerned because he wants the in
creasing income from his pine lands
| The community is interested because
! 1t wants the permanent industry to
j employ the people, make a market for
i the farmers. and maintain prosperity
| III the neighborhood. The railroads
are interested for on the lumber mills
they depend for vast fregihts. The
! state is interested, for from the pros
perity Of the community it derives
| taxes, and it maintains state institu-
tiorS roads, schools, and all public
utilities.
\ --ngle instance Of this is seen in
the town of Whiteville, where eight
years ago Mr.. O'Eerrys company
bought four acres of land for $500
Later when the mill had been run
ming long enough to make a good
town of Whiteville, one lot was sold
| from this four acres for as much
IA the whole plot had cost. The
taxes on the increase Of values made
, by the mill have proved sufficient to
Jay all the expenses Of many improve
nients, including schools and similar
public requirements, and Whiteville is
paying to the State now five times
! as much as it did before the mills
: were built there. The State could pay
much money for a forestry system that
: would save the forests and make
. money in the operation every year.
But even beyond the borders Of the
state saving the forests Of eastern
North Carolina is question. North
Carolina pine Is confined almost
> wholly to belt Of land in the east
: ern part Of this State. and little OF
. Virginia and South Carolina. Here
numbering will be carried on mdef-
, nltely II the trees are properly pro-
! tected. and here the world will look
fer its finishing lumber for inside
, work. I say the world. for a vas,
= | quantity of North Carolina pine, un.
:, der the management Of the North
Carolina Pine Association, has beer
exported up until the outbreak Ol
:, the war in Europe. The world has
y discovered that with the wiping out oI
the white pine forests OF the NORTH
n the short leaf pine Of the Caroline
e coastal plain is the best lumber fo1
it its uses that can be found in an!
j. quantity, and the preservation o
i North Carolina pine is a world prob
d lem.
: Conservation Vastly Important.
~ Therefore the people Of North Caro-
- lima are confronted by problem tha
:. is OF vast Importance. The railroad
u are faced by the destruction OF
- business that gives them one and one
~ half billion feet OF lumber to haul an
u nually, and the freight they carr.
back to supply the lumber communi
u ties. The land owners are facing tn
'e loss of their annual income Of $4,000,
q 900 from the sale OF time. The mil
r. communities are threatened with tn
n loss Of the $4,000, 900 Of money tn
le mills earn a year. The Stat te is face
x by theSdanger Of the loss Of taxes tn
1t mill communities and properties pa
L in the course Of the year. The coun
T. ties are threatened with the abandon
ment Of the 900 miles OF lumber rail
e road in their territory, and the goin
in back to the old methods Of WACO
10 ha auling and travel These and hun
l. dred other things face the state II tn
% forests of the North Carolina shoT
o leaf pine are allowed TO be exter
it minated.
in The Legislature Of North Carolin
n has before it a job. 1t is TO save tn
% big industry Of numbering from ex
re tinction. and to perpetuate one OF tn
w Continued on Page Two