The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1915-04-06

ems or the community discussed the
serious situation which has been
Drousht about by the cutting which
mas now been going on for several
years. starting with the logging of the |
spruce forests from a large area. on |
VI gman'S Peak and now extending
to the slopes of Mt. Mitchell.
me operations include the cutting
OF all spruce n balsam trees down |
70 foul inches in diameter. The cut
ing was confined to a large tract OF
5000 acres until recently but has now
been extended to an additional 5000
acres on the west slope OF the noun
tain and the areas to be covered in
the whole operation will aggregate
aggregate $4,000 to 20, 900 acres, and
perhaps more. This means that much
Of the surface of the mountain sides
will be denuded, leaving the cut-over
area ready both for forest fires and
the wash OF the heavy rains which
occur in this mountain region.
The Benefit of Forests.
The relation between forest and
stream flow is now we'll understood
by most Of the people OF the whole
United States, and especially by citi-
zens OF the Appalachian region, who
have struggled for years to promote
the preservation OF mountain forests
either by the State or National gov
eminent in order to conserve and pro-
tect stream low. Even the children
Of North Carolina understand how the
heavily wooded mountain sides, cover
ed with soil formed by the successive
piling up of humus season after sea
son, for ndr Of years, act as a
great sponge to soa up the rains and
allow the water to flow gradually in
to the streams which affect the condi.
tons and life Of hundreds Of thous.
[ ands Of people living along the val
leys.
The mineral sol in the Mt. Mitchell
l area is Carolina gneiss formation, sc
: named because of it's extent in NORTH
S and South Carolina When the vege
v tai soil or humus is either burned @
G washed away, the mineral soil which
e is left is Of a character which break
up quickly and flows Off into tn
t streams, leaving bare, uncovered
e rocky places everywhere.
e In practically all of the 1umberin!
v operations which have been carrie
s on on Mt. Mitchell, Clingman's Peak
and in the vicinity, NJ thought ha
been given for the future use Of tn
land. The big trees have been cut S
e as to follow along the line Of least re
sistance regardless Of what the
d crushed and destroyed. The slas
l. formed by the tops and branches
II not piled in small, compact hillock
and burned as it is i'll many Of tn
J. western forests, i'll such a manner 9
will do the least harm, but is left seat
h tered six or eight feet high over broa
areas.
Destroying New Growth.
a The burning Of this mass ST ma
n terial by the lumbermen in order
to protect the standing timber and tt
at logs means that all the new growth
he trees is burned at the same time al
TX that the soil also is burned to n dept
az of eight inches to a foot at times.
ea most such cases the home and Pc
ne manent Offices Of the lumberman a,
e. generally located in ANOTHER State ar
es he has absolutely no interest in Il
ty mountain regions except in the prot
which he will obtain from the limb
a and he naturally desires all the prof
he he can get. This, in a word. Is Il
reason why the work is carried on
such a destructive without T
h gard for the permanent interests
nut the people living in the State, and
tn is this condition which is arousi
to such protest.
a The people of the Southern App
ne lachian region have always recogniz
forest fires as bne OF the great ours
of the country. The mountains ha