The Era-leader., 1919-02-06
Johnson Defends Cut.0ver
Lands.

January %, in connection with an
article purporting to quote Henry
Hardtner on the use Of the cut-over
lands for agricultural purposes, is
calculated to lead the casual reader
to infer that Mr.. Hardtner is an ex-
pert agriculturist. And Judging from
the emphatic manner in which Mr..
Hardtner expresses himself concern
ing the use of cut-over lands for re-
turning soldiers and agricultural pur-
poses, he may lay some claim, him
self, to being an expert agricultur-
list. 1t is evidently conceded, gen.
erallly, that he is successful lum-
herman, and it is certainly pretty
generally known that he has expert
mented on his cut-over iands for re-
forestation. If reports be true, Mr..
Hardtner is certainly entitled to a
great deal of credit for the things
he has demonstrated in reforestation
on cut-over lands and no doubt the
owners Of unused cut-over lands in
this state, as we'll as in the pine dis
trict Of the entire, South, would do
we'll to give more attention to re-
foresting at least certain portions OF
their lands, than they are apparent
ly doing.
Conceding that Mr.. Hardtner is a
very progressive lumberman and has
gained by actual experience great
deal Of information on the question
of reforestation of cut-over lands,
yet when he assumes to say that any
attempt at the settlement Of cut-over
lands for agricultural purposes will
be farce and a fizzle, he is tackling
mighty big subject. Nearly two
thirds of the whole state Of Louisi-
ana will probably fall in the class
of cut-over lands. Within a few
short years there will be in the Costal
Plans States of the South two hun
dred and eighty million acres of cut
over lands. Hundreds and thousands
of the finest soldiers sent from the
South, to fight the cause Of right
against might came fresh from the
farms of the cut-over land area. We
do not doubt the sincerity Of Mr.,
Hardtner's opinion on the subject Of
building farms on cut-over lands, but
deplore his judgment and informa-
ton. We are reminded Of the much
used quotation: "Oh, Consistency,
thou art jewel" Just few items
FOR thought as to what has been done
and is being done on cut-over lands
in Louisiana alone:
Ninety per cent of all the sheep in
Louisiana are on cut-over land.
Eighty per cent of the sweet po-
tatoes that are shipped from the
state are from the cut-over land Sec
ton.
Ali the strawberries are from the
cut-over section.
Seventy-five per cent of the milk
shipped to New Orleans is from the
cut-over,section.
All the first-class pure Louisiana
non-sulphur cane syrup is from the
cut-over lands.
The best watermelons are grown in
this section.
The cut-over section leads in the
production Of velvet beans, soy beans
and is best adapted for peanuts.
The very best cabbage, cauliflower,
beets, snap beans, and in fact all
kinds Of vegetables are grown and
shipped from the cut-over lands.
The cut-over section produces
many thousands of bushels of oats,
corn, Irish potatoes and can COM
pete with the alluvial and bottom
lands in the production Of cotton, in
the face Of ravages by the boil wee
vii. The great section of cut-over
land does not require water pumped
off it and produces the best water
on earth in springs, streams, shallow
and artesian wells.
No well-informed man pretends to
argue that the cut-over lands, as
class, will require one thousand and
two hundred and forty acres Of cut.
over land, with a fish pond, to pro-
duce living for a family, and it il
absolutely foolish and ridiculous.
j. K. JOHNSON.
A.