The star-progress., 1919-12-13

y
it seems clear that, primarily, refor-
estation must be the answer, the
method and extent of its accomplish
ment remain to be worked out. Some
Of this land, suitable for crops, is be-
ing used for agriculture without urg-
ing, but that of Indifferent agricul-
tural values, or exhibiting none what
ever, is neglected. Reforestation of
these lands, the only sensible use to
which they could be put, is not un-
dertaken, lacking necessary provis-
ions in the economic and government
tai statutes of the commonwealth.
The consensus of opinion among
observers is that individual effort will
accomplish little in reforestation /;
that the state must take hold of the
problem in a comprehensive way to
make the experiment effective and
profitable In this connection the
state must determine, by proper legis-
lation, what methods it will pursue to
assuem control of lands to be refores-
ted, and what lands should be selec-
ted fer this purpose.
Owned by Individuals
Practically all cut-over lands are in
the hands of private owners at pres
ent. These would first have to be
appropriated, and these lands after
wards classified for farming, grazing
or reforestation.
Progress in reforstation of cut
over lands has been slow in all parts
of the country where such lands
are," said M. L. Alexander, commits
sioner Of the state department of con-
servation, because there has been no
general appreciation of the impor-
tance or the merits of the subject.
The advocates of reforestation are
not urging the indiscriminate refores-
tation of cut-over lands, but rather a
selection of all such lands as are not
either plainly of an agricultural char
acter nor likely to be used for the pc
riod required to complete new for
est rotation.
"FOresters take the position that
the best test of whether land is suit
able for agriculture at the time of the
classification is whether it can be
profitably cultivated, or whether there
there is even a sight chance that it
can be profitably employed at any
time during the time required to
grow new forest. Some of the cut
over lands in Louisiana and elsewhere
are admittedly suitable to nothing but
the growing of trees, some are strict
ly agricultural in character, while
others are of a very doubtful value
for farming purposes, though eco
nomic conditions might so change as
to make their farming profitable.
Pending the development of such con-
ditions, the foresters contend, the
lands should be made productive by
permitting their reforestation, with
the understanding that whenever
they were required for farming they
would be released for that purpose.
Comprehensive Plan Needed
"The necessity of some compre-
hensive plan in Louisiana for the re-
forestation of part at least of the cut
over lands is shown by the fact that
while on January /, 1907, there were
9,945,000 acres Of virgin timber, in
1918 there weer only 4,70O, 900
acres, increasing the cut-over acreage
from 8,7OO,O0O to $4,000, 900. The
timber is being logged in the mean
time at the rate of 25O,O00 to 30O,-
600 acres annually. The cut-over
land today is divided into 8,195,0
acres Of pinelands, 1885, 900 acres
of alluvial hardwood lands and l.
100000 acres of alluvial lands in
which the cut was chiefly cypress.
Natural reforestation would be ac-
comphshed readily on practically all
of these lands, though, of course, the
alluvial lands are ordinarily too val
liable for agriculture to be consider
ed for reforestation purposes, not
withstanding that a forest rotation
could probably be completed on some
of them before they were required
for farming.
"The lands with which the state is
chiefly concerned, however, are the
cut-over lands and their reforestation
may be reduced to a matter Of fire
prevention. Under the present fores-
try laws of Louisiana, the most that
the state department of conservation
can do is to cooperate with the own
ers in preventing fires. In the case
of owners who do not intend to en-
gagae in refrosetation project for a
sufficietly extended period to assure
a crop of saw logs, which few Of them
would be willing or able to do, the
only recourse would be for the state
to take over the land and inaugurate
a system of fire prevention that
would permit the completion of the
crop.
with or without state assistance
in preventing forest fires, the owner
of cut-over lands would derive the
best results by using them partly for
grazing, and, if possible, for farming,
I'D un.,.-AI-r-