The patriot., 1921-08-26
FARMERS AND .FORESTERs
HOLD BIG MEETING

BegaluSa, La.-The ,citizenE ana
members Of the Florida Parishes
Woods Fire Control Association we're
entertained as guests of the Louisiana
Summer Forest Camp here. The for.
! est school is the first Of its kind in the
South, being originated and j, main,
tanned by the Department Of Conser-
| walton, through its commissioner, M.
L. Alexander and Colonel T. D. Boyd,
| President Of the Louisiana STATE Uni-
| Yersity, with Major ]. C, 4Lse, Dept. of
For and Hort. L. S.AU., as Director.
About ESQ men and women from the
/ va6fOus Florida Parishes attended this
| forestry meeting, bringing with them
+, large baskets filled with lunch and
other good things to eat. The forestry
. camp furnished them with barbecueG
beef and goat and coffee, and everyone
| had plenty. This meeting was very in
formal and the subjects OF how to pre-
vent fires and the results that can be
obtained from REPRESENTATION were dis
cussed.
Mr.. J. K. johnson Of Bogalusa pre-
sided as Chairman. Mr.. Geo. c. knight,
local farmer and a member Of the
School Board, opened the meeting with
prayer. Professor J. G. Lee made the
address of welcome. In his address
he emphasized the fact that forestry
and farming go hand IN hand and
made q special plea that all idle acres
should produce either farm or timber
crops. An important point brought
out was the fact that the iumbermen
OF Louisiana are gladly cooperating
with forestry, as once upon d time
their ideas were all destructive log.
.ging, but through the rapid depletion
of timber realize that now a plan
OF constructive forestry is essential
for the future. On the subject OF fire,
Major Lee emphasized the fact that
they not only kill young timber but
ruin the succulent grasses Of the range,
the fertility Of the sob, and endanger
the improvements Of farms adjacent to
the cut-oVer lands. He closed his ad-
dress with the plea that the farmers
have more such meetings not only for
their social benefit but also to inter
change ideas for successful farming
and forestry.
Mr.. J. K. Johnson made the response
to the address Of welcome in behalf Of
thebcitizens Of Washington Parish. He
described briefly the reforestration
plans Of the Great Southern LumbeR
Company and asked for the coopera.
tion OF ell citizens. He wound up With
a statement that IL this Aompapy'0 ex.
psriments were successful, not only
would the Great SAuthern Lumber
stCompany benefit by them but also sv'
serg citizen in that community would
gain either directly or indirectly. He
also offered free range to the local cit
izens on the fenced-in areas Of the
latest tract 20 be reforested.
The Hon. NJ. ]. Sylvest, member
of the legislature, then followed and
laid stress on the fact that the great
est factor in successful undertakings
is public opinion, therefore the public
must Interest itself and help cooperate
in the enforcement of the existing for.
estry laws. The meeting then ad-
journed for dinner.
After dinner Mr.. Dan Sheridan, local
timber and cattle maR. stated how he
had for years Erred the woods. About
a year ago he suddenly reahzed the
heavy loss he had inflicted upon both
the range and young timber; since
then he has fought@A fires and has CO
operated with the Department Of Con,
servation. He then asked the members
present IL they believed in fire protec.
tion. and IL 80, to stand up and pledge
their fun support and cooperation. The
pledge was made by every male mem
ber present Mr.. II. J. Stahl, Farm
Forester Of the Department Of Consers
vation, gave q brief outline OF his
work and how thisiswould benefit the
farmers individually He also asked
for their cooperationk1n the boys for.
estry club work.
Mr.. v. H. .Sonderegger. Acting Su-
perintendent OF Forestry OF the De-
partment OF Conservation, gave com.
parative analysis OF the European and
American forestry conditions, making |
special emphasis OF the fact that pine.
IL given only half a chance, codld re.
produce saw logs in 35 years as shown
in a demonstration plot at the camp.
Various questions were discusses and
answered, and In conclusion thasHeet.
ing adjourned.
This gathering was the first success
ful local forestry meeting ever held in
the state OF Louisiana, II being the /
meeting of the farmers, for the farms
ers, and in the interest OF fire proven,
fion and forestry, and the general opin.
ion was expressed that active steps |
must be taken to protect the range
against fire so as to improve the
grasses and reproduce future crop Of |
timber. It was acknowledged that the
greatest enemy to be combatted was
fire.
The by.word Of the Florida Parishes
Woods Fire Control Association 10
"Riches not Ashes" From all indicap
lions the season OF 1O2l-22 should show
an appreciable diminishing oe woods |
fires in the Florida Parishes.