The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1921-08-20

eral laws, is killed in considerable nunlbela, soine
have been sold In recent years at the rate Oh
three for a dollar Wild turkeys are now mueh
scarcer than formerly, but their numbers meh'
be restored by proper protection. Bobwhtes are
still common.
Trapping is extensively practced Great num-
bers Of raccoons and several dozens OF offers
are taken every winter. Smaller numbers OF WIN"
cats opossums. and skunks are trapped
The Mississippi alligator, now rapidly disap-
pearing from the haunts Of man, has found the
Okefnokee goodly place in which to survive
For the student Of herpetology the region holds
a vast and fascinating store Of riches
The swamp waters abound In fish life, including
pckerel. arge-mouthed black bass and other
smaller bass short nosed CARS, club suckers mud
fish (Ama), various species Of catfish, and num-
erous killifishes. Among the recent discoveries
Is particularly dainty little fish, Lucanla ON
mata, which previously known only from
few specimens taken In Florida; 1t enjoys the
distinction OF being Of the very tiniest OF ex-
listing vertebrates.
The wonderfully rich and diverse plant life
Of the Okefinokee constitutes of it's greatest
charms and beauties. And herein may per
ceve veritable illustration Of the curse or beau
ty" for 1t Is the magnificent timber OF the swamp
that furnishes Its commercial value and has In
vited destructive exploitation. There are two
major types of forest growth-the pine barrens
ing inundated portions OF the sWarnp.
The socalled pine barrens open forests of
long leaf and slash pines, between whose straight
and lofty trunks one may look for a distance OF
q quarter Of mile In almost any direction. The
low underground consists principally Of saw pal
metto, together with profusion of huckleberrles
and blueberries, which form an Important ee-
ment in the food Of many birds and mammals.
One may find on some of the Okefnokee islands,
atr,rY tf,a md tba hay
yet penetrated, the southern pine forest In Its
finest glory.
In the "bays," which cover large portion Of
the swamp, the dominant growth is the pond
cypress Probably nowhere else in the world
does 1t attain heavier growth or finer proper
tons Other trees in this habitat are the black
gum, red bay, white bay sweet bay, and red ma
pie
There are number of other distinct types Of
vegetation In the swamp, including hammocks,
sand scrub sphagnous boys, and cypress ponds,
each with charm of its own
For ten years past the very existence of the
Okefinokee in any condition worth preserving,
has been threatened by rapidly extending CONNER
cal operations, until matters have now reached
an acute stage. One lumber company, with
great mill near Waycross, has already removed
the heavy cypress timber in the northwestern
quarter Of the swamp north of By's island. The
companys railroad, with many branches, now
extends to the very heart Of the swamp between
Billy's and Floyds islands Another company has
turpentined the magnificent pines on Billys island
and the Pocket Thus the area already devas-
tated probably comprises more than one hundred
souare miles and there is constant menace of
industrial encroachment from all sides of the
swamp.
Fortunately, the entire area In which the re-
moval of the timber either has been accomplished
ar Is being planned, comprises only about one
third of the swamp. This lies mainly In the north
western part extending south to Honey island and
east TO MINES lake; and also through the bay"
,,ortheast of Bly's island to Floyds island.
Flovd's island in the eastern part OF the swamp,
"a the most diversified, and In some respects the
,nost intresting of the islands. The owners have
bon. II as a sort of game preserve and 1T Is evil
IDENTIFY in no immediate danger of exploitation
plans are already being considered for definite
svstem of drainage operations, to be started after
the timber has been taken out for the purpose
af converting the swamp into land suitable for
agricultural purposes
Go II appears that IL Okeinokee Is to be saved
II must be soon
In 1889 the state of Georgia sold okehnokee 10
, numbering syndicate for 26h cents an acre.
The pity Of 1t
. h,,.ha rd Firing ceased Defeated the French