Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-06-20
Dividends From the Farm Wood Lot


experience and observation Of for
esters show that our climatic and
SOIL conditions here in the southeast
ern states are peculiarly favorable
70 the growth and development of
trees Of merchantable size in a rela-
lively short period Of time. We have
an abundance of rainfall, long and
favorable growing season, and our
lands are adapted to the cultivation
OF thosa tynes and varieties Of trees
which make a relatively early ma
tuetSy. am credibly informed that
second growth pine fields often
snow rate Of development equiv
aient to 1000 board feet per acre
per year. This represents an earn
ing power of SO to $40 per acre.
Much of our land fails to measure
up TO this standard when planted to
cotton Or other standard field
crops.
In spite Of the periodic slumps
that have taken place in the Value
OF lumber, it is difficult to see how
this essential material can do any
thing but advance in value. why
not make the farm forest areas OF
our state, therefore, a source OF
revenue? Why not put these IDLE
and inefficient acres to work? Sup
posing that the return per acre be
only So per year above the cost OF
interest on the investment, is this
not just So to the good? On ten
million acres of land does it not
represent $3O,000,000 a year? This
is an enormous sum of money to be
garnered from the comparatively
speaking waste places with the ex-
penditure of relatively little energy
and effort on the part Of the land
owner. You may cut this sum in
two If you please and it still rep
resents nearly twice the annual in
come Of the state of Georgia from
all sources. Is there any reason why
the Increment per acre should not
be made to represent a gain of S. or
81 or even $40 per year if the farm
forest area is judiciously conserved
and managed with skill and eff
cheney? Let us convert a waste, and
what now represents frequently an
eyesore, into an asset OF worth
while proportions not only to the in.
dividual, but to the state and nation
as a whole. Immediately the ques-
ton is raised that great expendi-
ture of labor and energy will be
necessitated. I wish to take excep.
ton to this statement. There is
plenty Of labor available on every
farm at certain seasons Of the year
to clean up and handle the wood
lot SO as to make it desirable
source of revenue rather than
menace and a blot on the landscape,
as it is all too frequently today.
No doubt there are sections Of the
country less favored than ours, but
nature will do most of the planting
for us, and about all that is left
for our landowners to do is to pro-
tect the young trees from being
destroyed by stock, make such es.
sential thinning as may be neces-
sary, keeping the ground free of
litter and trash, and fight fires.
which do more damage to our for
est areas, present and prospective,
than all other agencies put togeth-
er. Remember this last statement.
Let it burn itself into your inner
consciousness, and fight fires in the
woodland areas of our state as you
would his satanic majesty persona
fled.
OF coure we should encourage the
development of mixed stands of
trees in the farm wood lot, because
by such an arrangement a greater
variety of lumber is obtained. We
should emphasize quality so that