The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1922-12-31
QUINN ADVOCATES
.LEG|SLAT|O FOR
CARE OF FORESTS
Reforestation of Cut Over
Lands urged- Shortage Of
Newspaper Print Fore
seem Pine Scarcer
STATE CAPITAL BUREAU
THE AGE-HERALD
MontgOmerl. Ala, Dec. 30

vide for the protection OF its forests
and fcr The reforeststion of its cut
over lands gives it a. position single
and alone among the states Of the
nations according to ]. T. Quinn
state commissioners of conservation,
who today made public the result Of
his investig cations which followed the
publication early in the week OF at,
appeal of f. F. Allison Of Bethany
for legislation which viii establish
rules for the refore station program
which he believes is necessary If Ala
bama is ever TO reclaim the lands
which lave been denuded of theie
forests.
Commissioner Quinn pointed out
that Florida, Georgia and Mississippi,
sister states of Alabama, In the
rast - months have enacted fcres-
try legislation and that thousands
of farmers in those states are now
reforesting their lands which are
elassel as agricultural.
Since the state press a few da%s
ago CdITitu the Sub6 tSAfoilS VI L. 5 e
Allison, lumberman and game con
servationist. a great deal of interest
las been aroused On the problem of
forest conservation said Mr. Quinn's
statement.
Face Lumber Shortage
'Citisens throughout the state
realize that unless we begin pra-
gram of conservation of our remain
ing forests and fafm wood lots ana
a reha oilitation of our cut-over lands
and denuded areas the coming
generation will cast the eye OF sore
disappointment over a vast area OF
wasted and washed agricultural
lands and wonder why We did not
leave them heritage os timber from
which hey could build their homes.
Practically every state in the
union, except Alabama, has already
taken steps looking toward prac-
teal conservation program In for
estry The states q Florida, Georgia
Mississippi and Missouri. which in
the past have been slow to follow
the other great numbering states of
the union, have already taken pre-
gressive steps during the last II
months to set up constructive for
estry programs.
thousands of farmers and small
land owners as we'll as many OF the
big numbering concerns In those
states. where legislation has made
1t possible for reforestfng their
non gricultural lands.
Cites Examples
I'm Louisiana, for instance, Hadt-
ner brothers at Urania and the Great
Southern Lumber company and many
others in that state are reforestins
thousands OF acres OF lands which
cannot be used profitably for agri-
cultural purposes. Louisiana has,
through state legislation, enacted
into law similar scheme as has
been promulgated In this state by Mr.
Allison recently-that of guarantee
ing non-agricultural lands in under
non agricultural lands for period
of years which will justify those own
ing mona agricultural lands to under
taking reforestation for purpose OF
growing a future timber supply.
"Col. william B. Greeley. chief OF
the United States forestry service, in
his report recently to the Secretary of
agriculture has this to say regarding
the South Atlantic and Gulf states:
"'Irrom 80 to 20 per cent of the area
Of each Of the South Atlantic and
Gulf states is forest land. The use OF
these vast areas on nom tillable land
for growing successive crops of TIM
Der would kill two birds with one
stone. 1t would insure ultimately a
supply of forest products adequate
for ali requirements and it would go
far toward maintaining virile popu-
la.ion and stable rural communities
in the regions of inferior soil and
limited agriculture
Affects Paper Industry
"The paper industry in this coun-
try is being affected at present and
the problem OF an adequate supply
Of print paper in the United States
is one that will give the newspaper
business increasing concern. We are
today having to look to Canada for
one-third of our paper. The big paper
mills of the country are already Sc
riously handicapped by the embargo
on pulp wood cut from the Canadian
forests. Colonel Greeley says: There
is a likelihood that his embargo will
be extended to all forest lands in
the Dominion, completely shutting
off raw wood from Canada as a
source of supply for the paper IN
dustry of the United States
The lumber cut is on the decline in
all states east of the great plains,
while in many states in the far west
VI
mills OF the east and south are in
full migration to the states west of
the great plains.
The vast pine belts of the south
ern states have for the last three
decades been supplying the eastern
and central states with soft woods
for use In building homes and every
form OF construction In which that
quality of wood is used. Within thu
next 20 years the south will be face
to face with lumber famine. The
country's future supply of soft woods
will come from the far western
states where long hauls and enor-
nous freight rates will force the
price Of lumber to higher levels.
THUS as the source of supply is
shifted farther from the centers of
suggests Colonel Gree
ley, competition will be lessened and
temporary shortages due to bad sea-
sons, labor troubles or congestion Of
facilities are more
probable and more severe.
Serious Problem
"For1st conservation and forest
protection from fire and other haz-
ards as well as the problems of Sc
curing O. regrowth through proper
is one Of the most Sc
rfous problems confronting the state
and nation today. 1t will require a
long number of years to re-estabiish
what we have in many instances
ruthlessly destroyed, even il we be-
gin now. But the longer we post
peHe the lob the less hopeful will we
be of results. The problem Of per-
petuating the forest and farm wood
lots of Alabama Is second in impor-
lance to the. education of the boys
and girls Of the state.
1.-THE problem of home building,
furniture for that home. agricultural
and everything in the
OF which wood is used
will reach new and higher levels in
the future and unless the state and
the nation see to it that our future
wood-using industries are kept sup
piled With raw material the whole