Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-05-29
Planting Trees


The lumber question is serious.
The scarcity of good timber in my
part of the country is well known.
The waste on this line has been de-
plorable. We are now largely de-
pendent on second growth pines to
get flooring and framing. We must
have some lumber, no matter how
useful we find lime, cement and
sand have become in building.
Where are We to get this needed
lumber? Ont in the middle west
they are planting trees, or sprouts,
which will, time enough being given.
make trees; and I believe with all
my heart that we in Georgia should
be diligent in resetting the worn
out lands, for it is a lnog step from
an acorn to the grown-up oak, ana
there is no telling what the demand
for lumber is going to be in the
coming days. AS long as we have
clay and sand we can make brick,
and brick buildings are durable II
the brick are well-made and well
laid, but there is nothing that Will
take the place of good lumber IN
constructing a real good house, or
finish I'D the ends and corners like
good sound lumber.
When I was young the farmers
burned off the most of the timber
grown on the soil they cleared. The
log heaps were as common as pig
tracks and after they had split up
enough rails to fence in the field,
they burned the rest without any
regard to the wastefulness of the
proceeding Log-rollings were as
common as cuttings or corn shuck-
ingS Sawmills were not plentiful
and the majority of the farm build:
ings were constructed Of logs. Log
cabins, properly built would last a
long time and they were both con-
venient and comfortable.
After Georgia lands were delivered
from the faint of the Yazoo fraud
people from other states, mostly
from Virginia, Maryland and the
Carolinas, flocked into Georgia. The
general style of primitive farm
houses was entirely built of logs,
and the cracks were filled with
smaller pieces, later daubed with
clay to shut out rain and cold.
The majority of plain farm houses
that I recall in the days of my
youth were two big log pens, so to
speak, maybe twenty feet square,
and about twelve to sixteen feet
apart. This space was turned INTO
a sort of wide hall, open at both
ends, floored like the main rooms
and they were the summer parlors,
for visitors and home folks. AS fami-
lies increased in number sheds were
put on and the main central hall
extended. 1t would astonish our read
ers to know how many of that sort
Of homes were the places where
MANY of the hig rich folks got their
start.
To get back to my text-if our
people are thrifty and will reset
their own worn out lands with young
trees the value of this endeavor
will soon develop. There is another
advantage which will also come
along. The soil will not wash off so
easily and long drouths will be
averted in great measure. 1t is as
tonishing how the growth of trees
conserves the moisture, and the
groves become windshields to fend
off the heavy wind storms and pro-
tect orchards, etc.
Our people are growing en-
thusiastic over memorial trees, set
out on highways. This is we'll and
good, but the resetting of worn out
fields and barren hillsides would
bring also good money in due time
An Interesting Letter
I am taking the liberty to pub