Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-07-26

have been removed within the last
half-century. Probably it took nature
from one to two hundred years to
develop those magnificent virgin
forests which the older generation
Of today found wh@a the- Settled
and reclaimed a part of the state OF
Georgia Has the woodless age ar
rived? Apparently. it has, for ce9'
tainly we cannot hope to have much
more lumber Tor use on our farms
and in building barns and domiciles
to house our live stock and our PEG
pie satisfactorily unless we under
take to grow it, In other words, the
time has arrived when we must cui'
tivate trees just as we cultivate any
field crop. NO doubt this will be a
shock to our sensibilities, and, UNI
Questionably, many people are not
willing to recognize that this cOndi-
ton has already arrived in our own
state. 1t is true, nevertheless ana
hence there is no topic of greater con
Germ or interest to our people at TINS
time than that of how we can most
quickly and effectively cover a part
of our waste and eroded lands with
trees. 1t is not as simple PROPOSE
ton as some may anticipate. 1t Will
not only call for the exercise of pa
thence, but for the lapse of time as
we'll. We have everything to learn
about forestry as yet, and so all
the investigations made looking to-
ward the accomplishment of this END
is worthy of our most careful consld-
. Grafton and study at this time. Tn
der the circumstances, it is crafty
ing to find that Professor T. Is. Bur
leigh. of the forestry division, of the
Georgia State College of Agriculture
las prepared some timely suSges-
tons relative to the principal
varieties of pines which may De
utilized in retaining as forest areas
a part of the idle or waste land so
abundantly found in our state at
this time.
Reforestation is rapidly becoming
q tonic of real interest here in Geor-
ria, and. as many of the farmers are
beginning to realize the value OF
utilizing their idle land for grow
ing timber, a word might well be
said concerning those trees which
should be given preference over 9TH
erS.
The state as a whole. excluding
only the northern mountainous sec
ton. is best adapted for the growth
of pines, and, in fact, was largely
covered at one, time with an almost
unbroken pine forest. Hardwoods
of various species have since come
in on many cutoVer areas, but I'M
questionably, the pines make the
best growth, command the best price
end are generally readily marketa-
BILE when there is need of little
ready cash.
In all. nine species are found In
the state, but of these only four are
OF much importance. Three. the
scrub pine, known locally as the
black pine, the pitch pine and the
white pine, are confined entirely to
the mountains and even in this linn
tied area are utilized merely for fuel
because of their small size and the
inferior quality of the lumber they
! produce. The white pine is ordinar
lily valuable tree, but here in
Georgia, it is at the extreme south
EN- limit of its range and, for this
reason, never attains a large size
or is considered as producing lun1-
Der of commercial value. 1t can al
ways be recognized by the fact that
the needles are in bundles of five,
and the cones slender. incurved, and
with brittle scales. The scrub pine
has short needles in bundles of two
and always twisted, while the pitch
pine has needles slightly longer, less
twisted and in bundles of three.
These characteristics will always
identify these trees within their
range.
OF the remaining six species, two
Of them, the pond pine and the
spruce pine. are cut only for fuel
and are found in the swampy lands
in the southern edge Of the, state.
The four species of real impor-
lance, and the means of Identifying
them, with a brief note as to their
general range and their importance,
is outlined below:
Longleaf Pine-This tree is found
in the sandy coastal plain section
Z of GEORGIA, a stretch possibly l25
miles wide bordering the larger
part of the state. It can be recog
nized by its needles, which are in
bundles of three, and often fully
eighteen inches long, and by its
large cones, which are from six to
ten inches long The wood is heavy.
hard. strong and durable, and of
great value from a lumber stand
point. But for the fact that it is
slow growing. especially when it is
young. it would always exceed in
importance any of the other south
ern pines, for in addition to its lum
Der 1t is the one source at present
for turpentine.
Slash Pine-In this tree, the
needles are in bundles of either two
or three and are shorter than those
of the Longleaf, averaging from
8 to II inches in length. 1t is like
wise confined to the coast region
I and at one time was very limited
in its distribution, but it is gradu-
ely replacing the Longleaf pine on
cutover areas. This is due to the
fact that it is the most rapid growing
of the southern pines, and likewise
ia gradually moving north of its
former range. AS its wood is hard
err, stronger and heavier than Long
leaf pine, and it produces a better
and larger flow of turpentihe, it
should in time rank as the most
valuable tree, from every stand
point. in the state. Without ques-
ton, it should be given distinct pref
erence in so far as reforestation is
concerned anywhere within its
range.
I.oblolly Pine-This tree is com
monty known as Old Field Pine, and
is widely distributed through the
state on cutover. and abandoned
farms. It reclaims such land, with
in short time, and for this req
son. is the predominating tree iF
many sections, can be known from
the fact that it's needles are ir
punches of three and are to
inches long. Its growth is practi
cally las rapid as that Of the Slash
pine, but the wood it produces is
weak, coarse grained and not very
durable, and, consequently, Of fal
less value as lumber. 1t likewise