Evening star., 1933-03-16
BY FRANCIS NJ. LIE MAY.
Associated Press staff Writer.

ASSOClaIeQ freSS Stau writer.
FLORENCE, Ala, March 16-Re-
| generation comes of new faith and
courage, and perhaps no phase OF
President Roosevelt's population de-
Capitalization plan would so brighten
100000 city jobless he proposes to en-
ploy in the Tennessee Valley as slopes
alive with trees and fields green and
thriving
The President chose reforestation and
reclamation to give sustenance, scene
and vigor to the three other major
implements ts-hydroelectric power, navi-
cation and flood control he has pro-
jected into an unprecedented expert
ment in planned economy, to remove
forever from the land the specter of
unemployment.
Many Changes Needed
Since the fertile Tennessee Valley
already abounds in productive farms.
the problem of reforestation will in
volve eroded sloping farm lands, nat
urally infertile lands. overflow lands
not dependable for cropping and cut
over lands in which satisfactory nat
ural regrowth is not taking place.
Watershed protection for hydroelec-
trio power, as we'll as prize crops of
forest products years hence, will be of
value in that reforestation will check
erosion which fills the water heads Of
dams. reduces water storage and lessons
available power. Forests reduce sitting
to a minimum.
Native forests consist largely of hard
co@
best adapted species for unprofitable
marginal farm land planting are pines
and black locust. both hardy, rapid
growing and finding ready usage.
Along streams and in mountain coves
and more fertile lands, various hard
woods can be grown such as yellow
poplar, ash and wild cherry. walnut.
oak. hickories, NAPLES, red gum, elms
and persimmons.
States Can Provide Trees.
Planting stock might be provided
largely by State tree nurseries, now
operated by all the States touched by
the watershed project, Tennessee, Ala
bama, Kentucky, Virginia, North Caro-
lima and Georgia.
President Roosevelt has not revealed
details OF his plan, but valley people
are studying the reforestation project
he foStered in New York, where un-
profitable agricultural land is purchased
by the State and reforested. Since the
Southern States probably cannot put
up offset money, discussion centers
about possibility the Federal Govern
ment will purchase submargiNal land
and make of it national forests. There
remains the alternative of a Govern
ment contract with the individual land
owners.
Reforestation is slow moving A
land classification survey must precede
and about two years will be REQUIRED
to grow. seedlings for planting The
PRESIDENT proposes to engage $4,000 to
10,000 men Immediately in this work.
Great Area Available.
But there is no speed limit to re-
clamation. Those abandoned lands
where erosion has not advanced so far
as to preclude filling and terracing
may be smoothed to invite tilling and
rotation, which will make them mel
low and luscious for hungry roots
pushing up green stalk, stem and leaf.
Then there are thousands of prize
acres in the valley of $4,000 square
miles awaiting protection from floods.
before tillers venture onto them. These
"odlo NC lCCldlluCo ny Ol
the river flow by the same dams gene
rating power and facilitating navi-
cation.
Mr.. Roosevelt has emphasized that
unbalanced population and unemploy-
ment from the undermining fault areas
which periodically cause economic
quakes and spread hysteria. He pro-
poses that the Government actively
supplement private enterprise in hasten
ing the building of a structure of
strength and flexibility equal to the
tremblors which may be anticipated in
the future. Congress holds the fate of
his experiment, which grew from the
wartime embryo Shoals.
With success of his first efforts, the
President proposes to spread his scheme
from the Alleghanies to the Pacific
Coast
The rambling Tennessee, meanwhile
except for the big hump the wal left
on its back at Muscle Shoals-f1ows on
much as when the Cherokees battled its
rapids with paddle and canoe and when
gray and blue clad soldiers wrote his
tory at Chattanooga and Shiloh.