The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1949-01-07


our own natural resources for
our own economic good, we
would like to touch this week
on tree farming, which accounts
for a large portion of our pres
ent rural income. However, the
cash benefits from the produc-
ton OF pulpwood, saw logs and
naval stores could be doubled
and tripled through a long
range, county wide program of
aid and education. This, of
course, would be an integral
part of the function of a rural
urban county committee to for
mulate and push to a successful
conclusion a Jackson county
plan for rural development,
which we have been advocating
for some time.
The greatest single factor
working against a plan of con-
servation and reforestation is,
of course, fires. Thousands of
acres are burned over annually
in Jackson county, with consid-
cradle damage and loss of po-
tentlal revenue. A large num-
Der of these fires are deliber-
ately set under the misguided
assumption that the burned over
land will provide better graz
ing for cattle, usually of the
scrub variety whose worth is
negligible in comparison to the
damage done in providing free
range for them. Others are due
to carelessness of motorists or
picnickers and q few the work
OF arsonists who simply like to
sec the woods burn, or who are
settling a grudge with a neigh
Dor. In any event, most stem
from a general ignorance of
what a well planned and super
vised conservation and refores-
tation program could mean to
the economy of the county.
The only answer to the above
problem is, we believe, an ed
ucational program that would
start at the bottom and not at
the top. We should start now
with our youngsters who in a
few short years will become
our farmers and rural leaders.
The educational program
should take a practical and use
full form, and not be confined
to lectures and pamphlets
which, in the long run, serve
little purpose other than the
consumption of time.
Practical demonstration of
the economic value to the indi-
vidual of reforestation, conser-
walton and intelligent, we'll
planned production of trees is
one method that would be eff
fective. AS we have stated be-
fore, we believe this could and
should be made a part of the
school curriculum in our three
consolidated county high
schools. The necessary acreage
could be obtained by the board
of supervisors through pur-
chase, use of sixteenth section
lands OF by donation from large
timberland owners in the coun-
ty who certainly stand to reap
a full measure of benefits from
such a program.
4s =
When the necessary acreage
is secured il could be divided
into four parts, and one tract
assigned to each of the four
school classes, freshman, soph-
omore, junior and senior. Each
class would supervise the tract
with the assistance and guild
ance of trained f~oresters loaned
by private industry or the state
or federal forestry services.
Revenues derived from the sale
OF pulpwood or saw logs would
belong to the class, to be used
o finance class activities or foI
any other necessary school pur-
pose, AS a senior class gradu-
ated, the tract being supervised
by them would be turned over
TO the incoming freshman class
who would take up where the
graduating class left off and
supervise the tract for the four
years that they attended school.
In this manner each gradu-
ating class from the county's
three consolidated high schools
would be composed of young
boys and girls thoroughly
versed in the economic value of
tree farming and conservation
who would take their places in
the rural population and apply
their knowledge to practical
pursuits, In this manner the
county would be adding annual
ly 35 to 40 young men and wom-
en- to the rural population.
which is about the average to-
tai of the graduating classes of
the three schools, who would
have a knowledge and under
standing of the problems of
conservation that all the