WEDNESDAY, MARC1
Some True Facti
Of Conservatic
Idea Of Blind Blaming
Being Replaced Wi
More Practical Plan
Knowing About Cons
vation
About this time of the y
some new recruit to some edit
ial staff is certain to arise ft
a good night's sleep in a woo<
bedstead, step onto a woo<
floor in his flat, don clothi
partly made from wood fibre, i
his breakfast from a wooden
ble. walk to his office in ba
tanned leather, take up a wooi
penicl, sit down to a woot
desk and write an editorial
wood-derived paper. This edit
ial. to be printed on seventy i
res of spruce trees turned it
one newspaper edition, will be
scorching deiuciation of "I
ruthless lumbermen" and th
"criminal destruction of our f
ests." Having done this, the e
tor calls in his architect and t<
him that after thinking it
over he has made up his mi
that he prefers a frame hoi
for the new home. And then
reflects some more that cert;
sordid and selfish men are "i
stroying" the forests. It net
occurs to him that they are t
jng the forests.
This sort of editor is getti
scarce, because he is learni
something about the true natt:
of conservation, but the world
-r.-ii 1- ...1? I
1UII U1 JJCUMlt nnw aciuou^ i
lieve that the utilization of ft
ests for the making1 of more th
4,000 different sorts of articl
and commodities that are insi."
ently required in daily life is t
struction and vandalism. Undo
btedly many conscientious peo{
think they are practicing const
vation and helping to reclothe t
United States in a forest gai
animate with wild life, by den
ing themselves lumber hous
and many articles of woode
ware. Many others have acquit1
such a lop-sided conservationis
that they are sure the forests a
about gone and that what a
left are too poor to use. T1
kind of apprehensive conserv
tionist flourished thirty, fori
and even fifty years ago; and
was even certain then th
the end of our commercial fc
ests was just around the corn
of a little time.
Now what are the undisput
facts about the forests and th(
utilization?
Well, in the first place we st
have about 2.500 billion boa
feet of standing timber of ss
size. The annual consumption
this timber amounts to 60 bill!
feet, and of this 60 billion or
about one half represents sawm
products. So. if we continue
have as large and as robust ;
appetite for wood as now \
shall take forty years to eat i
our remaining forests, assumii
that there is now new growth
that time. But the forests a
now reserding themselves at t
rate of 12.000.000,000 feet a yes
we would still have eight mo
so that at the end of forty yea
years to go.
In the second place as wood V
comes scarcer and dearer \
shall be more economical of
and require less.
In the third place we have 9<
000,000 acres of forested lands
national and state forest reserv
tions.
In the fourth place we are j?j
entering the era of private \
forestation, because reforestati
is just beginning to pay. Ma
well meaning people think th
reforestation is a philanthroj
enterprise enlisting the e
thusiastic interest of all perso
who happen. to own land wi
trees on it. In truth it is a bu
ness, and if it doesn't pay it v.
not be practiced by wise m
any more than any other no
paying business. However, it dc
not need to pay the governme
directly in dollars and cents, a
the national and state govei
ments are entering upon a gro
ing policy of buying cheap a
unused land for forest niimosi
Several millions of acres ha
thus been bought out of the pv
lie purse. Much, but only a dr
in the bucet compared with t
160,000,000 acres?gross areaNational
Forests permanently 1
served from the public doma
Now natural forest growth is 1
ing guarded now on millions
acres of private lands and su
owners have already assisted r
ture by planting 1,000,000 acr
Fifty years from now the a
nual production of wood in c
forests will be five or six tin
what it now is. That is to s
we will then be growing timl
as fast as we use it. This pred
tion is largely bused on the i
sumption that it will pay to ra
timber. To make it pay to gr
it somebody must use it and p
for it. The surest way to discoi
age reforestation and destroy
present without succession is
abolish the use of lumber a
other forest products. It is i
that creates value, and it is va
that men treasure, preserve a
conserve. That is why refores
tion by private citizens was
. impossibility in the past. Tt
! couldn't compete with the boui
4 18, 1942
of Nature who originally endow
5 eel this country with more thar
five thousand billion feet of tim\n
ber, free for the taking.
The natural timber is now bej
coming very valuable. It repreIs
sents investments, by purchase,
I of billions of dollars. The taxes
Of I on it are enormous. Probably
er? | half of it is past maturity. It has
! stopped growing, and much of it
i is decaying. Nothing is to be
rar : gained from any point of view
01._ j and much is to be lost by leav,onl
ing such trees in the forest. In
]en ' the case of scores of millions cf
len acres no new trees can be startn?.
: ed until the old ones are remov1
ed. They actually stand in the
ta_ way of forestry, and they will
rj._ continue to stand if there is no
ien ' use for them.
I ' The moral of all this is that no
nn man need worry about forest utilization
as a forest nenace. The
9C_ surest way at this time to pro.
j mote forestry is to use its proda
ucts intelligently and prudently:
the surest way to defeat it is to
eir re>ject them. You can live in a
0>._ lumber house and use wooden
(l". goods if you please to your
Us heart's content, in the consciousI*
ness that you are both serving
jp, your private good and the common
interest.
use
he
t Cutting Dogwood
- Not Destructive
non,
j Contrary To General Belief,
,re I Proper Harvesting Of
is' This Crop May Result In
>e- Even More Beauty
)r- |
ar | By R. W. GRAEBER,
!es EXTENSION FORESTER,
st. X. C. STATE COLLEGE
le. "Oh! Can't we do something.to
lU_ stop the destruction of the dog,lr
! wood in North Carolina?" asked
>r_ ; a prominent official of the State
ho Federation of Woman's Clubs
rjj when talking to the Extension
y Forester of Slate College. She
,gS further said. "Why, in my town j
n_ they even have a mill where they |
; are buying and cutting dogwood j
?' [ timber for commercial purposes." j
!m j I had to confess that I was!
re 1 rpcr\nneih}p fnr thp pstahilshmpllt '
re of this dogwood mill as well as
lis several others in various parts of
a" j North Carolina. But before fur1
ther argument started. I quickly
c explained that the harvesting of
commercial dogwocd need not de,r"
stroy the beauty of the woods.
e!" The members of our Woman's
Clubs and other organizations are
et' doing a great work in promoting
?'r the beautifiction of our highways
and the wooded areas adjacent
:'U to the highways, and we want to
rfl lend them every aid and encourlw
agement possible in carrying this
of; program into effect. Yet. few
| people who look at the woods
ily; from the aesthetical or senti'11
! mental viewpoints are familiar
to | with the practical side of using
an Jour forest lands,
ve Dogwood, when in bloom, preup
sents a beautiful scene: so does
ng I a field of "golden" grain. Yet,
in we don't ask the farmer to refre
rain from harvesting his crop of
he wheat?a new crop will take its
?r, place next season. The same
're thing applies to dogwood. It is
rs a crop through which the farmer
is able to get some return for
>e- his investment in land. Dogwood
ve is a commercil necessity-supplyit
ing the wood used in making
shuttles for weaving cotton, silk
9.- or rayon. No practical substitute
in for this wood has been found,
a- Dogwood less than five inches in
diameter is not merchantable:
ist therefore, when a crop is har e
vested, all of the younger and
on more vigorous trees are left for
ny future crops. Thus, there will aliat
ways be plenty of dogwood to
>ic add beauty to our forests,
n- Dogwood seeds freely, also rens
produces from sprouts and root
th suckers. When one tree is cut,
si- several usually come back in its
'ill place. In our plan of manageen
ment for the farm forest we rein
commend that dogwood be proies
tected and grown as an underint
story beneath the high forests of
nd ' pines, oaks, hickories and other
n- j of 'he larger trees. It is shalloww-!
rooteo and does not interfere
ncl with the growth of the deeper-1
ss. J rooted trees. As an understory it ]
ve aids in giving complete shade to 1
ib- the forest floor and adds to the
op | wind protection in the more
he open stands of pines. Then, too,
of | it is producing a commercial
re-1 commodity?bringing income to
in. the farm. These are the practical
>e- values of dogwood to the indiviof
| dual farmer who owns the land,
ch To the general public dogwood in
ia- bloom is one of the gifts of Na- j
es. ture?adding beauty to the landsin
scape and affording food for the
iur soul. T
ies Dogwood is found growing in
ay 87 types of soil in North Caroler
lina, but only on a few of these
ic- does it produce wood of a comis
merical quality. Where it is of
ise commercial value the farmers are
ow protecting the young trees. In
ay j other sections it will be hard to
nr- ' eradicate. But the worst enemy
an to roadside beauty is the landsto
cape "robber or thief" who steals
,n(2 from the landowner and the
1Se general public as well when he or
lue she breaks a spray of dogwood
,nd along the road. These same
ta- thoughtless people would object
an seriously to someone going into
ley their flower garden and breaking
ity tulips or gladioli.
I TIMB
I a''
HARVEST?There is
cut timber. Above is she
growth, making it impos*
themselves. In thi middle
cutting, and when these p
stand like the one shown b
?if Forest Fires are kept
Man causes more than 90 p(
cent of all forest fires in tV
South. If he causes them, he ca
prevent them!
If you burn your own timbc
at lease spare your neighbors!
History Of Forestry Prog.
In State Of North Carolin
During 1918-19-20." During th
period the greater part of th
fire prevention effort had been d
rected towards organization an
maintenance of local fire protei
tive assocations. By 1922, hov
ever, forest wardens had bee
appointed in more than twent
counties and they were bein
supervised by two district fores
ers, Messrs. C. H. Burrage an
Fred B. Merrill.
Following the untimely deat
of Mr. W. D. Clark in Marcl
1923, Mr. Carl I. Peterson an
Mr. K. E. Kimbal were secure
as district foresters and in Juni
1924. Mr. Harry Lee Barker wa
employed as Assistant State Foi
ester to be in full charge of th
fire-protection organization.
The General Assembly of 192
reorganizing the Geological an
economic survey into ine ui
partment of Conservation an
Development and in the fall c
that year, Mr. Harry Lee Bake
who had been with the organize
tion only fourteen months as A:
sistant State Forester, resign?
and Mr. W. C. McCormick too
his place. At that time th
Clarke - McNary cooperative fun
for protection had reached th
sum of about $30,000 annuall
and some thirty counties whic
were cooperating with the Di
partment contributed $10,000 ai
nually towards the fire protei
tion work. In June, 1928, Mr. Mi
Cormiek resigned and Mr. Chai
les H. Flory, one of the distrii
foresters, was promoted to tl
position of Assistant State Fo
ester in charge of the fire-pri
vention work. Mr. Flory resigne
in April, 1934, at the depth (
the depression when the Stal
appropriation for fire protectic
had fallen below $3,000 and tl
Clarke-McNary federal fund we
only $36,000. At that time thirt;
three counties were cooperatir
although in June, 1931, fort;
three counties had cooperated. 1
May, 1934, Mr. W. C. McCormic
returned to take charge of tl
forest-fire-control work succeei
ing Mr. Flory. Since then tl
work has continued to increai
in extent and effectiveness. Tl
latest report shows fifty-eigl
counties cooperating in fire pr
vention.
In addition to the forest-fi:
act, the General Assembly <
1915 authorized the acquisitic
and administration of land fi
State Forests but no approprii
tion was made for this purpoi
THE STATE POR
ER STORY
>
{
<2^. SS& ^
... ?
a right and a wrong way to
wn an area, stripped of all
jible for the trees to re-seed
( is shown correct method of
ractices are followed a timber
elow will result in a few years
out.
?riand up to t'10 present time no
le! fiinds have been made available
.n j for the purchase of land for
State Forests. However, a law by
j the sanje legislature appropriated
r,: $20,000 for the purchase of
| Mount Mitchell State Park. Alj
though this purchase was made
j by special commission. Governor
^ Bickett turned tne area over to
lb |
ie the Geological and Economic
Survey for administration in 1916.
This was the beginning of our
1(1 State-Park program. No funds
J- were at first available for its
' protection and upkeep, but
n through the sale of some dead
ylwood and in other ways a man
g I was kept there through the fire
t- seasons and from Decemher,
d 1917. to the present time, a warden
has been in constant residh
ence on the park. In 1924, Con1.
j gress donated Fort Macon Milid!
tary Reservation to the state to
d be administered as a State Park.
b, 1 In January, 1926, Judge T. B.
is Finley and wife donated 140 acres
in Wilkes County as Rendezie
vous Mountain State Park. There
were no other State Parks until
15 I the emergency conservation prod
gram, unaugurated by President
!- Roosevelt in 1933. offered opportd
unity of developing areas for
>f public recreation as parks, pror,
vided the land was in State own1
ship. Under this program three
1- other parks; namely. Morrow
d j Mountain State Park, Hanging
k Rock, and Cape Hatteras were
ie J acquired by gift or by purchase
id , and are now in process of deveie
| lopment, Mr. Thomas W. Morse
yjwas appointed in charge of the
ih J State Park work in August, 1935,
i- j previous to which time the State
1- i Forester had handled all such dee-1
velopment work as part of the
j forestry program.
i*- I rl'bn AAneAvimfiAn laur nf 1 f|9fi
:t provided that the Board of Conie
servation and Development
r- should have "charge of the work
i- of forest maintenance, forest-fire
id prevention, reforestation, e t c."
3f This was interpreted to authorize
te the establishment and operation
in of State nurseries, distribution of
le seedlings to landowners and otliis
er aid in forest planting. With a
f- small contribution from the Fedig
eral Government under the
y- Clarke-McNary Law, Mr. F. H.
in Claridge came to the Department
:k, in September, 1925, and estable
lished a small nursery on land
3- belonging to the State College,
le which nursery was moved in
3e 1928 to a small tract purchased
ic by the Department for $1,200.
it The output continued to be small
e- until the Emergency Conservation
Work program enabled us to
re j secure a side camp with the help
Df of which there was produced the
>n ] past year some three million
ir! seedlings. It is expected to nearly
i- j double that production this comse
j ing season.
I
T PILOT, SOUTHPORT, N. C.
- miia IM? !??i?
It New Becomes
i
American Citizen 1
ests ? The Source C
Are Vital To Our ^
with c
of pn
I
t
,
Observe FOR
PREVEN'
For Forests, Ma
Dangerous I\
We Are Happy To (
J, Melville Brought
Forest Pre
Riegel ]
BOL'
c
v. ' ?TTuu:'i * ,
_i
.rr-r:Your
Duty As A Patriotic I
o Help Protect Our For- I
If So Many Materials That I
'ar Effort. I
m ounce
zvention
EST
ip
HON WEEK
rch Is The Second Most
/lonth Of The Year
!o-operate With Governor
on In The Observance Of
itection Week
Paper Co.
TON, N. C.
I ^ ^ B I '