OLDEST TREE -County forest ranger Robert Jones stands next to the loblolly pine at Drowning Creek, believed to be the
biggest in the county. The circumference of the trunk measures over eleven feet.
Any Older?
Pine May Be Hoke's Oldest Tree
By Marty Vega
Officers of the state forestry service
believe they have found the oldest living
tree in Hoke County, but are cautiously
withholding any official announcement
in case another should bark a protest to
dispute the record.
The tree, a loblolly pine, stands in a
densely wooded area at Drowning Creek
some distance south of Turnpike Road
on the Horace Walters farm.
Friday, Don Robbins and Harold
Grady of the N.C. Department of
Forests, Fayetteville District, and
county ranger Robert Jones and
assistant ranger Ronald Webb, led the
way on a trek through the woods for a
look at the pine. A reporter trailed
behind, choosing her steps carefully
over the rugged route after getting
assurances she was unlikely to meet a
snake, or other frightful reptile.
"Mr. Walters' son, Robert, spotted
the Tree a couple, of weeks ago and
called me." Robbins said. "I came down
for a look and it impressed me".
The forestry department would like
to collect information on all the oldest
known trees and someday compile a
record for the entire state,he said.
Hmm. Better keep it out of the hands
of Ewell Gibbon; if he gets hungry, no
tree will be safe.
"We'd like to hear from anyone who
knows of a very large tree", Robbins
said.
As we trudged along. Robbins and
Grady studied the woods with a
professional eye.
"Trees are one of our few renewable
resources, you know, and now, more
importantly than ever, wood will be
playing an ever increasing role,"
Robbins observed.
"If the country is going to meet its
future needs, we've got to increase our
timber yield. And I'll tell you something
else, it's going to come from right here,
the Southeastern United States."
"It's been estimated the demand for
wood in tlte Southeast by the year 2000
will be 2.3 times greater than what was
harvested in 1968. And that's talking
about 13 billion cubic feet", he
continued.
"That's one hell of a lot of wood", he
said.
"Timber is the third largest industry
in North Carolina. There's real
opportunity for the average private
woodland owner to grow wood. We
highly recommend it be put under
management, and the situation for
profit looks good".
The forestmen pointed to a dense
growth of trees, where each seemed to
be elbowing its neighbor for room.
'That needs to be thinned. With
proper management, it will again
become productive.", Robbins
commented.
Magistrates
Court
The following cases were heard by
the magistrates.
Sanford Jones, Maxton, speeding 69
in a 55 mph zone, $10 fine, costs;
Edwin W. Leonard. Columbia, S.C., 66
in a 55 mph zone, $10, costs; Robert L.
Da ugh t rid Jr., Charlotte, inspection
[ violation, costs; Joe Harris, Lumber
Bridge, inspection violation, costs;
Wilbur Barton, Jr., Shannon, inspection
violation, costs; Joseph Stanley Lucas,
Aberdeen, at a speed neater than
reaaonable, costs; Russell L. Agent, El
Centra, Call., 66 in a 55 mph zone, $10.
costa; Willie M. Graham, Rt. 2, Raeford,
expired inapection, coals; Joyce F.
Black, Rt. 2, Raeford, 66 in a 55 mph
zone, $10, costa.
At last our destination was reached
and the tree was in sight.
The aged pine is imrrense, dwarfing
the others in comparison.
Robbins pulled out his notebook and
read off the vital statistics.
'The circumference, taken at a height
of four and a half feet from the ground,
is 11 feet."
"The total height, measured from the
base to the tip of the highest
needlepoint, is one hundred and ten
feet".
Wait a minute. Where'd you get a
ladder big enough for that?
The forest rangers exchanged glances.
"Well, the way you calculate the height,
you run a straight line from the base to
a certain point. At that point, you draw
a sight line with an instrument to the
top of the tree and you get your
angle...."
Ah, just like high school geometry.
Dumb question.
"Based on our examination, we put
the age of the tree at about 180 years".
Robbins continued.
Okay, how can you measure that?
"That I can show you. Take a look at
this stump".
Better question.
We bent down for a look at the
stump of a nearby pine.
"See all these rings? Starting in the
center and continuing through? These
rings represent the years of growth."
Sure enough, the surface was covered
in a series of concentric circles, though
you had to have pretty good eyes if you
cared to count them all.
"The thin, narrow rings mean a
period of poor growth, something
happened. The rings which are wider
mean good years", Robbins explained.
"So by comparing stump sizes, we
can estimate the age of our tree".
Robbins pointed to the pine. "The
average crown spread is 52 feet across.
For a tree that old. that's a very healthy
crown."
"Most of these old. residual pines
were cut when the fields were
abandoned, so this is unusual. The tree
is healthy, there's no sign of disease", he
said.
"Our opinion, right now, is that this
is the biggest and most unusual loblolly
pine in the county. Until we hear
otherwise,", he smiled.
BI Bowling
Intruders Are Still Ahead
By Blanche Farmer
The race lor first place drew closer
with the Intruders defeating the
Stompers three games to one last week.
The Fantastic Four won three games
to one from the Fleatwaves while the
Junkyard Dogs gave the Misfits no
trouble - just a four-game win. The
Rolling Stones wrecked the Wrecking
Crew three games to one.
High game went to George McKoy
with 200 while Coy Jackson rolled a
199. Congratulations to Joy Riddle with
a 153.
Standings
W
L
Intruders
18
6
Fantastic Four
15
9
Misfits
13
II
Rolling Stones
11
13
Stompers
11
13
Junkyard Dogs
10
14
Heatwaves
10
14
Wrecking Crew
8
10
Plans Made
For Center
A plan that may open (he civic center*
for use at a nominal sum was discussed
Monday by the center's executive board
and will be presented to the sponsoring
organizations.
According to Kay Thomas, a member
of the board, the plan calls for a $.',000
operating fund to be established with
each of the sponsors sharing a
proportion of the obligation.
This will mean, she said, that the
Raeford Woman's Club, the principal
sponsor, will contribute 40 per cent.
Chaminade Music Club will
contribute ten per cent; Kiwanis will
contribute 35 per cent and the Lions
will contribute IS per cent.
With the operating expenses
guaranteed, the center could be opened
for a small fee, she said.
The pjan must be approved by the
sponsoring organizations.
Top Ten Bowlers
B. Monroe 177
C.Jackson 161
G. McKoy 160
L. Woodcox 155
R. Morgan 154
L. Tyner 153
B. Elledge 152
L. Bruton 150
S. Glines 150
A. Leggctt 140
Davis To Sing
In ECU Recital
Ken Davis
Ken Davis, a voice student at East
Carolina University School of Music,
will perform March 13 in A.J. Fletcher
Center Recital Hall,
The recital, scheduled for 7:30 p.m.,
is free and open to the public.
Davis will perform songs by Haydcn,
Schubert, Duparc, Poulenc and Tres.
Davis is a student of Dr. Clyde Hiss.
He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. William B.
Davis of Raeford.
SUPPORT @ YOUR
HOKE COUNTY RESCUE SQUAD
ValwrtMn lntmi mi tqalpparf T? Sam Y?fc
Bucks Tie Opener
George May nor walked home with
the first run. as Hallsboro's pitcher.
Powell, walked the first four batters of
the game.
The Bucks scored again in the third
when Thomas got on base with a single
and came home on a fielder's choice hit
by Timmy Ross.
Webb's Holds
Top Spot
Webb's Tire continues to hold the top
spot by 16 games.
In the action this past Thursday night
the Tiremen trimmed Raeford Auto
four games. Oakwood Laundry held the
runnerup spot this week sacking Mack's
four games. WSHB remained in the third
spot as the Radiomen wiped out
Moore's four games. City of Raeford
racked up four wins from Hollingsworth
and McNeil's picked up four wins from
Kermit's.
The high 200 last week went to Larry
Woodcox for the City of Raeford with a
233. The high scries went to Charlie
Smith for the City of Raeford with a
586 series that included a 214. Others
hitting the 200 mark were Billy Posey
for Marks'. 203; Silas Glims for
Hollingsworth 203, Hetcher Oldham for
Moore's. 202; Jesse Taylor for Marks'.
202. Harry Walters for Webb's has had a
500 or better series for the last 17
weeks.
Standings
W
1.
Webb's Tire
74
26
Oakwood Laundry
58
42
WSHB
57
43
City of Raeford
56
44
Marks' Food
55
47
B.C. Moore's
50
50
McNeil's
49
51
Raeford Auto
38
62
Kermit's
34
66
Hollingsworth
31
69
Top Ten Bowlers
Jesse Taylor 177. Thad Marks 176.
Harry Wallers 175, Waylon Fulk 175.
Mackie Carter 174. Charlie Smith 174,
James Nixon 172, James Gay 171. Bob
Canady 171, John Canady 171, Billy
Posey 170.
This week schedule: Hollingsworth vs
WSHB; B.C. Moore's vs Oakwood;
Webb's vs McNeil's, Marks' vs Kermit's,
City of Raeford vs Raeford Auto.
READ THE
WANT ADS
The Bucks held their margin until the
top of the sixth. McNeill took over the
mound after walks by Ramsey had put
two men on base. A single sent one man
home and another scored on one of the
two errors charged to the Bucks for the
game.
Hallsboro. led by Canady with two
for five, had seven hits.
The game will be finished when Hoke
goes to Hallsboro April 5 and then the
second game of live series will be played.
The Bucks will meet Pembroke
Friday at 1:30.
Hoke's opening game of the baseball
season was called after ten innings
Tuesday because of cold weather and
darkness.
The opener against defending 3A
champions Hallsboro was lied at two ?
all when the game was called.
tddie Ramsey led the Bucks at the
plate, hitting one for three, including a
double. The junior righthander started
the game on the mound and was
relieved by David McNeill in the sixth
inning and Allen Thomas in the seventh.
Noah Hendrix handled the duties
behind the plate.
Hoke nursed four hits and capitili/ed
on two errors by Hallsboro to gain their
two runs, scoring in the first and third
inning.
McMillian 5th
Kathy McMillian attended the
national AAU indoor championship
meet Feb. 2H at Madison Square
Gardens and placed fifth with a leap of
Id feel 2% inches.
Martha Watson of Lakewood
International Track Club in California
won the long jump with a leap of 21
feet 2 inches for a new record for the
meet. Second place went to Willye
White of Chicago State Track Club with
Id feet ll'/6 inches.
Watson went on to win the
Russian-American games in Richmond
on Monday and White placed second.
Third place at the New York meet
went to Sharon Walker of Falcon Track
Club with a jump of Id feet 6 inches
and Modupe Oshikoyu of Sports
International Track Club placed fourth.
Kathy was the youngest of 25
jumpers competing in the meet. Watson
first won the long jump at this meet in
|db7 and won again in Id72. White first
won in 1962 and has competed for the
U.S. in four Olympics.
The other competitors were college
age or over and most represented track
clubs from larger cities in the nation.
Kathy plans to concentrate on
running for the Hoke track team for the
next couple of months and after the
high school season, she hopes to enter
the Junior Olympics again.
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HOURS:
OPEN DAILY 11 A.M. 8 P.M. EXCEPT FRIDAY, WE'RE OPEN TIL 9 PM.
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Telephone 875-2131
Gentry's Tire Center
(Formerly Bobby Carter's)
B.F. GOODRICH - DIAMOND
Tires for Autos, Trucks & Tractors
FRONT END ALIGNMENT
WHEEL BALANCING
OFFICIAL INSPECTION STATION
FRONT END REPAIRS
SHOCK ABSORBERS and MUFFLER INSTALLATION
STAFF:
Bob Gentry, Owner and Trainee
Carl Brock, Service Manager
18 Yr. (Experience)
PART TIME:
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Gary Gentry
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SERVICE, QUALITY AND COMPETITIVENESS IS OUR GOAL
Hours: Monday Through Friday 7 A.M. ? 6 P.M.
Saturday 7 A.M. - 12 Noon
Hwy. 211 South Raeford
Telephone 875-2170