Georgia forestry, Vol. 10, no. 5 (May 1957)

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FORESTRY
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GEORGIA FORESTRY

EDd i t o r i a l Commission Dedication Highlights
R R oresf 1re anger Importance Of Georgia Forestry

(From the Thomasv ille Times Enterprise)
A campfire, carelessly handled in the Georgia woods can cost the state millions of dollars in totally destroyed forests of the present day and those in the making for the future. We all know this and yet we learn on various occasions that people, who also know the danger of forest fires and their destructive possibilities are inexcusably negligent with all sorts of fires.
The same is true to a certain extent in urban areas where homes are engulfed by such carelessness. Many millions of dollars have gone up in flames, for which there is not the slightest excuse, unless carelessness is an excuse. None will admit that in one .in a hundred cases only can it he proven. No fires can be as terrific or destructive as forest and brush fires when it has been dry and sere for some weeks.
Right now there has been terrible destruction in California from the forest fires. The number of homes destroyed is not nearly as large as those exposed to it and in one case it has even been hinted or suspected that arson was involved. The person guilty of that sort
(Continued on Pa e 10)
GEORGIA FORESTRY

(From the Savannah News)
The dedication this afternoon of the new headquarters building of the Georgia Forestry Commission calls vividly to mind the extent to which forests and forest products are part of the economy of Georgia. It also calls to mind that it was not always so.
Many among us can recall the day not too far gone when the presence of vast tracts of forest land was considered, at best, a detriment to the state's economy-an impediment in the way of good farm land. And there
was great merit in that argument, for unmanaged scraggly, scrubby pine forests were a detriment.
But most of that has passed now, and the intelligently managed forests of today contribute many hundreds of millions of dollars to the total state income each year. Wood for pulp mills and for lumber mills , wood for the host of modern s ynthetic fabrics and fibers we now have , wood for building and wood from which naval stores come.
And in large measure this is due to the careful, at times painstaking job of education and management the Forestry Commission has done. The new headquarters signifies, we think, the place the Forestry Commission has in the hearts of Georgians.

Vol. 10

May , 1957
Published Monthly by the GEORGIA FORESTRY COMMISSION
Box 1183 Macon, Georgia
Guyton DeL oach , Di1ecto1

No. 5

Members, Board of. Commissioners: John M. McElrath, Chairman__________________________________ Macon
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Geor gia Forestry is entered as second class matter at the Post Office under the Act of Aug ust 24, 1912. Member of the Geor gia P ress Associa tion .
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EDITOR __ ---------------- ------ ______________________________ ______ Frank Cra ven SATSSAOFCFIAATRETIESDT I-T---O---R---S---_-_--__--_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_--B--i--l-l---K---e--l-l--a-m----,--J--o--eDaKnovVaocshs,
J eanette Jackson
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Georgia's Profitable Pines
(From the Ocilla Star)
The Star has been urging its readers for a number of years to let nature have a chance to enrich them by planting pine trees , and has succeeded in interesting many .
However, the old custom of burning off woods continues by some landowners , and only a few are taking proper care of their young pines. There are va st areas in South Georgia not suitable for cropland, but are ideal for growing pines. Yet much of this area is kept devoid of the wealth-making pines with the habit of burning the woods every spring so that scrub cows may have some wire grass to eat.
We believe landowners can derive more benefit from their uncultivatable lands by a sound reforestation program, with less emphasis on providing a little wire grass for livestock.

DISTRICT OFFICES,

GEORGIA FORE STRY COMMISSION:

DI STRICT !- Route 2,

DISTRICT VI- P. 0. Box 505,

Statesboro

Milledgeville

DISTRICT II- P . 0 . Box 26, DISTRICT VII- Route 1,

Ca mill a

Rome

DISTRICT III- P . 0. Box 169, DISTRICT VIII- P. 0 . Box

Americus

1160, W a ycross

DISTRICT IV- P. 0. Box 333, DISTRICT IX- P. 0. Box 416,

Newnan

Gain esvill e

DISTRICT V- P. 0 . Box 328, DISTRICT X-Route 3,

McRae

Wa shin g ton

This Month's Cover
Reigning over Georgia's forest festivities during the past month were kings and queens from all over t t e state representing e very phase of forestry.
Thousands of Georgians gathered in various sec tions of the state to help choose local countyqueens, Miss Spirits of Gum Turpentine, Miss Keep Georgia Green and others. Also taking place were parades,, festivals and rodeos.

THE WINNER--Swainsboro High School won first place in the school division float for the second year.

2
Emanuel County Holds
1957 Pine Tree Festival
Thousands of persons jammed the streets of Swains boro one sultry morning last month ~o pay homage to the Georgia Pine and feast their eyes upon beautiful floats and girls.
A lengthy parade featuring over 50 floats, school and military bands and vehicles ranging in size from Cadillacs to microscopic motor scooters, highlighted the day-long festivities.
Other events included an address on the court house lawn by Lt. Gov. Ernest Vandiver, a barbecue, an evening dance and a golf tournament.
The Emanuel County Forestry Unit added a little unscheduled humor to the parade when their truck bearing Smokey the Bear himself stalled near the court house and had to be pushed to one side for minor repairs so the marchers could march on.
There were more beauty queens in the parade than you could shake a pine bough at, including Miss Georgia-] ane Morris of East Point, Miss Spirits of Gum Turpentine--Tonita Hunnicutt of Moultrie , 1956 Festival Queen Meredith Jenkins, 1957 Queen Becky Lamb (a strawberry blonde) and 4-H Queen Mary Andrews . To thrill the ladies there were Kings , including Gerald Lumley and 4-Her Charles Brown.
Swainsboro High's lavish float won the school division, while the Emanuel 4-H float took the organization float prize. There were also awards for the best essays, posters, window exhibits and other activities.

AND THE BAND PLA YEO ON--The band played on as Smokey watches from the sidelines after his truck .broke down during the parade.

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ROYAL CREW--L toR, Prince Steve Williamson, Queen Be~ky Lam~, King Gerald Lumley, and Princess Jo Dale Phtlhps retgn on their float.

RESTING BEA UTIES--L toR, Miss Tonita Hunnicutt, Miss Spirits of Gum Turpentine and Miss Jane Morris, Miss Georgia, rest after the parade.

A DELIGHTFUL COVEY--Picking che prime peach from chis passel of pulchritude proved a pressing problem. L coR, are Tonica Hunnicutt, Moultrie; Lucy Henderson, Ocilla; JoAnn Dan iel, Montezuma; Mary Lee Dopson, MacClenney, Fla.; Jean O'Neil, Doerun; J o Ann Summer, Ashburn; Frances Stewart, Madison, Fla.; Fritzie Anderson, Citronella, Ala.; Margaret McLenore, Meadville, Miss. and Sara Roberson, Odum:

1957 Turpentine-Gum Producers Convene

A bevy of beauties briefly stole the spotlight from the south Georgia pines last month in Valdosta at the twentyfirst annual convention of the American Turpentine Farmers Assn. Parading before the tall cat-faced trees, 10 curvaceous curies from all parts of the Southeast vied for the title of "Miss Spirits of Gum Turpentine!'
Miss Tonita Hunnicutt of Moultrie, Ga., proved a difficult choice for the judges after they were dazzled by a glamorous parade of pulchritude bedecked in brightly colored bathing suits. Miss Hunnicutt was sponsored by Jim L. Gillis Jr., a gum producer from Soperton.
As a preamble to the beauty fest, some 1,000 delegates and friends sat through a formal program which featured an annual report by Judge Harley Langdale, the association's president, and talks by leading re presentatives of the naval stores industry.
Speakers were Judge Langdale, Valdosta Major Emory P. Bass, E.M. Brinson of Maxwell, Florida, Vienna Pastor W.E. Dennis, Gillis and E.L. Patton, head of the Naval Stores Experiment Station at Olustee, Florida.
The association's entire slate of officers and board of directors were re-elected for the coming year.
Contestants in the beauty parade were Miss Hunnicutt, Lucy Henderson of Ocilla, Ga.; Fritzie Anderson of Citronella, Ala.; Mary Lee Dopson of MacClenney, Fla.; Jean O'Neil of Doerun, Ga.; Sara Roberson of Odum, Ga.; Margaret McLenore of Meadville, Miss.; Jo Ann Daniel of Montezuma, Ga.; J o Ann Summer of Ashburn, Ga. and Frances Stewart of Madison, Fla.

LITTLE BROWN JUG-Tonita Hunnicutt, winner of the "Miss Spirits of Gum Turpentine" title, receives one of the many presents donated by area business firms.






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BOYS WATCH BOSS TRY OUT PLANTER

CHATTANOOGA EXECUTIVE SHOWS MIDGET SAWMILL

Special exhibits at Winder included miniature saw mill and lumber treatment plants. Ninth District Forester Ollie

.. Forestry Demonstrations Held

Burtz taught the fire control class. Highlights at the Lincolnton outing were timber marking

In North Central Georgia
Two well-conducted forestry demonstrations sponsored by various groups attracted great interest in North Central Georgia last month. The Lincoln County Forestry Unit and Keep Green Council sponsored a day-long outing on the Ben Fortson Estate near Lincolnton which

contests for adults and high school students which were
supervised by Asst. Tenth D.ist. Forester William Schultz. State Rep. Ben Ross, chairman of the Keep Green Council, was the principal speaker. A free barbecue dinner, donated by lumbermen 10 the area, was another crowd
pleaserr.ft _-.;..,.,.~...

was attended by some 300 adults and high school students.

The Seaboard Airline Railway also staged a day-long

affair at the old Barrow County Forestry Unit near Winder



which was attended by some 500 persons. Featured were

addresses by Georgia Forestry Commission Director

Guyton DeLoach, Commissioner of Agriculture Phil Camp-

bell and Supervisor of Agricultural Education T.G. Walt-

ers.

.

Elaborate equipment displays were set up at both demonstrations by manufacturers and private and government foresters. Spectators at both events heard lectures

on control of undesirable hardwoods, disease and in-

sects, on timber marking and thinning, tree planting,

forest management, sawmilling and other subjects.

DORSEY DYER GIVES LECTURE ON WOODLAND MANAGEMENT

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W.T. DUNAWAY EXPLAINS USES OF PLANTER



WINNERS OF TREE MARKING CONTEST

GOY. GRIFFIN WISHES KEEP GREEN ASPIRANTS GOOD LUCK

MISS J EAN P.LIPS, TOOMBS CO UN iJEEN

MISS ETHLYNN McMILLAN, DODGE COUNTY QUEEN

Miss Threadgill, the Carroll County entrant, was a tall regal beauty whose cameo-like features, personality and > poise dazzled the baffled judges, who were goggle-eyed from so much beauty. Another statuesque blonde, Miss
Georgia Asdell of Mcintyre in Wilkinson County, was named runner-up.

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MISS PATRICIA ANN STILLWELL,
RICHMOND COUNTY QUEEN

Barrow Cops "Keep Green" Title
With Georgians who know their forests and girls best, Barrow County is the greenest and Miss Janice Threadgill of Temple is the prettiest.

Barrow County was declared state winner of the Keep Georgia Green county competition. Lincoln County was second. CrisJ? County won the sweepstakes, which is held for prev1ous state champs.
(Continued on Page 10)

So the judges of the 1957 Keep Georgia Green contests announ-

ced at the gala Golden Anniversary banquet in Atlanta early this

month.

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Twenty beauties from all over the state stole the show from

the hard-working foresters and landowners who flocked to the

capital city to receive their well-deserved awards.

MISS BARBARA ABNEY COPS BLECKLEY CROWN

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CARROLL COUNTY'S MISS JANICE THREADGILL BECOMES 1957 KEEP GREEN QUEEN

LINCOLN COUNTY CHOOSES ELIZABETH CARLOCK QUEEN

LT. GOV. ERNEST VANDNER CONGRATULATES SUZANNE ALLEN, CHARLTON COUNTY QUEEN

M.ISS JUANITA TANNER, WASHINGTON COUNTY QUEEN

7
Forestry Commission Joins TVA

In Studying Forest Fire Causes

The Georgia Forestry Commission this year has joined with the Tennessee Department of Conservation and the Tennessee Valley Authority in conducting a forest fire cause study in northwest Georgia and southeast Tenn essee. Counties included in the survey are Dade and Walker in Georgia and Hamilton and Marion in Tennessee.
Purpose of the _{roject is to determine cause accurately so that an intensive prevention program can be designed to reduce the number of forest fires and area burned. Arthur Wardner, a TVA forester, has been assigned to the study during calendar year 1957.
All four counties are under organized state protection. Hamilton and Marion counties were organized in 1949, Dade County in 1944 and Walker County in 1950. Total area is 1,069,090 acres, of which 71 percent is forest land.
With perhaps one exception, this four-county area has
the highest fire incidence rate of any area in the Tenn-

essee Valley. Studying past fires in these counties and spotting them on a map showed them concentrated in eleven "hot spots." These are in Hamilton County Daisy Ridges, Harrison Bay and Silverdale; Walker County--chickamauga and Lookout; Dade County--Hooker and Davis Community; Marion County--Aetna Mountain, The Pocket, Fiery Gizzard and Sweden's Cove.
These eleven areas, with only 22 per cent of the for est area in the four counties, have had 53 per cent of the fires over the past three years. The incidence rate was 210 fires per 100,000 acres of forest land. The 20 year average for the Tennessee Valley (19341953) is only 41 fires per 100,000 acres. During the first three months of 1957 there were 39 wildfires in the eleven study areas. Georgia had seven of these--four in Walker County and three in Dade County. Investigations have been completed on five. Hunters caused one and debris burners two. Cause could not be determined on the other two.

Screven County Holds
Annual Livestock Rodeo
Local and First District Forestry Commission personnel last month helped make the Fifth Annual Screven County Livestock Festival parade the biggest ever.
Entering the parade for the first time, the Screven Forestry Unit, with the help of Asst. District Forester AI Smith of Statesboro, did things up in a big way with two floats, two Smokey Bears (one real and one ersatz) and a horse and beauty queen entrant.
Screven Ranger Lloyd Bazemore, unit personnel and Smith decorated a John Deere fire suppression unit with

SMOKEY IN ACTION--Smokey waves hello to the crowd in the midst of the Sylvania parade as Miss Rachel Wiley, seated on a black mare,brings up the rear of the forestry entry.

FORWARD, MARCH--The Screven County Forestry entry lines up before the parade.
young pines, signs and Asst. Patrolman Robbie Bragg in a Smokey costume.
Smokey himself was there, too, riding in state in the back of a pickup. Miss Rachel Wiley brought up the rear of the forestry entry on a black mare.
Thousands of persons witnessed the parade and were greatly amused by the antics of both Smokeys. Eight bands, 33 floats and some 100 riders in Western outfits made the parade a colorful affair, despite the nearsummer temperature.
The temperature cooled at night, but things were plenty hot at the rodeo at the ball park, where genuine cowboys rode broncs and bulls, wrestled calves and cut up in general.
Carol Ann Minkovitz, 16-year-old high school student, was crowned rodeo queen the final night.

8

HUBERT B. DARSEY
1942 Georgia Forestry Alumnus
H.B. Darsey Makes Mark
With Firestone Company Editor's Note: This is the eighth in a series of nine articles which will appear in the GEORGIA FORESTRY during the George Foster Peabody School Golden Anniversary Celebration. Each installment will be a brief biography of a Forestry School graduate. Purpose of the series is to give a cross-section of the alumni and to renew old acquaintances.
Graduates from the Georgia Forestry School are not only stationed all over the state of Georgia, but also some are making their mark in other corners of the world.
This month's featured alumnus is Hubert B. Darsey, who is employed by the Firestone Tire and Rubber Co. in Harbel Liberia, West Africa.
Darsey was born in Whigham, Ga. April 4, 1920. He was educated in Cairo, Ga. and was an honor graduate of Cairo High School in June, 1936. He won a first year scholarship to the University of Georgia in September, 1938 and received his BS degree in forestry in June, 1942.
Immediately after graduation from the Forestry School, Darsey entered the armed forces as a second lieutenant. Later he transferred to the U.S. Air Corps. He was assigned to the Air Transport Command and served in various bases in the United States as an instructor and in foreign service as a "Hump" pilot on the China-BurmaIndia route.
His military decorations include the Purple Heart, Air Medal and Oak Leaf Cluster and D.F.C. with oak leaf cluster. He was discharged in 1947 with the rank of captain.
After his discharge, Darsey went to work with the Firestone Tire and Rubber Co. in West Africa where he has worked ever since. Starting as a rubber planter, he was promoted to the engineering department last February.

37 Counties Enforce Intent To Burn Law
The Notice of Intention to Burn Law is now in force in 37 Georgia counties and 29 others have given initial approval to the local option measure.
Enacted last year by the state legislature, the law requires that persons planning to set outdoor fires must first notify their county forestry unit as to time and place of burning. Before it becomes effective in a county, however, two successive grand juries must give their endorsement.
According to Guyton DeLoach, director of the Georgia Forestry Commission, the law has strengthened Georgia's existing forestry laws by stimulating more local interest. He said sheriffs and other law enforcement officers throughout the state have been cooperative m helping to make the law fulfill its purpose_
Increased Efficiency Chief Investigator John R. (Bob) Gore Jr. says the measure is proving beneficial. "By enforcing the new law," he said, "local forestry units have increased their efficiency and reduced operating costs." He pointed out that in counties where the law is in force, rangers have been able to keep their firefighting equipment in good operating condition, ready to be dispatched to the scene of any wildfire.
Counties in which the law is in force are Bulloch, Chatham, Emanuel, Effingham, Burke, Jenkins, Mcintosh, Screven, Bryan, Crisp, Dooly, Marion, Schley, Newton, Pike, Ben Hill, Laurens, Montgomery, Pulaski, Treutlen, Wheeler, Wilcox, Bartow, Dade, Gordon, Polk, Walker, Appling, Brantley, Camden, Charlton, Clinch, Ware, Columbia, Greene, Lincoln and Walton.
PRESCRIBED BURNING--First District Investigator R.M. McCrimmon (middle) shows Evans County Sheriff Candler Rogers (left) how to conduct a prescribed burn as Ranger A.D. Eason assists and Robert Cross plows the fire break. Evans was the tenth and latest county in the First District to approve the Notification of Intention to Burn Law.

9

Round-Up Of Ranger News
A kick-off meeting was held recently .in Clinch County for the purpose of organizing a Southeastern Georgia Forestry Group. The main objectives are to discuss, hear and participate in forest problems of that area.
W.D. Young was elected chairman. He appointed Harry Moyer, Carroway James, Downing Musgrove and Troy Spells to a plans committee.
Jeet Rowell, conservation forester for International Paper Co., spoke to the group and showed movies and color slides.
An organizational meeting of the Forest-Game Research Committee to act on w.ildlife and forest problems and relationships was held re-eently at the Georgia Forestry Commission. This committee is the result of a meeting recently held in Atlanta at which a group composed of interested forest and w.ildlife organizations, industries and agencies attended.
The main objectives are to coordinate, propose, support and publicize research activities relating to forest and game management practices and also to create a better understanding between private organizations, various state agencies and the general public.
W.H. McComb, chief of forest management for the Commission, was chos en to head the committee. Composing the five-man group are Raymond D. Moody, International Paper Co., Mobile, Ala.; Rex D. McCord, Bowaters Southern Paper Co. , Calhoun, Ga.; and ] .E . Phillips , Georgia Kraft Co., Macon, Ga. , representing forest industry and George Moore, Georgia Game and Fish Commission, Atlanta and McComb, Georgia Forestry Commission, representing state agencies.
J eet. Rowell, International Paper Co. and D.T. Sonnen, Georg~a Kraft Co. attended the meeting in an advisory capactty.
TORNADO DAMAGE--Shown above is the result of China Hill fire tower, located in Telfair County just eight miles west of Jacksonville, Ga., which was des troyed by a recent tornado.

A FIGHT?--No, Georgia Golden Gloves Welterweight Champ Gene Thurmond, (L), isn't being patched up after a fight. Instructor Bill Schultz shows Tenth District First Aid class proper methods of bandaging.
Georgia Forestry Commission ground personnel and an Athens High School senior who w.ill study forestry at the University of Georgia recently attended a Red Cross first aid c oorse taught weekly in Athens by Tenth District Asst. Forester Bill Schultz.
Thirteen rangers and patrolmen from Clarke, Madison, Morgan-Walton and Greene Counties attended the classes.
The Athens High student is George Thurmond, who recently won the Georgia Golden Gloves Novice Welterweight title.
Letter Of Appreciation
Editor, The Telegrafh: This is to express appreciation for the prompt, capable and courteous service of H.P. Stapleton Jr., ranger, and W.H. Pattillo, patrolman, of the Bibb County Forestry Unit, in confining the area and extinguishing the fire on our place on Riverside Drive on April 9.
The fire came on our place extended 1750 feet in length and vatying in width from a few feet to 500 feet into our property.
By the time we got to the burning area, forestry unit men and equipment were already there. Had it not been for this prompt and efficient service, several hundred acres of heavily wooded land (instead of between six and ten acres) could have been burned over before we could have extinguished the fire.
We are very grateful to the Fire Control Commission for this valuable service.
GFDRGE S. HIRCH Macon

DISTRICT WINNERS(L toR) Olin Witherington, Third District forester and Taylor County Ranger Austin Guinn receive plaque for the best Keep Green district from '56 president R.H. Rush.
Barrow County. (Continued from Page 6)
The Third District was named the best district and Dougherty had the best fire record. Outstanding counties in the other districts included Bulloch, Dougheny, Taylor, Pike, Bleckley, Washington, Walter and Coffee.
Inducted into the Order of the Golden Pine Cone were Henry Griffin , Edwin Douglass, W.M. Oettmeier, J.D. Beauchamp, Frank Alexander, H.E. Ruark, E.A. Davenport Jr. and Harry L. Rossoll.
The day-long program was highlighted by an address by Gov. Marvin Griffin, who praised forestry's contributions to the economic and industrial development of the state. Other experts spoke on almost every aspect of forestry.
New officers include W.M. Oettmeier of Fargo , president, R.H. Rush of Hawkinsville, first vice president and A.E. Patton of Atlanta, treasurer.
New directors , elected for a three-year term, are J. Tom Ernest , Camilla; James W. Blanchard, Valdosta; W.R. Turner , LaGrange; Edwin L. Douglass, Augusta and N.R. Harding, Rome.
50 YEARS SERVICE

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PRES. OETTMEIER CONGRATULATES GOLDEN PINE CONE INITIATES
Fire Dangers. ..
(Continued from Page 1) of a crime may turn out to be a murderer or something as bad and there is nothing that can mitigate the of fense except immediate and drastic punishment and such fines do not always follow the discovery of the culprit.
It should be possible to ferret out the guilty ones and then devise a shon cut in the administration of justice that will take them into prison and keep them there for a long time, long enough, at least, to scare others with similar designs.

TOP COUNTY WINNER{L to R) J.D. Watson, Keep Barrow County Green ch.airman, JacksonBarrow Ranger George Davis, ex-Barrow Ranger George Bower receive p la que for the best county from R.H. Rush.

30-PIECE BANDPanogen "Panhandle" Pete de
lighted the audience attending the Valdosta Gum Tur pentine meetin~ with the zany music coming from his 100-lb. 3 0-odd 'instruments." Unlike Elvis, every wig
gle added a new note to the "music."

Georgia Forestry
May, 1957
WOOD-
THE FIBER OF
AMERICA
Educating today 's youth for tomorrow's opportunities is the most important job in America. An important part of this preparation is the development of an appreciation for and an understanding of the forest resources that helped build this nation. Our forests , used wisel y and protected from fire , will provide the wood we need for products essential to our comfort and security.

Entered as second class matter at the Pos t Of fice , Macon, Georgia