Georgia forestry, Vol. 2, no. 4 (Apr. 1949)

~~Georgia Forestry
APRIL 1949

Page One

Geo,.g ia fores t1

OOR msr VALUABLE CRCP
IS LEAST P.RJIECfED
(from Gainesville Daily !i~es) While the taxpayers support ex-
pensive technical research fnto better seed production, improved fertilizer techniques and other phases of scientific agriculture they are.missing in Hall COunty th~ opportun1ty to reap equal benefits on less money.

. Our research and extension money 1s well spent.It returns good dividends.

Money spent on forest fire pro-

tection and for fire-fighting organ-

ai z~saot.i

on wou Timber

ld is

return Georg

i

div a's

idends biggest

s1ngle crop. It deserves attention.

We went with District Forester Oscar Battle the other day to check on a blaze. By the time we got there two young men, an elderly lady and a young housewife had concluded a fou.r-hour fight against a fire. The f1re was not on their land. The monetary loss was not their loss and would not have been theirs.
They simply felt that fire damages the woods, robs nature, and injures the public interest.

One of the young men, in slightly stronger terms than we can print in a family newspaper, said that he had little respect for anyone who would set fire in the wooas and that he thought it was high time the county did somethiftg about fighting and preventing forest fires.

Under a law passed by the recent general assembly and signed by G~vernor Talmadge, a county can have organized fire protection for about 33 per cent of its overall cost. The state pays the rest of the bill. This is an improvement over the former system under which the county paid 60 per cent of the cost.

BARGAIN PmTErfiON (fro. the Dalton News)
For what appears to be a bargainbasement rate of $3,711 for the ' first year of operation--and probably for considerably less annually thereafter--Whitfield is offered rural fire protection on a county protective unit basis.
The total budget for the first year of operation is figured at $11,134, two-thirds of which would be provided by State and Federal funds, the remainder by the county.
About half the total budgetary figure--$5,200--would be spent in wages to local men employed in the protective system. After the first year, during which there must be a capital outlay for equipment, the county's share would be only about $2,500 annually. On this basis, wages paid in the county would be more than double the total outlay by the county government.
The value of forest fire protection has been conclusively demonstarted in other areas in terms of timber saved, soil erosion prevented wild life cover preserved and in other values. Moreover, under the system that would be set up the fire-fighting crews would respond 24 hours a day to fight fires in farm buildings, as well as upon the land. Even if the building on fire c:ould not be saved--and often it
(Continued on Page 10)

Georgia Forestry

YoZ. 2 APRIL 1949

No. IJ

A monthly bulletin published by the Georgia Forestry Corrmission, 435 State Capitol, Atlanta, Ga., as a public service to farmers, other landowners, and timber industries.
Entered as second-class matter April 15, 191J8, at the Post Office, Atlanta, Ga., under the act of August 21J, 1912.

or Afni l, 191J9

Page Two

E:xpansion Report

Six counties already have signed agreements to join Georgia's expanded forest fire control system which becomes effective July 1 and district foresters are busy meeting with officials and landowners in other counties to explain details of the program and to work out budgets.
Polk and McDuffie were the first new counties to sign agreements. Douglas, Effingham, Candler and Laurens followed, and negotiations with several other counties are almost completed. The total state and privately-owned forest area of the six counties is 920;636 acres.
A. R. Shirley, director of the
State Forestry CornrrUssion, said he is 'well pleased' with the interest being shown in the new program over the state. All county commissioners have been notified of details of the new program and officials of non-protected counties were invited to participate.
An increased state appropriation, approved by Governor Talmadge and passed by the recent General Assembly, has made it possible for counties to have organized fire control by financing only one-third of the budget. Formerly counties were required to bear 60 per cent of the costs.
In addition to a reduced operating cost to counties, state funds are used to provide numerous other services such as the purchase and erection of towers,general administration, educational activities, and direct assistance to landowners in growing and marketing tinile r products. All county funds are used in the county where appropriated.
Every section of the state is being given equal opportunity to participate in the expanded progrmn The same acreage for additional fire control has been allotted each district except the Fifth District because of its small acreage.
PULP PRODUCTION
The daily pulp mill production in Georgia last year was almost four thousand tons.

PrO'Iflpt reports of tJDods fires is one
of the best ways John Q. Public can he?p
Geor~ia 1 s fire control program. In th~s month's couer photo, a poster giuing the telephone number of the Emanuel County Protection Unit is being put up by Odell fortner, assistant patrolman.
Fire Protection

Question Box

Here are answers to questions

most frequently asked about the or-

ganized forest fire control program

conducted by the Georgia Forestry

Cormni ssion.



Q. How can my county get organ-
ized forest fire protection? A. The first step is to contact
your district forester or the Georgia Forestry Commission, 435 State Capitol, Atlanta.

Q. What does organized fire pro-
tection cost?

A. Approximately eight cents per acre of forest land. This estimate varies according to size and shape of county, forest and road conditions, etc. State funds cover twothirds of the total cost.

Q. Is all money appropriated by
a county spent within that county?

A. Yes. Separate accounts are maintained for each unit.

Q. What other services are pro-
vided by the state?
A . State funds are used for twothirds of operating costs. All needed towers are purchased and erect!al entirely with state funds. The State also provides administration for the fire protection unit, .training for personnel, educ.at1onal materials, and free techn1~al assistance to owners for grow1ng and marketing timl:e ~ products.

(Contin~d on Page 10)

Page Three

Georgia forestry

Pine Tree Festival

The fourth annual Pine Tree Festival, Emanuel Cbunty's event of the year, will open April 28 in Swainsboro for a two-day round of festivities.
The program for the celebration, which is expected to attract the largest crowd ever assembled in Southeast Georgia, is the most ela~ orate and impressive in the history o f Fmanu el Cbun ty.
Highlights of the festival will be the craWling of a Festival King, Queen, Prince and Princess and announcement of the winner of an essay contest in which more than 1,000 Emanuel Cbunty students participated. Committee chairman for the contest was Mrs. Essie A. Hughes, visiting teacher.
Emory Allen and Betty Paige, of Swainsboro, last year's Festival King and Queen, will be present to hand over their crowns to the incoming king and queen.
Other festivities in the ~ily bedecked town include a 65-float
STACKS of the 1,000-odd forestry essays written by Emanuel County school pupils are examined by Mrs. Essie A. Hughes, visiting teacher, who headed the essay committee for the 19q9 Pine Tree festival.
_.....,... __ _
.,

parade, band concert,square dancing speeches, exhibits, baseball game, forestry demonstrations, folk dancing, pine tree ball, and other entertainment.
W. 0. Phillips, Kiwanis Club president, and L. F. Pradford, head of the Junior dlambcr of Cbmmerce,
co-chairmen of this year's festivaL have assured participation by nationally prominent speakers, the State, the Army and every school organization in the area.
As indicativeof the thought expressed by the essay contestants, one of the essays is reprinted be low.
The community in which I live is very dependent on its forest. People from all walks of life, rich and poor, are dependent upon the trees and what they mean to my commtUli ty.
The most progressive farmers here are very interested in the trees and the woodland areas of their farm land. The trees from their roots to the leaves and seed are important to him. The fine network of roots help to keep the soil moist and prevents the rich top soil from being washed away. He uses his forest for many purposes: lumber for his home and buildings, fuel to keep him warm, posts for his fence,grazing land for his cat. tle, and a place of recreation where he can spend his leisure time His trees also provide an added source of income. Some fanners work their trees for naval stores. Others sell timber for lumber, pul~ wood or fuel. This added source of income helps the farmers here to have a better standard of living.
There are two large lumber manufacturing concerns and several smaller ones in my community.
They provide employment for a large group of people who would have to find employment elsewhere if it were not for these concerns. Some of these people are valuable and outstanding citizens and our community would losF much to lose them. The payrolls from these for-
(Continued on Page 10)

or APrit, 19q9

Page Four

from early morning until sometimes tate at night, Lookouts man Georgia's fire to::;ers during the fire season. Many of the "toll.:ermen" empLoyed by the Georgia forestry Commission are women and they are noted for their keen eyesight and alertness. In the above photo Miss Evelyn Goff begins to climb the 333 steps of the 100-foot Long Pond tower in Montgomery County near Mount Yernon. Miss Goff became a "toll.:erman" in 19111.

Editorial
(Continued fr~ Page 1) Drive out into the country on a dry day. We did. In Hall County and Dawson County we counted eight sepa rate forest fires blazing. These could be seen from the paved highway, eating into the forPst, des-

troying land, beauty, and wealth.
A person who sees the ~d~ bu~n and realizes that no one 1s f1ght1ng the fire, that there is no one to whom a forest fire can be reported for action, and that action is impossible on the part of those who want to douse the fire cannot help but be in favor of organized fire protection services.

Page Five

Georgia Forestry for April, 1949

Page Six

~

D~tai led. infprmatior'f a?out the three most important mobers of the Pine famtly tn Georgta ts presented on these pages. These descriPtions are extracted from the book, "Native Trees of Georgia", published by

the Georgia Forestry Commission, the School of forestry and the Georgia Agricultural Extension Service. The 96-page manual cdntains descnptions of 92 of the 250 sPecies native to Georgia.

P. 1I nes

LONG .EAF PINE (Pinus 1~lustris Mill.)

LOBLOLLY PINE (Pinus taeda L.)

SLASH PINE (Pinus caribaea Morelet.)

DESCRIPTION: Leaves or needles 8 to 12 inches long, in clusters of 2, or more often, 3 to the sheath; dark green and thickly set on the branch. Fruit or cone 3 to 6 inches long, brown at maturity and glossy. Scales armed with minute prickles. Bark rough and dark reddish brown on young trees and becoming orange-brown and broken into broad, flat scales on old trees. A tree often 80 to 100 feet in height with a tall tapering trunk 2 to 3feet in diameter, terminating in a handsome, roun,.-topped head.
KEY CHARACTERISTICS: Leaves or needles 8 to 12 inches long in clusters of 2 or 3 to the sheath; cones 3 to 6 inches long, brown, glossy.
WooD: Heavy, hard, strong, coarse-grained, durable, rich, dark orange-colored heartwood and white sapwood.
UsEs: Railroad ties, general construction, spars and masts, poles and piling, boats, railroad cars, pulp and many other uses; also one of the chief sources of turpentine and rosin.
DISTRIBUTION: Confined principally to the lower coastal plain, the chief habitat being low, moist sandy sites, however often thriving on the drier ridges common to its range.

~ESCRIPTION: Leaves 1 needles 10 to 18 inches long,
m crowded clusters of(f$ to the sheath; dark green in color. Fruit or conamaturing at the end of the second season, 6 to 10Jnches long, slightly curved, dull brown, in falling, leaving a few of the basal scales attached to the. twig. Bark light orange brown, separating into large, papery scales. A tree often 100 feet or more in height with a straight, slightly tapering trunk about 2 to 3 feet in diameter. (An outstanding feature in the spring is the large, silvery white terminal bud).
KEY CHARACTERISTICS: Leaves or needles 10 to 18 inches long, in crowded clusters of 3 to the sheath ; cone 6 to 10 inches long, dull brown; buds silvery white.
WOOD: Heavy, hard, strong, coarse-grained, durable, light reddish yel~w.
USES: One of the best woods for construction purposes, also used for railroad ties, spars and masts, poles and piling, railrud cars, boats, interior finish, pulp and many ot~er purposes. This tree also produces a large perceJJtage of the naval stores produced in the southern s~tes.
DISTRIBUTION: Confin~l Principally to the coastal plain but ranging inlan~ in the western part of the state to the vicinity of~ome; forming open stands on dry, sandy soils.

DESCRIPTION: Leaves or needles 6 to 9 inches long, slightly twisted, pale blue-green and occurring in clusters of 3 to the sheath. Fruit or cone 2 to 6 inches long, light reddish brown at maturity; scales armed with short, stout prickles. Bark on young trees dark in color and deeply furrowed, becoming on old trees bright red-brown and divided into broad, flat ridges. A tree 100 feet in height with a trunk 2 to 5 feet in diameter. Perhaps the fastest growing southern pine.
KEY CHARACTERISTICS: Leaves or needles pa!e bluegreen, occurring in clusters of 3 to the sheath, grouped near the ends of the branch; bark on young trees dark, reddish brown or nearly black; cone scales armed with short, stout prickles.
WooD: Brittle, weak, coarse-grained, not durable, light brown heartwood with orange-colored to white sapwood.
USES : In general similar to those of the other southern pines, being used in construction, interior and exterior finish, poles, pulp, etc.
DISTRIBUTION: Found generally throughout the state with the exception of the higher mountains. Less plentiful in the coastal plain than in the Piedmont where it occurs in gre~t abundance.

Page Seven

Georgia forestr

With the recent addition of 'Fire Call', the Georgia Forestry Commission now has seven forestry films available for distribution.

The seven films carried in the

Commission's film library are:

'Dead Out', 'Then It 'The Woods and A Way',

Happen 'Trees

efdo' ~

Tomorrow', 'Lonnie's New Crop'

'Suwanee Pine' and 'Fire Call'. '

These films without charge,

may for

b es h oo wb tian igns e dt~

clubs, schools, business meetings

and other public gatherings.

All of these films are sound and, with the exception of one film, all are color movies. A brief descrip-
tion of each film follows:

'Fire Call' makes a vivid plea for organized Qrotection against forest fires. The purpose of the film is to assist in extending organized forest fire control over 74,000,000 acres of southern forest
land not under protection. The old and the new methods of preventing
and controlling forest fires are
contrasted and demonstrated.

'Dead Out', filmed in the South, is an entertaining, educational film about the harm that man-set woods fires can do to timber, homes
and people. Pasea on actual happenings, the movie is well balanced with human emotion, comedy, and drama.

'Then It Happened' is a dramatic film of the destructive Maine fire. This movie tragically points up the
need for organized forest fire prevention and adequate forest fire
fighting measures everywhere.

'The Woods and A Way' portrays a heart-warming story of how the

farm woods provide a way for a southern family to meet an emergency and build for a better life. The trees are the special interest of little Pobby, crippled by a fall during boyhood, and the audience shares the family's emotion when the timber from the woodland provides the funds to finance the operation which enables Pobby ro walk. again.
'Trees for Tomorrow', a black and white film;tells the importance of our renewable forest resource w~~ emphasis on the improved sci~ t1f1c management of tree-producing lands.
'Lanni e' s New Crop', an informational film on tree planting in the South, desvribes how a young farmer makes unproductive land work at a profit growing trees. The film shows where to get information on tree planting, how to buy trees, and all the steps required in plan~ ing and caring for them. The film concludes by showing the right time and the right method of making the first cutting, leaving more than half the trees to grow into larger products.
'Suwanee Pine' is a documentary story of the Naval Stores industry. The film traces the histry of this pioneer business and shows each step in the naval stores operation. The production is traced from the woods to the processing stills.
The Commission requests that as much advance notice as possible br given v.hen ordering films.

r Apri l, 19119

Page Eight

Georgia's Future Largely Depends

On Forestry Governor Declares

Investment in better forestry protection and manag~etnent in Georgia will help solve many of the state's financial troubles.
That is what Governor Herman Talmadge told members of the Georgia Forestry Association at that organization's 25th annual meeting held at Atlanta April 7. Georgia's Chief Executive said:
'I don't know of anything more important to the future development of our state than wise management of our timber resources. This will result in a lar~<I' tax digest and will mean more money for education, health, welfare and other similar acti viti es. '
Through educational programs,the people are becoming conscious of the need for cooperating with nature in restoring our forest resources, he continued. He expres~ the hope that by July, 1951, every county in the state will have organized forest fire protection.
President Kirk &ltlive presided at the morning session, and Robert H.Rush, second vice-president, conducted the afternoon program. R.H. White, Jr., a member of the board of directors, rerved as master of ceremonies at the luncheon.
Speakers during the morning were: L. I. Skinner, assistant director, Georgia Agricultural Extension Service, Athens; June Norwood, president,Georgia Press Association, Valdosta; John A, Sibley, chairman, Foard of Directors, Trust Co. of Georgia,Atlanta, and Ray F. Weston, woods manager,Hollingsworth-Whitney Paper Co., Mobile, Ala.

Four prominent Georgia lumbermen were unanimously elected to represent Georgia on the new board of directors of the Southern Pine Association at that organization's 34th annual convention held in New Orleans this month.
The directors are H. R. Garrett, Hancock Lumber Company, Quitman; S. F. Guthrie, Greensboro Lumber Company, Inc., Greensboro; J. . McElrath, Jeffreys-McElrath Mfg. C.ompany, Macon; W. H. Turner, Jr., lhattahoochee Valley Lumber Corrpany, LaGrange.
Two other Georgians, C. R. \~ason , of Madison, and Harley Langdale, Jr., Valdosta, represented this state in a eanel discussion of the subject~ Timber Growing for Industrial Use.
Mr. Mason said that concentration yards feel the importance of a sustained timber supply, to insure a supply of logs for their feeder mills. His part of Georgia, he said, was old agricultural country with no stands of virgin timber even 28 years ago when he started to cut logs. Today, he added, his company was cutting third-growth in many instances. He stressed his belief that a timber cutter owes his co~ munity the obligation of replacing trees grown by another generation.

A. R. Shirley, director of the Georgia Forestry Commission, explained the state's new forest fire control program in the afternoon. F.M. Lufburrow, executive secretary of the association, delivered his annual report and the meeting was concluded by L. H. Edmondson, d i rector of Keep Georgia Green.

Mr. Langdale said that while hr was not a mill man, the importance of the lumber industry in his part of southern Georgia made it necessary to practice forestry . our
lands are mostly unsuitable for
growing any other crop S? we con-
sider it proper and profttable to
grow logs, ' he stated.

Page Nine
March went out like a lion for the Murray County Unit with Ranger W. J. Jackson pointing out that four f1res on the lands of W. R. Evans could have burned up to 3, 300 acres had the crews not been on hand for prompt suppression.
The importance of landowners going to work on their own fir~s right away has been demonstrated 1n Jenkins County. Ran~er Elza Clifton points out that jack Gray used portable back pumps and his farm tractor to hold a fire under control while the Protection Unit was on the way to help.
'Had this fire gone unattended,' Ranger Clifton reports, 'it could have burned several hundred acres instead of t"WO.
Some people have never realized the damages of "WOOds fires because their timberlands burn every year and haven't had a chance to show their value. Thtt is an observation of Harry Sweat, ranger for Treutlen County.
From J. <: : Pace, ranger for Dade County, comes this sage advice: 'Within the past few days a lot of money went up in smok~ that should have gone into the pockets of Dade County people. Folks, that's just another way of saying that we have had a number of forest fires. We should use every precaution in burnin~ grass and in making sure that c1garettes and matches are out before throwing them aside. ''
R. W. Anderson, ranger for the Wayne County Fire Protection Unit 'takes his hat off' to the Southern Kraft Timber land Corp., for

Georgia forestr)
their cooperation in forest fire control in his county.
A new road constructed by the firm enabled the Wayne fire c.rew to arrive at a fire about 30 m1nutes sooner than they would have otherwise, reports Ranger Anderson, thus preventing a tremendous damage. ~n their some 13,000 acres of land 1n Wayne County, the company h~s about 5 miles of new roads, 28 m1les of CCC firebreaks, and 600 mile's of firelines.
Of Cobb County's 125,170 acres of woodland, 620 acres were burned in 30 woods fires during the month of March, says Ranger N.A. Medford.
In breaking down the causes of the fires,Ranger Medford attributed 70 per cent of the fires to farmers burning off their fields without the proper fire breaks and precautions. About 15 per cent were actually set by 'firebugs', and a smaller percentage originated from the carelessness of smoking hunters.
Ranger E. P. Eubanks, of the Coweta County fire Protection Unit, is proud of the fact he now has the use of short-wave FM radio in the Unit's two towers and three trucks.
GEORGIA FIRM SEEKS BEECH OR ELM LUMBER
In keeping with a slogan--''What Georgia makes, makes Georgia''--a folding chair manufacturing concern of this state has contacted the Georgia Forestry Commission inquiring about a source for beech or elm lumber.
''We are engaged in the manufacture of folding chairs, in which enterprise we use a large amount of lumber and we would like to place our orders with a Geirgia concern,'' wrote Ken Butler, general manager of Georgia Wood Products Company at Louisville.
POST TESTING
A t>roj ect is now underway at the Georg1a Experitrent Station to study and test various methods of treating fence posts for longer life.

for AprH, 191.19
QUESTION BOX. (Continued from Page 2) Q. Do the fire control units have local supervision?
A. Yes. The State Forestry Commission appoints a local committee of five landov.ners to assist in the efficient and economical operation of the unit.
Q. Will landowners in a county
with fire protection be allowed to burn their ov.n land if they desire?
A. Yes, provided such fires are not allowed to damage timber and property belonging to others.
Q. How may additional information about organized forest fire protection be obtained?
A. Contact Georgia Forestry Commission, 435 State Capitol, Atlanta.
ESSAYS
(Continued from Page 3)
est industries help keep the business end of our community going. The banker, the doctor, the lawyer, the pharmacist, the merchant, and other business and professional people are certainly aware that these businesses are an asset to our collD1.lnity.
A forest somewhere has provided the lumber for the homes and the furniture to go into the homes of citizens of our community. The churches, the school buuldings, the stores and other community buildings are all largely products of the forest. Can you imagine what we'd do without them?
The forest also produces a home and food for the wildlife, beautiful scenery for a Sunday afternoon drive and welcome shade on a hot sumner day.
I think as I sit in my classroom and look out over the tree tops how thankful I am for trees. And I resolve to always do my part to care for them because they mean so much to my community. Our way of life would be so different without these helpful forests!

EDITORIAL.

Page Ten

(Cotttinued from Page 1)

could--others nearby might be ptevented from igniting.

The rural residents would not be the sole beneficiaries of the srstem. Their economic losses are ~m mediately reflected in a lessentng by that much of business in the
Cl ty.

Our neighbors of Gordon and Murray Counties adopted the county protective unit benefits back in 1946, when the county had to put up 60: per cent of the cost, and are evidently well pleas~d with the system. Why should prosperous Whitfield lag behind?

All that is required to join is for County Comnissioner Tom Patterson to sign a contract with the Georgia Forestry Commission. This, we are infonned, Mr. Patterson would do if he was assured that a suf-
ficient number of Dalton and Whitfield residents desire that the county take advantage of this cooperative system.

The Dalton News-Citizen joins others interested in the county's long range welfare in urging that Whitfield take advantage of this op~ortunity. The cost to the county 1s most modest--and don't forget, that as taxpayers we are already paying on a statewide basis for fire protection in those counties of the State which have adopted the system.

Our joining is an opportunity to get back some of the money we are spending for protection elsewhere.

At less than 12 cents per Whitfield resident the first year, and less than 9 cents the second year, it is a bargain too good to miss.

NEW DRY KILN

The Acme Lumer & Supply Co~any,

of Dalton, Ga., has announced the

installation of a new dry kiln of

brick cost o measur

cfeso$n25s6toroxuoc4.t0ioTnhfee eedtrreyacnitneddghuaasnt iaat

holding capacity of 15,000 feet of

lumber.

.a.c;a ~. .- - ~- ....~,
APRIL 1949

IN THIS ISSUE

Expansion Report .

2

Pine Tree Festival

3

Prominent Pines

5, 6

Forestry Films

8

Entered as second-class matter at the Post Office, Atlanta, Ga.