Georgia forestry, Vol. 41, no. 3 (Fall 1988)

BEWARE
OF TICKS
AND SPIDERS
Brown Recluse Spider
Georgians working and playing both indoors and out this fall should be on guard against ticks and dangerous spide rs whose bites can seriously harm and even kill their victims.
Ac cordi ng to Terry Price, entomologist with the Georgia Forestry Commission , severa l tick species found in Georgia and other southern states are carriers of two serious diseases : Rocky Mountain spotted fev er (RMSF) and Lyme Disease .
The American dog tick is the primary carrier of RMSF in Georgia, although the disease is also carried by the lone star tick. The disease is caused by a rickettsia that is transmitted when an infected tick decides to feed on a human. The tick usually must be attached for more than six hours in order to transmit the disease-caus ing organism .
Symptoms of RMSF include fever, headache and a rash that develops around the wrists and ankles and on the back a few days after the bite. It later spreads to all parts of the body, and the infected person may believe he has the flu . The disease is fatal in some cases . In 1987, there were 3 2 cases of RMSF reported in Georgia but no fatalities .
LYME DISEASE TRANSMITTED BY TICKS
Lyme Disease is cau sed by bacteria called spirochetes that are also transmitted to humans by tick bites. The disease gets its name from a Connecticut town where it was first described in 1975. Lyme Di sease is mainly spread by the deer tick, although th e lone star and the California black-legged tick also transmit the disease.
A characteristic rash or lesion occurring a few days to a few weeks after the bite of an infected tick is usually the first symptom of Lyme Disease. General ly the rash looks like an expanding red ring with a clear center but its appearance can vary. The next signs may include headache, stiff neck, fever, muscle ac hes and / or general malaise. Although Lyme Disease is primarily found in the Northeastern U. S., the disease is beginning to appear in the Southeast.
Price said both RMSF and Lyme Disease present special problems . " Because their symptoms are so similar to flu or other diseases, they are often misdiagnosed ," he said. " It usually takes several weeks to get test results back from the lab, and by that time the diseases have become serious. "
The entomologist said that ticks should be removed with forceps if possible and should be grasped as close to the mouth parts as possible. He also advised that persons receiving tick bites mark the date of the bite on their calendars. " If symptoms of either Lyme Disease or RMSF appear in two to five days, a physician should be consulted, " he said.
BROWN RECLUSE SPIDER DANGEROUS
The brown recluse spider is anothe r potential hea lth threat Pri ce noted. Easily identified by a dark violin or fiddle-shaped mark on the top front half of its body, the spider is known to infest quiet out-of-the-way places. Reactions to the spid er's bite are often severe. The bite site becomes painful and swollen, and blisters appear on the surrounding skin. The next day, the skin near the bite turn s purple, then blackens within the next week as cells die. Th e dead cel ls slough off and form a depressed area in the skin,
ON THE COVER -Forest Patrolman Glenn Wheeler had to do some quick
thinking and fast moving to save " Bambi" from certain death in a Floyd County fire. (Story on Page 7). Photo by Howard Bennett.
2/ Georgia Forestry/ Fall 1988

Georgia

FORESTRY

USPS No. 217120

Fall, 1988 No. 3

Vol. 41

Joe Frank Harris - Governor John W . Mixon- Director

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

Jim L. Gillis, Jr., Chairman, Soperton Felton Denney, Carrollton Eley C. Frazer, Ill, Albany Or. Gloria Shatto, Rome
Robert Simpson, Ill, Lakeland

STAFF Howard E. Bennett, Editor Will iamS. Edwards, Associate Editor Jackie N. Swinson, Graphic Artist

DISTRICT OFFICES

District One 3088 Martha Berry Hwy., NE
Rome, GA 30161

District Two Route 11. Box 37 Gainesville, GA 30501

District Three Route 4, Box 168A Athens, GA 30605

District Four P.O. Box 1080 Newnan, GA 30264

District Five Highway 49 Milledgeville, GA 31061

District Six Route 2, Box 266 Washington, GA 30673

District Seven Route 1. Box 23A Americus. GA 31 709

District Eight Route 3 . Box 17 Tifton. GA 31794

District Nine Route 2. Box 722 Camilla, GA 31730

District Ten Route 2, Box 28 Statesboro. GA 30458

District Eleven Route 1. Box 46 Helena, GA 31037

District Twelve Route 6. Box 16 7 Waycros s, GA 31 50 1

Urban Forestry 6835 Memorial Drive Stone Mountain. GA 30083

Georgia Forestry is published quarterly by the Georgia Forestry Commission. Route 1. Box 18 1. Dry Branch. GA 3 1020. Second class postage paid at Macon. GA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Georgia Forestry Commission. Route 1, Box 18 1. Dry Branch, GA 31 020.

HWEST NTIES HOW

A survey of forest resources in the South w as begun in 1935 and now the Georg ia section of the inventory is being conducted for the sixth ti me. The survey is made at approxim ately ten-year intervals.
Timberland in a 22-county area of Southwest Georg ia, the un it recently completed, decli ned less than on e percent since 198 1 and now totals 2. 6 million acres. All ownerships combined, removals of softwoods exceeded net growth by 1 1 percent. Approxi mately 33 percent of t he trees in the area are harvested at age 40 years or younger. thus limiting t he number allowed t o grow to sawlog size.
These and other stat istics w ere revealed at a meeting in Ti fton to inform landowners, fo re st managers, consultants and others of findi ngs in the first unit surveyan inventory of forests in all aspects and related w ater and ot her resources.
The survey, conducted by t he U. S. Forest Service and in cooperation wit h the Georgia Forestry Commission , is also being com pleted in fou r other zones in Georgia, w hich include the Sout heast, Central, North Central and North Units. The results of t he Southeast Unit w ill be revealed in November and find ings in t he other sections w ill be available next year.
Pine and Oa k-pine stands in the one-toeight year old class in t he Southwest Georgia sector increased from 105 ,000 to 300 ,000 ac res. la rgely because of an al l out effort in planti ng of agricultu ral land under the Conservation Reserve Program . A strong effort will be made to persuade landowners to grow t hese trees into more profitable sawt imber sizes, and to keep the present level of reforestation after t he Co~s ervation Reserve Prog ram ends. off1c1als said.
A detailed 5 4-page report, entitled Forest Statist ics for Southwest Georgi a, has ~een published by t he U. S. Forest Serv1ce. Counties included in th e inventory mcl ude Baker, Ben Hill , Berri en, Brooks, Colqu itt, Cook, Crisp, Decatur, Dooly, Early, Gr.ady, Irwin, Lanie r, Lowndes . M ill er, M1.tchell, Semi nole, Thomas , Tift. Turn er. W1lcox and W orth.

NEW NURSERY SEEDER AT FLINT PRODUCES BETTER SPACED PLANTS

About half the seedlings now growing at the Commission 's Flint River Nursery were

planted in the spring by a new and sophisticated seeder designed to provide precise

spacing that will result in a better, more uniformed seedling.

The Love Precision Seeder, said to represent the latest engineering in automatic sow-

ing equipment for nurseries, plants seed approximately one inch apart in eight double

rows to the seedbed.

Gregg Findley, forester and nursery manager, said the new equipment is a vast

improvement over planting equipment the Commission has been using for several

years . o ur old equipment plants seed in eight row s," he said. " and ofte n in an

irregula r pattern. causing som e seedlings to grow bunched togeth er."

Findley said " uniformity is what we 're after and this new equipment seems to be the

answer." He explained that the planter operates on avacuum system that evenly spaces

the seed "and although it moves slower than our old equipment, it is superior in many

other ways."

In addition to achieving a better density control with the new machine, the forester

said Flint River, as well as the other Commission nurseries, is giving seedlings more

space for growth by reducing the number of seed from 28 to 25 per square foot.

When asked if that slight reduction would make any appreciable difference in grow-

ing space for the individual seedling, Findley was quick to answer that "the change will

mean an 11 percent decrease in a square foot of seedbed and that's a significant reduc-

tion when our overall acreage is considered." He said that "although the per acre pro-

duction w ill be less,we w ill still produce approximately 6 50,000 seedling per acre for a

total of 65 million during the season here at Flint."

Johnny Branan, chief of the Commission's Reforestation Department. agreed with

Findley that the Love machine is a superior planter, but he sa1d the Comm1ss1on has no

plans at this time to purchase additional machines. " It's a fine machine and it has been

very beneficial in improving seed distribution at Flint, but it moves slow.erthan our other

equipment and that's a drawback when there are three large nursenes to sow every

spri ng," Brannan said.

.

He said an evaluation would probably be made before long to determme whether to

buy additional machines, which he said are "quite expensive."

Georgia Forestry/ Fall 1988/ 3

[!] here's something distinctly American about log homes, a certain charm that most people find irresistable. Traditionally they have evoked images of the hard work and times of the early American pioneers; of young Abe Lincoln, struggling by candlelight to educate himself; or of cozy mountain retreats , complete with an abundance of wildflowers , icy streams and crackling fires.
In recent years. however, the older concepts of log structures have made room for a newer image; log homes in Georg ia are no longer strictly associated with poverty or vacation homes.While just 15 years ago most newly-built log homes were primarily vacation retreats, today more than 9 5 percent of the log homes built are first homes for young families.
Log homes have made an enormous comeback in the last decade, and the number of new structures built each year continues to rise. In 1986, more than 18.700 log homes -- so called because they are now built in a variety of architectural styles and not just as cabins -- were built in the United States and Canada. During that same period, a total of 8 7 7 log homes were built in Georgia. John Ricketson, owner of Hearthstone Log Homes in Forsyth , said his business has gone from sell ing three or four homes a year to more than 70 in the past few years, and he expects the numbers to continue to climb.
SYMBOL OF INDEPENDENCE
The modern log home has come a long way from the dirt-floor. one-room dwellings of t he frontier days. A log home in the 1980's is a symbol of independence, good taste and success. While the traditional one-story cabin with a slanted-roof porch is still popular, other more sophisticated styles are prevalent. Many log homes are two-storied or split-level and are complete with a swimming pool. sauna or recreation

They're rustic on the outside, but many have all the conveniences and comforts of the conventional American home. Costs range from $40,000 to $300,000.

~ BY SHERR/ BAKER

room. The average price of a log home is around $11 2 ,000, although prices frequently range from $40,000 to as much as $300,000.
Why have log homes become so popular? There are several reasons other than prestige and aesthetics. Because wood is one of nature's best insulators-- four times better than concrete block, six times better than brick and 15 times better than stone-log homes are among the most energy efficient homes on the market. The structures can be tailored to suit the owner's needs and resources and are usually cheaper to build and maintain than conventional homes. Best of all , log homes offer an excellent return on the investment, as some double in market value within 10 years .
Log homes are produced in two ways: by manufacturers and by handcrahers. In the U. S. and Canada combined, there are

235 manufacturers, who account for 8 5 percent of all log homes built, and 1 1 5 handcrahers, who make up the rem aini ng 15 percent.
Log home manufacturers create house designs and construction drawings, produce the logs needed and supply related building materials. They then ship t hese materials, along with blueprints and a construction manual, to builder/d ealer representatives. Sometimes these kits, as they are called, are shi pped direct fro m t he factory to the consumer, who either chooses his own builder or erects his own home.
Log homes are ideal for " do-it-you rself' enthusiasts; a sound, safe home can be built from a manufacturer's kit w ithout requiring traditional carpentry skills , at 30 to 50 percent less than t he cost of rai sing a conventional home. In any case, t he manufacturers generally work closel y w ith

4/ Georgia Forestry/ Fall 1988

the builder to ensure proper construction, and a home ca n be completed within a few
short weeks. Log hom e handcrafters, or logsmiths as
t hey are ofte n called , typically have much smaller operations than manufacturers. They produce logs the way the early settlers did, cutting and shapmg them us1ng only hand tools, and then erect them into a shell for thei r customers . All other construction w ork is left for other tradespeople to complete. The logsmiths_work in groups wi th two or three sk1lled builders to each company. Logsmiths frequently req uire t he assistance of engineers when building t he more complex log homes now in demand. The recent rise in popularity of log homes, along with the do-it-yourself tre nd, has led many handcrafters to offer schools teaching their art.
Homes produced by manufacturers and those produced by handcrafters differ primarily in t he logs used. Manufactured logs are uniform in shape at the top and bottom horizontal surfaces which fit together, so that when the logs are stacked into a wall t hey will fit snugly. In homes bu ilt by handcrafters. the logs retain the natural sh ape of the tree. Because each log is thicker at t he butt end than at the top, the logs must be stacked alternately, butt to top and t hen top to butt, so the wall will remain level. Handcrafted homes are not reg ulated by any governmental agencies wh ich set standards for quality and safety; however, t hey are often considered works of art and are tru ly custom built homes.

PINE SPECIES POPULAR

Several different types of trees may be used for logs when building a log home, including pine, cedar, spruce, oak, aspen, larch and cypress. Because it is easy to w ork with, is durable and has a pleasant odor, pine is the most popular choice of Georgians and is found in 80 percent of all log home ki ts.

No matter w hat type of log the home-
owner chooses, however, it is important to r~a l ize that ma ny types of logs are susceptible to damage by decay fungi and insects.
According to Terry Price, an entomologist With the Georgia Forestry Commission , th ree factors can lead to problems with log ~omes: the type of logs used in construction, designs th at do not protect logs from
ramwetting and lack of maintenance of exterior wall su rfaces. However, there are
relatively si m pie solutions for each of these problem s.

Rapid utilizat ion of logs, which simply

means removi ng them from the woods

and debarking them as soon as possible
a~er cutting, eli minates many problems

With decay and insects, Price said . He

added that logs should be treated and

proJ?erly stored during seasoning . Logs

ctl_~t~eIntolaftuengfa1~l

and and

winte insect

r are less suscepcolonization .

xcesslve wetting from rainwaters can
s ~150 cau se logs to decay rapidly especially
In warm outhern cl1. mates. 'Traditional

Log homes have traditionallyevoked images of the crude cabins of America's frontier days. Even today, many Georgianstryto recapture this rustic charm by building small cab ins as mountain retreats.
one-story log homes are designed with wide roof overhangs and long porches that are adequate to protect logs from repeated exposure to rainwater; . however, most modern log homes are two-story with short roof overhands and few porches. Properly constructed homes are built so that the wood is protected from too much

exposure and allow for rainwater to drain away from the house on all sides. Other protection includes preservative chem icals, flashing , trim and caulking .
M any pests , such as wood-boring beetles, carpenter ants, bees, wasps and termites can severely damage logs unless proper preventive measures are taken . Logs t hat have been treated before construction are less likely to encounter the pests, but nearly all types of logs must undergo periodic treatment after the house has been built. On the average, log homes require no more maintenance than conventional homes.
More and more peopl e worldwide are calling t hese structures their home; the hottest new market is the Japanese. Talk to any log home owners and it is soon apparent
that th ey are happy w ith their choice. A year ago, Bob and Jane Cutler, antique dealers from Maryland, were headed to a mobile home reti rem ent community in Florida. However, they were delighted w ith an authentic-looking modern log home they spotted at a count ry festival and decided that a log home would be their dream house. Now living near Forsyth, the Cutlers are not disapointed in their new home.
" It's very easy to heat and cool,' " Bob Cutler said. " We're very pl eased with our utility bills."
Jane Cutler agreed that th e energy efficien cy and easy upkeep made the home more attractive. But perhaps she best captured the sentiment of most log home owners when she said, " When you come inside you really feel like you 're at home. "

Although traditional styles remain popular, the log homes of the 1980s are more sophisticated, versatile structures and often boast swimming pools and recreation rooms.
Georgia Forestry/ Fall 1988/ 5

WOODEN CAR PARTS
AN INTERNATIONAL BUSINES G) FOR GEORGIA ENTREPRENEU

[ ! ] here is a little known but stalwart legion seeking wooden parts for their cars. This search can be a problem, since many people don 't even know that most cars had wooden frames until 1937. Jim Tygart has solved the problem.
Tygart, a 62-year-old Berrien County businessman who owns a Fiberglass and Wood Company, ships tailor-made wooden car parts throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Although Chevrolet parts are Tygart's specialty, the company also provides parts for other models, including such exotic types as Mercedes. The unusual company, located near Nashville, now turns out so many wooden parts that they have to be numbered on reams of computer sheets.
WOODEN BUGGIES
"''d say there are only around a half dozen similar businesses in the U.S.," Tygart said. " I don't know of any in Georgia."
Tygart, who has been in the car business in one form or another for about 20 years, said the first cars were actually wooden buggies with motors inserted- green horse hides were stretched over the wooden frame and allowed to dry. He pointed out that Studebaker and General Motors started building buggies -with Studebaker evolving into the nation's largest buggy maker.
"Those were days of high quality craftsmanship," Tygart said, " and the early cars benefited from the situation."
Today, Tygart's company sustains that dedication to craftsmanship. In addition to wooden car frames, the company also manufactures fiberglass replica parts for antique cars and trucks and offers custom made wooden truck beds for antique and late model pickups.
"Wooden frames for cars offers a good, steady business," Tygart said . "But we've had a considerable increase in orders for truck beds. Some of these are restoration pieces, but a lot of them are used for working purposes."
For truck beds, Tygart's company offers a wider range of wood types than for car parts . Wood species used for truck beds include Southern yellow pine, hickory, oak, maple and walnut. Oak and Southern yellow pine are frequently used in working models .

"But car frames are a different story, " Tygart pointed out. "The strongest species of wood are required. These frames have to be strong - and they are. We've seen some early Chevys that have been rolled without much damage, when all the wood was in good condition and in place."
Oak and hickory are used for the car skeletons. Tygart considers frames properly constructed from these wood species to be just as strong- if not stronger- than many of today's steel framed cars. Tygart emphasizes that wooden frames must be precisely cut and fitted. The process requires specialized knowledge and skill that makes businesses like Tygart's rare.
According to Tygart and his employees, to become a skilled " woodcutter" in this business requires from one to three years apprenticeship. For a talented candidate, with no experience, two to three years is the average requirement. while an accom-

Wood technicians Tim Crumbley (left) and Kenneth Matheson (right) assemble wooden car frame. The technicians are employed by the South Georgia company that specializes in wooden car parts. Wooden auto frame shown is subflooring custom-built 1932 model Chevrolet.
6/Georaia Forestrv/ Fa/1 1988

Businessman Jim Tygart (left) and Monroe Gaines, Commission ranger for Berrien County, display wooden frames of car doors that were typical on most autos until 193 7.

plished carpenter or cabinetmaker will spend a year adapting his skills to th e job.
The Tygart company has three woodcutters- in addition to an administrative and shipping staff. Machines used by woodcutters are basic - mainly the band saw, router and planer -the skills are different. Wood must be hand-cut to the exact specifications for lock mechanisms, etc., that high-tech engineering processes measure and stamp in auto factories. Tygart's wood cutting technicians use original wooden parts to make patterns.
Tygart says that for car owners checking frames for rot, the process is simple. The only tool needed is an ice pick.
"Check any where water may have gotten to the wood ," Tygart recom mends. " Areas such as main floor sills, door tops and bottoms, and all top parts." He added that an ice pick can even be stuck through upholstery fabric to check wood underneath without causing appreciable damage.

ICE PICK TEST

" If the w ood is soh- it's rotten," Tygart said . "It's as simple as

that and the ice pick tells you the depth of the rot. "

Tyga rt says this test works on the vast majority of old cars

because the skeletons were constructed with the " hardest of hard~oods" -oak and hickory. His company follows suit by

st1ckmg with oak and hickory, while plywood components are

made from solid core maple exterior grade (or oak).

Assembly of parts is also part of the woodcutter's job. Bronze,

brass, or stainless steel screws, nails, and bolts are used to pre-

vent ru st fro m developing in holes and deteriorating wood. Holes

for attachmg fasteners are always pre-drilled (even for nails) to P~event splits and wood stress. Upright pieces, such as hinge

Pillars (door posts) that attach to the floor are tightened with metal. gussets or corner angles.

~l.Sgntndposoorsf .bTohdey

webbing body felt

are installed so shims can be used to is also an effective deterrent to rattles

.

orners and joints are not glued because flexibility is required to
prevent breakage. Sealing and priming of the wood components provld~s the fi nishing touches on a job of meticulous crahsmanshlp.
a n~ifor was~ed wood, Tygart says there is very little. Lamination

ca~rd

ttmg ed go

Utilize the smallest pieces. Any mto the company wood pile.

scraps

that

are

dis-

es, th e Tygart business heats with wood, too.

COMMISSION FIREFIGHTER RESCUES YOUNG WHITETAIL
(SEE COVER PHOTO}
Forest Patrolman Glenn Wheeler was working a 74acre wildfire in Southeast Floyd County when he spotted a small animal trapped in the blazing underbrush.
He quickly leaned out ofthe cab of his tractorfor a closer look and discovered that a young whitetail deer was about to be overtaken by the inferno.
Wheeler, who has had ten years of firefighting experience with the Georgia Forestry Commission, backed his tractor to a safe spot, leaped out of the cab and retrieved the frightened animal which had already suffered a burned leg and singed eyelashes.
"He was wild at first," said his rescuer, "but he calmed down aher I got back in the tractor." The patrolman said the deer, which he estimated to be "just a few days old," stayed quietly in his lap for two hours while he finished plowing breaks at the fire.
"We took him back to the unit in Rome in the ranger's pick-up and started feeding him with a bottle," Wheeler said. Bruce Kelley, a young patrolman in the unit, promptly named him Buck and began taking him to his home each night. Kelley's wife, Sandy, becamed attached to the Bambi-like creature, as did all the men in the unit and they were reluctant to eventually turn him over to the Fish and Game Commission, the agency that returned him to the wild in a game refuge.
Rome District Forester Carl Mclear said he had never . known "a deer or any animal" to be rescued by a Commission firefighter prior to Wheeler's experience and termed the incident reminiscent of the rescue of the original Smokey Bear some years ago.
If the young buck ever wanders into hunters territory aher he's grown up, at least he won't be a target for Patrolman Wheeler. "I went deer hunting one cold day about 15 years ago and that was enough for me," said Wheeler.
Patrolman Bruce Kelley enjoyed feeding the young deer that was rescued from an inferno by Patrolman Glenn Wheeler. The animal was a tamed pet at the Floyd County Unit for several weeks.
Georgia Forestry/ Fall 1988/ 7

THREE SECTIONS OF STATE
HIT HARDEST BY BEETLES
Southern Pine Beetles have continued to attack Georgia 's forests in 1988 . with more than 3.000 spots, averaging from 25 to several thousand trees. reported statewide.
By mid-summer. the SPB had destroyed more than 300.000 cords of pine. more than enough wood to build 8 .000 houses or produce more than 190 .000 tons of paper. The attacks have been concentrated in three sections of the state--the coastal region and th e upper and lower Piedmont reg ions . Accord ing to Commiss ion Entomologist Terry Pri ce. the upper Piedmont region around Atl anta has been hardest hit by this year's epidemic. Hal l County reported t he most damage. with 286 identified spots of infestation . wh ile Cherokee County had 280 and Forsyth County reported 2 58 spots with beetle damage. The counties contain large stands of short leaf pine, th e variety most desirable to th e pests . Price said .
The bark beetles, which are about the size of a grain of rice, kill trees by attacking their cambium layers, which lie just below the bark and transport water and nutrients throughout the trees. The beetles bore holes into the cambium , lay their eggs and then emerge from the trees to move on to other areas .
Commission officials have urged landowners to cut infested pine stands and to cut a buffer strip around the area to help prevent the spread of the SPB. Price advised , however, that trees killed by the beetles should be leh standing because they are no longer harmful and harbor many beneficial insects. The dead trees also serve as a breeding ground for woodpeckers. which are natural enemies of the SPB .
Price said this year's drought, the worst in the state's history, has contributed to the SPB epidemic. " Dry weather stresses trees, and they can 't employ their natural defenses to fight off attack," he said.
One built-in defense trees have is their oleo resin pressure (ORP) , t he entomologist explained . ORP is measured by the amount of resin that trees exude when they have been punctured. Normally trees have enough ORP to fo~ce out the invading beetles during mild attacks, but dry weather conditions greatly reduce this pressure.
For now, Price said, the worst may be over. 'This could be the last surge of the beetles for th is year, especially if the weather returns to normal," he said . "But if it continues to stay dry, we may have infested spots pop up all over Georgia ."
He pointed out that Alabama, Tennessee and northwestern South Carolina are beginning to experience similar problems with the SPB. The most concentrated efforts against the pests have been in Georgia. however, where five controlled zones have been established. A professional assigned to each zone then assists landowners in salvaging their wood aher the SPB have infected the area .
The entomologist added that new research indicates that the SPB become inactive at temperatures of 42 degrees Fahrenheit. Foresters had previously believed that the inactive point was 58 degrees Fahrenheit.
TIMBER LOSS
More than 3,509,900 cords of wood have been lost to pine bark beetles in Georgia since 1972. If stacked four feet high and four feet wide, the damaged wood would extend 5,318 miles!
8/ Georgia Forestry/ Fall 1988

ENNSVLVANIAN INTRIGUED ITH HIS GEORGIA TREE FARM
Master Tree Farmer Makes Frequent Trips South To Check On His Prized Pines

r. Roy Hand is always planning fo r the future. He recently looked over a field of undesirable hardwood out on his Polk County farm and said he was anxious to "'clean this out and plant pine this winter." Dr. Hand is 94. Forester Grant Evans of the Commission's Rome District, who is Dr. Hand's forestry advisor and personal friend, said the retired dentist seems to have the drive and enthusiasm of a 30-year-old as he seeks ways to improve the 240 acres of forests on the rolling hills of his farm some eight miles from Cedartown. Evans also confessed that the landowner "has greatly broadened my education in forestry by telling me of forestry practices he has studied in countries around the world." The scholarly Dr. Hand has traveled extensively in Europe and on other continents and has been keenly interested in forestry management in the foreign lands. Dr. Hand's home is in Wyncote, Pennsylvania, but he comes down to Georgia periodically to spend some time at his Cedartown apartment and visit his farm, which is now maintained by a manager who lives on the property and cultivates the 15 percent of the acreage that is not in trees. " Soybeans and cotton pay my taxes on the land," declared Dr. Hand.
70 YEARS AGO
The tree farmer's Georgia connection began 70 years ago when he came to the Atlanta area to serve in the military. He met and married a young lady from Polk County and t~ey returned to Pennsylvania where he established his dentistry practice and she taught school.
In 1943 his wife, Sarah, inherited the acreage that constitutes the farm. When a
AHt left f'orester Grant Evans and Or. Roy and stroll down a country lane to view a
atrnadct~of tim ber owned b y the reti.red denti.st orestry enthusiast.

vast family estate was settled, his wife was awarded " lot Number 202 on the old trail from Cedartown to Carrollton," Dr. Hand explained, "and the land was so poor that they felt sorry for h~r and threw in some cash money."
Dr. Hand's first tree planting experience came the following year. He said he examined corn that had struggled to grow on a portion of his wife's inherited property and told her that "that's the last time corn will ever be planted in that field."
CONVERTING TO TREES
When he told her that he intended to plant trees in the field, she shot back that "you're going to lose what little brains you have! " He laughs today as he recalls her skepticism and said he also found her response amusing at the time. She soon joined him, however, in becoming an avid tree planter as they improved and enlarged the forests on their farm.
The timber grown from that first planting in the corn field was harvested in 1979 and brought $8,250.
In studying forestry Dr. Hand was quick to realize the potential of trees that grow so rapidly in Georgia's soil and climate and during some lean years advised a relative "to beg, borrow or get the $500 any way you can" so he could buy 40 acres that had been offered for sale. The relative took his advice and by the time his two sons were ready for college, timber on the tract netted $18,000 to pay for their education.
Dr. Hand retired from his dentistry practice in Philadelphia in 1954and moved his family to the Georgia farm. He remarried after his wife died and eventually moved back to Pennsylvania after the death of his second wife.
But he remembers earlier days in Georgia when he made frequent trips South. "In 1929, during the days when many sawmills were still steam-powered and a sawyer's wage was a dollar a day and the mill hand earned 85 cents a day, " he recalled.'' the timber was so huge it took three yoke of oxen to pull a single log from the woods."

Although Dr. Hands' tree farm doesn't yield logs as large as those grown in the twenties, he values them and is careful to select those that are to be harvested. Forester Evans kids the landowner for the way he watches over a harvest operation on his property. " Dr. Hand doesn't mark trees for cutting.'' Evans quipped," he goes through the woods with the man with the saw and literally points to each tree he wants to cut!"
Dr. Hand became so knowledgable about forestry through extensive reading and doing his own research that the late Dr. B. F. Grant, legendary professor at the School of Forest Resources, University of Georgia, once thought that he had been formally educated in forestry and was surprised to learn that he had, instead. studied dentistry and medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.
Former Governor Carl Sanders presented a Master Tree Farmer certificate to Dr. Hand at a special awards dinner in the summer of 1959 and on another occasion he was presented a lifetime hunting and fishing license by former Governor Ernest Vandiver.
GRAFTING AT TEN
Dr. Hand, who claimed he is "more of a researcher than a historian," was born on a farm in New Jersey in 1894. He started grafting plantsattheageof 1Oand eventually became expert at it. He worked mainly with shrubs and didn'ttake a great interest in trees until the experience of planting seedlings in Georgia.
Dr. Hand is also a writer and is presently working on his autobiography. He said he is "about half way through and I'll finish in a couple of years... Forester Evans said he will be anxious to read it. " I know it will have some intriguing information on his experience in forestry."
When asked how his fascination with forestry has affected his life. Dr. Hand summed it up in this manner:
" I can feel confident the time I have spent in forestry projects has been a contributing factor to my good health and the many years of my long life."
GP.nrni::o FnrP..~trv/F::./1 1!=IRR /.Q

00 homas W . Allen was 17 when he first learned of the Civilian Conservation Corps and it didn 't take long for him to realize the new program could be his escape from a "sunrise to sunset" job that paid on ly 60
cents a day. Allen, recently retired from a career with
the Veterans Administration Hospital in Augusta and now livi ng on a farm near Appling,was typical of the young men who enrolled in the CCC more than a half cen-
tury ago. The " Tree A rmy" camps, as they were
often called, were quick to spring up across Georgia and the nation following an executive order by President Franklin Roosevelt establishing the Office of Eme rg ency Conservation Work. It happened 55 years ago. but time has not dimmed the memories of many who served in the CCC .
To many Georgians now in their seventies and eighties, it seems as if it were only yesterday when , as young men. they were caught up in the Great Depression, but fortunately found refuge in the Corps. It was a program that eventually provided employment to more than two million young men and "energized the nations interest in resource conservation" during its nine years of existence.
It also benefited families of the enrollees. The monthly pay in most camps was $30.00 per month, but the CCC required that $25 .00 had to be sent back home during these hard times.
Prior to joining the Corps, young Allen walked about three miles each day to his job on a farm " down the road" from his country home. He milked cows for his employer at dawn. plowed all day and then milked the cows at the end of the day before beginning his walk back home. In addition to his daily earnings of 60 cents, he was given meals.
The teenager was assigned to a CCC camp in Rock Hill , S. C.. one of more than 2,600 camps that were hastily established across the country, with forestry-related projects given high priority.
" We had a tree nursery at our camp," Allen said. " We grew and shipped and planted a lot of pine and poplar, but we also pulled a lot of weeds. " He said the camp also had a solution for the badly eroded land in the area, but the " cure" became a curse a half century later! "We cultivated kudzu in one section of our nursery and planted it in gulleys around Rock Hill...we also bundled and shipped a lot of kudzu plants to other sections of the country."
Allen. who later served 40 months in the armed forces in Italy and Sicily during World War II. said the CCC experience " helped all of us to have a better apprecia-
10/Georgia Forestry/Fall 1988

three each headed a 20-man crew in the

program.

He said the North Georgians " most cer-

tainly impressed me with their native

intelligence and ability. They knew the

common name of every tree and shrub."

The cultural foreman said his crew chiefs

THE

CCC

A FTERARS, THERE ARE FEW SIGNS THAT THE THOUSANDS OF
CAM . EXISTED AND THE RANKS OF THOSE WHO SERVED ARE
GROW BUTTHE CONTRIBUTIONS THE CIVILIAN CONSERVATION COR P~ ARE EVIDENT TODAY ACROSS THE LAND.

were "accustomed to doing a full day's work and they expected the CCC boys to do the same." He said the leaders " undoubted ly served as outdoor role models for the boys as they taught them to use hand tools and work effectively. "

Grumbine. who came with the U. S.

Forest Service after his CCC experience

worked in several Southern states before

he was named to the regional post in

Atlanta . He said the "pic k of the enrollees

at Camp No. 6 became the backbone of the

USAF non-technical employees in that

area of Georgia following their time in

BY H()ENNETT

the corps." Unfortunately, careless logging crews

had preceeded the CCC boys to the moun-

tion of forestry and conservation and I consider it a time well spent."
***
Paul Stevenson never heard of anyone actually planting a pine tree when he was growing up on a farm in Telfair County.
The Stevenson farm was surrounded by pine forests, but the trees were more of a nuisance than an asset; they had to be cleared to make way for row crops and pasture. But in July of 1935. the young farm boy began to learn something of the value of trees and the need for better conservation of forests and other natural resources. He had become a recruit in the Civil ian Conservation Corps.
" My first camp was north of M c Rae and near my home, " said Stevenson, "and most of the boys in our outfit worked mainly in clearing firebreaks in Telfair and Wheeler Counties. " He said trees were cut and the stumps were dug up with hand tools and rolled out of the way. That has been 53 years ago, but Stevenson said some of those fire lanes are still visible today because the Forestry Commission and the paper mills keep them up.
Several months after helping clear firebreaks in Middle Georgia, Stevenson was transferred to a CCC camp near Norris,Tenn. "We planted a lot of pine and walnut trees up there," he said. " and we cut some prime timber...it was good experience." The enrollee said he had brothers who were also in the CCC and the $25.00 they sent home each month helped sustain his family during the depression years.
Stevenson, now a retired farmer living near Al amo, said he has fond memories of

the conservation and youth development program.: He said he is not only appreciative of the sorely needed financial aid it afforded his parents during the bleak days of the thirties, but is grateful for the discipline and values it instilled in him
Historians claim that that was th e attitude of most of the young men across the nation who planted billions of trees, hacked out thousands of miles of firebreaks. reclaimed mil lions of acres of fe r- ' tile agricultural land and built roads, bridges, parks and dams while in the CCC.
***
When Ed Ruark graduated from hig h school in 1935, he went directly into th e CCC . He was assigned to Camp Rutledge near Hard Labor Creek. a short distance from his home.
" In the beginning we cut a lot of big trees with crosscut saws and axes," he sai d. " to clear a swamp and other lowlands to create a 200-acre lake." He said his particular camp was under the direction of the National Park Service. Department of t he Interior, " but just like other camps, w e lived in army-type barracks. wore uniforms and had to have a pass to go hom e on weekends. "
Although living conditions in the CCC were patterned after the Army in some respects and many of the enrollees w ould later be drawn into the armed services du ring World War II, Ruark said the cam ps " were not militaristic in any way." He sa id CCC administrators "made a point to keep it non-military."
Ru ark was eventually transferred to a camp on Pine Mountain where a horticulturist had been hired to establish a tree nursery. "I tried to do my work well, even in ditch digging," Ruark said, " and I gu ess I impressed my foreman because I wa s one of seven chosen to work in the new nursery." He later became an assistant leader, or a " straw boss" as he termed it. Seed

source for the tree nursery was the sur-

rounding forests and certain camp person-

nel were assigned to gather dogwood. oak.

pine and other seed to cultivate seedlings

that were later planted in th e Pine Moun-

tain area.

Ruark said his experience in the camp

nursery inspired him to seek a career in

fo restry. Following service in the Army, he

attended the School of Forestry at the

University of Geor-

gia "with my educa-

tion partially financ-

ed with that

$25.00 monthly

that was sent home

from the CCC and

saved for me by my mother."

~ '-..

As a professional

forester, Ruark

went on to be-

come chief of the Forest Protection Depart-

ment, Georgia Forestry Commission. and

later serve as director of the Georgia Forest

Research Council. Now retired from state

government, he owns and operates a large

Chnstmas tree farm near Bostwick.

. Ruark said that in addition to " the ob-

VIous contri butions the CCC made toward ~he conservation of our natural resources.

w1twas a rema rkable character-bui ld ing proam for many young men ." He said many

In the cam ps in which he served " were

from poor families and in many cases

undereducated. " He said he and others

taught night classes in camps

"Some of the boys went on. to become ohut~tandmg, highly successful men in t e1r com mu n1t1 es because of the training
1~~d encourage ment they were given in the lVI lan Conservation Corps," said the forester.

State Senator Hugh Gillis of Soperton
~~~a~?ntly . agrees with Ruark's summawer. P~eslde nt Roosevelt and my father
e fnends and one of the first CCC
groups came to Treutlen County, " he

stated in a letter now on permanent display along with other CCC memorabilia at a stone and log lodge built by enrol lees at Little Ocmulgee State Park at Helena. " Times were hard in those days and many fine young men had enrolled in the CCC program," he continued . " I don't believe there has ever been a government program that served such a worthwhile purpose and accomplished so much for the personnel involved and for the people of this country."
* * *"
Art Grumbine earned a degree in forestry at North Carolina State in 1932 , only to find that there was littl e demand for professional foresters in th at year of the Great Depression . The graduate returned to his home town of Lebanon, Pa.. where he had to be content to work as a substitute clerk in the local post office.
The young forester's tuture brightened the following year, however, when application for employment with the CCC was approved. He was hired as a cultural foreman at the newly established CCC Camp No. 6 on Warwoman Creek in Georgia 's mountainous Ra- bun County.
Grumbine, who retired in 1971 as Chief of Operations. Region Eight, U. S. Forest Service, fondly remembers the people he worked with in the corps 55 years ago and the lasting influence their labors made on forestry and conservation in the region .
" Mountain people are the finest, " he said du rin g an interview at his home in Gainesville. " J ames Beckley, Cl aude Smith and Fred Beck were three I especially remember," said Grumbine, who was in charge of timber stand improvement. The

tains of Rabun and adjoining counties , an area destined to become part of the 750,000-acre Chattahoochee National Forest by presidential proclamation three years later.The lumber companies took out the virgin timber and moved on, leaving a path of wanton destruction. The CCC enrol lees were charged with repairing much of the damage.
In ca rrying out the TSI mission , enrollees under Grumbine's direction lined up 17 feet apart early each workday and marched into the forest to seek out and kill all undesirable trees by girdling. Thousands of acres of woods down mountain slopes and across valleys were rid of worthless species to provide a better environment for desirable trees.
The national Association of Civilian Conservation Corps Alumni, with headquarters in Falls Church , VA, pointed out during the 50th Anniversary five years ago that "the CCC took millions of young men off the streets, gave them hope, helped them to be self-supporting and taughtthem how to be good citizens. Many learned to read and write, obtained a diploma. or learned a trade...the CCC started the country's climb out of devastating depression...the total contribution can never be measured in dollars and cents." Grumbine would be quick to agree with that assessment.
***
Thomas Allen. Paul Stevenson, Ed Ruark, Art Grumbine- names on the fading roll of those who served in the CCC camps of Georgia back in one of the most cru cial times in the nation's history. They are representative of the thousands of men across the state who were once engaged in a youthful army to restore depleted natural resources.
Many green forests and pastures, recreational lakes and trout streams, hiking trails and wildlife habitats that exist today resulted from that massive program that helped reshape lives and the land.

____________________________________.........IIIIIIIIIIII..........................................................~G:e:or~g:m::Fo:r:es:t:ry~:~F:a/~/~19:8:8:/~1~1~

c.
Gary Johnson, U.S. Forest Service botanist, teaches class during the annual Tree Seed Testing Workshop conducted by USFS at the National Tree Seed Laboratory on the ground of the Georgia Forestry Center in Macon.

SEED TESTING WORKSHOP HELD

Commission personnel involved with seed testing and production were among other state, federal and private industry representatives from throughout the United States attending the annual 'Tree Seed Testing Workshop"' held by the U. S. Forest Service National Tree Seed Laboratory in Macon.
Bob Karrfalt, director of the laboratory, coordinated the three-day workshop that concentrated a series of classes on procedures for seed testing and production of seedlings . Karrfalt said Commission employees attending the meet were key personnel assigned to Georgia 's seed orchards and nurseries.
Subjects covered in the workshop included : sampling and sample submission, moisture content influences, ger-

mination and effects of stratification, and studies on seed purity. Karrfalt said understanding these and other seed related subjects covered in the workshop tell various personnel working with seeds how well they are doing their jobs. The national seed lab director pointed out that the Macon workshop is currently the only session of its kind in the nation, but plans are being developed for a West Coast workshop to serve similar needs.
'This continuing series of workshops is essential to those personnel in the public and private sectors who work with seeds," Karrfalt emphasized. 'Technical advancements are requiring constant adaptations to maximize the quality of seeds and methods required to produce desired seedlings."'

EXPORT SEMINAR SCHEDULED

A hands-on workshop designed to assist representatives of the forest products industry interested in developi ng export markets will be held in Atlanta September 28-29.
The program will inc lude a seminar and personal computer lab instruction by members of accounting , sohware, and forest products firms. Subject areas will include accounting, cost and inventory control , and the essential steps in the formul ation of export quotation.
The seminar, "'Going for Green Gold,'' will be held at the Georgia Tech Education Extension computer training cente r

located in the Pierremont Plaza Hotel and Conference Center.
Enrollm ent is limited and early reg istration is advised. Interested persons may register by sending a check for $60 payable to the Georgia Economic Development Fund to John Wells , Georgia Department of Industry and Trade, Trade Division , P.O. Box 1 776 , Atlanta GA 30301.
The workshop is sponsored by the Georgia Department of Industry and Trade, Georgia Forestry Commission, Authur Andersen & Co., and the International Trade Development Center.

12/ Georgia Forestry/ Fall 1988

[ ! ] he crowd stood back and looked...and wondered! It was an old turpentine still in full operation and Ernest Carter was there to answer questions of the curious.
The still had been taken apart piece by piece on a farm 150 miles away and reassembled at the picturesque old farm village that has been created by Danny Norman on his Tea Grove Plantation in Liberty County.
The occasion was the annual Old Sout h Farm Days, a weekend when about 10,000 people converge on the little town that features a railroad with a steam pow ered locomotive, blacksmith shop, old fashioned barber shop, country store, depot, sawmill and other enterprises remin iscent of a bygone era.
The turpentine still is the newest addition to the quaint village that Norman sta rted building 1 5 years ago. Once the still was fired and wood smoke and the aroma of pine tar drihed across the town, many of the visitors moved up to the still to watch Carter and his helpers produce turpenti ne and rosin from barrels of raw gum that were brqught in from the pine forests.
"'There used to be seven turpentine stills within two miles of here,"' declared Norman, "'and now there are none. "' He said he brought in the still and other village attractions "'to show people today how farm and rural village life used to be in this part of Georgia."'
The village is popular because it is not a static museum of things of yesteryear, but rather a "'working"' town where most ofthe equipment is operational. The turpenti ne still and the locomotive are fueled w ith

Danny Norman examines the old turpentine still that w as dismantled and reconstructed in his village.
MODEL VILLAGE NOW HAS TURPENTINE STILL

WORKING STILL BECOMES PART OF A QUAINT FARM TOWN CREATED TO SHOW FARMING STRUCTURES AND PRACTICES OF A BYGONE ERA.

slabs from t he sawmill and a proposed steam-powered cotton gin will also depend on the little mill for wood to fire its boiler.
When the 38-year-old real estate executive began a search for the still to add to his town, the Commission's Grady W illiams, McRae District Forester and naval stores consultant, came to his aid. Williams knew exactly where to look.
The forester remembered that one of the few stills in Georgia that remained intact was out on the T. K. Smith family farm in Telfair County. He helped Norman make arrangements to buy the still.
W hen Norman's workmen moved in to salvage the abandoned still, they cut away b~us h and vines and carefully marked each ptece before dismantling the structure.
:w~ were able to save almost everyth_tng, said Norman as he surveyed the sttll at its new location. " We did have to

replace two corner posts and the floor, but just about everything else, including the t in on the roof, is original." A 12,000 gallon cypress water tank, fire box, some plumbing and other equipment came with the still .
There was a time when small turpentine stills were thriving rural industries scattered across the naval stores belt of South Georgia, but they gradually disappeared as large, modern facilities in Baxley and Valdosta took over the processing for the

gum producers. That's why Norman considers it important to preserve some of that past.
Thanks to the energetic and imaginative Danny Norman, Georgians of this generat ion and those to come will be able to relive a bit of history when they visit his home town on Old South Farm Days to see a turpentine still in operation and to ride though a fascinating turn-of-the-century village on a train pulled by a puffing, wood-burning 1890 locomotive.

At /eft. No:man checks the large cypress tank that IS part of the w orking still A t nght, he looks over a few thousand gum
choll~ting cups he bought and brought to
IS VII/age.

Artist's conception of crowded prison camp during war years.

LOG PROJECT ENHANCES HISTORIC ANDERSONVILLE

[!] he approximately 135,000 visitors who pass through the gates of the Andersonville National Historic Site near Am ericus each year will now be abl e to see a portion of the prison stockade as it appeared 124 years ago.
Plans to reconstruct a section of the stockade began in 1986 when the National Park Service determined that the exh ibit would enhance visitor understanding of the Civil War prison camp that once confined 45 ,000 Union soldiers. The plan was implemented and const ruction was carried out earlier this year. Prior to construction. the site was thoroughly investigated by the park service archeologists to determine the log size. alignment. and spacing required to replace a corner of the historic stockade to its original form.
Park officials atte mpted to find a contractor for th e project, but a builder cou ld not be located who would meet the rigid specifications required for the job. In the fall of 19 8 7 Superintendent John Tucker received approval to go ahead with the plans by using donated materials and park staff and volunteer labor.
That is when the nearby Buckeye Cellulose Corporation came to the rescue. Janet McElmurray, public affairs assistant for the company's mill in Oglethorpe, coordinated plans with the park superintendent for Buckeye to donate logs for the project. The
14/ Georgia Forestry/ Fall 1988

timber was acquired and shipment to the historic site was arranged by John Murphy, the company's southwest manager, and David Sims, Georgia lands and timber manager for Buckeye.
The original stockade was built in 1864 by the Confederacy to confine Union prisoners taken during the Civil War. Nothing, of course, remains of the stockade structure that was 1,620 feet long and 779 feet wide. The stockade line and the

parallel " dead line" inside it , which designated the point beyond which prisoners could not go, are shown today by wh ite concrete posts 100 feet apart.
The reconstruction of the southwest corner of the area includes log posts extending 1 7 feet above ground, six feet below ground and extending 100 feet in each direction. The section includes two guard stands . Park officials feel the completed corner section greatly enhances the

interpretive i~pact and understanding of the primary h1stonc feature of the s1te.
Murphy and Sims were honored with a plaque earliert~is yea~ by the National Park Service for the1r contmued support m the development of the site. Tucker termed Buckeye " an important neighbor of the National Historic Site and an asset to the
community." Park officials said the pine logs were not
pressure treated, as they wanted to retain the bark. In an effort to preserve the underground portion of the Jogs as long as possible, engineers devised a drainage system by using clay, stones and filter
cloth . There is a possibility two additional cor-
ners and the north gate will be reconstructed if funds become available and there is sufficient public interest.

IMPROVED KILN CONTROL DEVELOPED

University of Georgia scientists have developed an automated kiln control system that should improve kiln drying of hardwood lumber and save money by preventing lumber degradation.
The new system computerizes kiln drying by automatically weighing lumber samples and regulating the temperature and humidity inside the kiln.
Dr. Tim Faust of the School of Forest Resources said the system uses a simple balance that operates on a load cell, which weighs the sample board every five seconds. Up to six of these balances are set up at various sites inside the kiln. Using more than one balance allows for more complete information on moisture conditions inside the kiln.

"Keeping a constant check on the moisture content of the wood by weighing lumber samples is crucial in drying hardwoods," said Faust. who developed the computer software and hardware interface that operate the system.
Dr. Derrell Mclendon of Agricultural Engineering and Dr. Jim Rice, also of Forest Resources, made preliminary load cell evaluations and assisted in the development of the weight platform.
The new system has already been tested on a laboratory dry kiln at the U. S. Forest Service. Faust has also contracted with the Georgia-Pacific Corporation to test the new system in one of the company's hardwood kilns .

The park complex, consisting of the prison compound and a military cemetery, lies in both Macon and Sumter Counties and the forestry units in those counties occasionally plow firebreaks and provide other services for the historic site when requested. The units also include the federal property in periodic aerial surveillance for pine beetle infestation and forest fire.

7-8"

r compacted
clay

j((

1h"washed without fines

fines - stone
At_left. reconstructed corner of stockage whtth two guard stands. Drawm. g above 5 ows system used to try to preserve underground section of poles.
7

Fbster winner displays prize winning Smokey cap for his teacher, Ann Kitchens, right. and Senior Patrolman Sadie Dills, Barrow County Forestry Unit.
BARROW STUDENT WINS NATIONAL PRIZE
A Barrow County elementary school student has won first place in the national 1988 Environmental Poster Contest with a drawing of Smokey bear and Woodsy Owl encouraging beneficial environmental.
Emory Teasley, a fifth grade student at Winder Elementary School, is the only Georgia contestant to win a first place award in the 1988 nationwide contest which involved competition at various levels among thousands of posters. He won the national award after winning at county and regional levels. The contest, ~pon sored by the National Council of State Garden Clubs, in cooperation with USDA Forest Service and State Foresters, divided the nation into eight regions for the final competition .
Emory won first place nationally in the 3rd- 5th grade division after winning the Deep South Region (six states included) competition. During the winning process, the Winder student was awarded cash and a number of prizes. The national first place award was a specially designed Smokey Bear cap.
Categories for competition ranged from kindergarten to senior citizens. Posters were judged on originality, design, slogan, artwork, and overall effectiveness of theme. All posters were required to be based on an environmental theme. No restrictions were placed on drawing materials. Teasley drew his winning poster in pencil, then added color and shading with magic markers.
Mrs. Ann Kitchens, Emory's fifth grade teacher, said she considers Emory to be a very talented artist who could possibly develop his talent into a career.
Original entry of the Emory Teasley poster was made through a local contest sponsored by the Winder Three Season's Garden Club in cooperation with the Commission.
Georgia Forestry/Fall 1988/15

Observers keep safe distance to watch giant mulch-maker.

STUMPMASTER DEMONSTRATED

They came from California, New York and Canada to see some revolutionary equipment at work and they were not disappointed in what they witnessed.
Joined by Georgians and observers from neighboring states, the visitors from distant points saw a knuckle boom gingerly lift massive tree stumps from a pile of forest debris and drop them into the hog of a machine that immediately ground them into mulch.
The occasion was a public demonstration of the Stumpmaster, a piece of mobile equipment that features a 700 horsepower diesel that is capable of grinding more than 40 tons of stumps, limbs and other wastes into mulch within an hour. Many of those attending the showing at the company's new 21 ,800- squarefoot plant and office near the North Georgia mountain town of Rising Fawn were prospective buyers of the $400,000 machine.
Some represented wood related industries, while others were there to inspect the

equipment for possible use by municipalities to reduce the bulk of wood waste at land fills .
Woodmaster, Inc. is actually afamily enterprise. Jack Wallin and his wife, Linda, and sons Randy, Mickey, Jackie and Gene founded the business while operating a commercial nursery in Florida, where they had difficulty in locating sufficient mulch for their trees and shrubs.They learned that the shortage was also a problem for other nurserymen along the East Coast and that is when they decided to produce mulch.
Family members designed and built the first machine last year in Boynton Beach, Florida and eight were produced during the first eight months of operation of the new company. During the first weeks of operation after the plant had moved to Dade County in Georgia, machines were sold to buyers in New York and New Jersey, with more than 40 inquiries coming from other sections of the country, according to company officials.
***

GFC FLOAT IS SEEN
BY QUARTER MILLION
The Georgia Forestry Commission and Smokey Bear have been a part of Atlanta's annual Fourth of July Parade since 196 1.
Louie Deaton, urban forester, has been there since the beginning.
" We started out with a truck and a plank of wood," Deaton said, " but the GFC has made a lot of progress since then."'
This year's theme, 'Tributes to American Greats," took a great deal of time, but Deaton thinks Smokey's an nual ride down Peachtree was worth the effort. Over 250,000 people attended the parade, which is the largest July 4th parade televised in the nation.
This year spectators were treated to two adjoining Commission floats. The first with Miss Georgia Forestry, Kay Ellenberg , was followed by a tribute to two Ameri can greats, Smokey Bear and his creator, Harry Rossoll.
RossoII was an artist with the U.S. Forest Service when he created his first cartoon version of Smokey in 1943. On Augu st 4, 1944, the bear was christened Smokey, and a great American symbol was born. Rossell's loveable bear has taught mill ions of American children and adults the da nger of forest fires. Deaton pointed out that over 98 % of the public recognizes Smokey as a national fire prevention symbol.
Unfortunately, due to the death of his wife, Harry Rossoll was unable to tak e his seat of honor on the float as plan ned. Forester John Wells' father, Lloyd Wells, represented Rossoll and the Commission instead.
BUCKEYE NAME CHANGED
The Buckeye Cellulose Corporation, a Procter & Gamble Company which - has four manufacturing facilities in Georgi a, has changed its name to the Procter & Gamble Cellulose Company. The company's administrative offices remain in Memphis, Tennessee and all other aspects of the company's operations remai n unchanged.
Robert E. Cannon, group vice president of the Procter & Gamble Company, and president of Buckeye, said, 'This is a name change only, clarifying our identity with the Procter & Gamble Company, strengthening our bonds and relationships with the rest of the Procter & Gamble fa mily throughout the world ." He added that the name change will help in name recognition with the general public.
Procter & Gamble operates the Fli nt River pulpmill in Oglethorpe and the Barnesville sawmill, which are affected by the name change. The additional two plants, located in Albany and Augusta , had already operated under the Procter & Gamble name.

[] mokey Bear- the official USDA Forest Service symbol for fire prevention -is actually alive and well and residing in the National zoo in Washington, D. C. Smokey will al ways be alive and well. He w1ll not pass on like th e rest of us because when he reaches retirement age for bears , Smokey will be retired into comfortable obscurity and a young replacement will succeed him.
This was not always the situation. Although the symbol of Sn:'okey was established in the 1940s, the f1rst real-live Smokey Bear lived his life from atiny cub until death by old age (1950-76) in the celebrity spotlight. He died at the ripe, old age of 26- a long lifespan for a bear equivalent to around 7 5 or 80 years for a human. Like many celebrities, Smokey even had to be protected at his funeral; he was buried with the protection of
state police. Dick Cox knows Smokey's story well. Cox
was there as an eighth grade youngster w hen the bear began his Smokey reign as a tiny cub, and he was there in charge of the fu neral detail - 26 years later when Smokey was buried under armed guard.
If the theory of fate can be relied upon, some quirk in the cosmic powers must have made the paths of Cox and Smokey Bear cross. "I think it had some influence on my career decision," Cox said. His career decision was to become a forester.

BOYHOOD EXPERIENCE

Cox, director of aviation and fire manage-

ment for the U. S. Forest Service (Southern Region) in Atlanta, is now 52 years old with

30 years experience as a forester - but he

remembers his first encounter with Smokey like it was yesterday. In May of 1950, Cox

was an eighth grade student in Capitan, New Mexico,a town of approximately 800 population. He had the usual interests and pastimes of an eighth grade boy, but when fire broke out in the Capitan Mountain Rang e, boyhood pastimes ceased. Every able bodied person

was called on to help and the technicality of age made little difference.

Fi re broke out in May of that year and

developed into abad one that spread through the Lincoln National Forest like a plague. Before it was stopped - almost two weeks

later - more than 35,000 acres had been

burned. Cox said the Capitan Mountain Range still bears the scars of that fire.

Everybody from ranchers to insurance salesmen were called on to assist professional firefig hters. Military units from Fort

Bl1ss, Texas, were also cal led out with Specially- trained firefighting crews of

Mescalero Indians. Although just an eighth grader not nearly old enough for a driver's
hc~nse, Cox fou nd himself driving a truck to

dell_ver groceries to the mountain fire camp, While an eighth grade classmate, Bob Earl ,

served as radio operator. The young Bob Earl

was the son of Forest Ranger Dean Earl , so

thfe boy_was well versed in the seriousness o W1ldf1res.

tru1~hkebapcakceanwdafsorgthru, welhinilge

as Cox Ranger

drove Dean

his Earl

assigned agroup of 24 soldiers to fight a sec-

Dick Cox of the U.S. Forest Service points out various items ofSmokey Bear memorabilia in his Atlanta office. Cox was on the scene w hen a young Smokey Bear was rescued from fire and later was in charge of his burial.

FORESTER KNEW SMOKEY FROM CRADLE TO GRAVE

tion of the fire. As they dug a line around the fire, the w ind shifted into forty-mile-an-hour gusts that blew leaping sheets of flame at the soldiers and drove them backwards. Finally trapped with nowhere to go, the soldiers ran to a rockslide and lay face down, with wet handkerchiefs over their faces to keep from smothering. As they struggled to breathe,the intense heat caused patches of their clothing to burst into flame. But the group stuck closely together and when anyone's clothes caught fire,the soldier next to him would slap the flames out with his hands.
The soldiers lay there for almost an hour as fire raged around them, gasping for breath and beating out patch fires on their clothing. When the smoke finally cleared enough to see, they stood up from the rock pile to find that all24 men had miraculously survived the ordeal. They looked around and the only other living thing they saw was atiny,terrified bear cub that was clinging to a charred limb. The cub had apparently been lost from his mother during the fire and wandered into th e area with the firefighters. The mother bear had obviously panicked. gone into the fire area, been cut off by the spreading flames. and burned to death.

Two of the soldiers lifted the little cub from the tree and carried him down the mountainside. Not knowing much about bear cubs. they fed him canned milk and ca ndy on the way down. The little fellow ate all he could hold and became very sick by the time they turned him over to a local rancher, who in turn gave him to Game Warden Bell.
TENDER CARE
Warden Bell took the cub to a veterinarian in Santa Fe .The little bear cried constantly on the way to the vet; his paws and back were badly burned and he was sick from the candy and milk he had gorged on . On arrival . the cub was treated and examined carefully. He was estimated to be around f ive or six months old , and a bit of a runt for his age. Indications were that he was the smallest of triplets and the other little bears had prevented him from getting his share of the mother's milk.
In spite of bad burns, stunted growth and shock, the little bear recovered when Game Warden Ray Bell returned to Capitan and cared for him . The bear was named Smokey because of the fire ordeal he had
Georgia Forestry/ Fall 1988/ 1 7

survived. During the recovery period, Bob Cox and other local kids frequently visited Smokey and played with him. Included among Smokey's young guests was Bob Cox' wife Donna, who was also in his eighth grade class.
'"We weren't married at the time,'" Cox said .
As his recovery period continued, Smokey became more and more popular with the children and local adults . Warden Bell came up with the idea of using Smokey as a living symbol for the Smokey Bear fire prevention image that was established in the early 40s. The original Smokey image had been established shortly aher Pearl Harbor when state and federal forest protection agencies became alarmed over their loss of manpower to the Armed Services and defense plants. Since statistics showed that more than 90 percent of the forest fires were caused by human carelessness, it was felt that an educational program was the answer and the Smokey image was created as part of the program.
Although the image had been highly successful through the years, Game Warden Ray Bell felt that a real , live Smokey Bear to back up the image would be even more successful. The U S Forest Service in Washington, D. C. was contacted and accepted the idea.
WORD OF SMOKEY SPREADS
BythetimeSmokeywas flown in a small aircrah to Washington , the word had spread. Each time the aircraft landed to refuel, the crowds grew larger with more and more news media representatives waiting to publicize Smokey. Cox remembers that from the very first stages of the idea, Smokey was a success waiting to happen.
When Smokey reached Washington, there was even more excitement and news coverage. The National Zoo provided him with what Cox describes as '"the best of accomodations'" . In addition to the very best diet a bear could have. Smokey also had access to a swimming pool for exercise.
As Cox grew up, Smokey grew up. Cox went to college and graduated with a degree in forestry, while Smokey climbed the ladder to fame as a national figure. Aher graduation, Cox went to work for the Forest Service (the organization responsible for saving Smokey's life) and Smokey became a household word with numerous products carefully licensed in his name to protect his image (a violation of the Smokey Bear law is violation of the U. S. Criminal Code) .
As the years rolled by, Smokey was even provided with a bear girlfriend ('"Goldey'" ) in hopes that a natural successor to the position would result; but the relationship did not work out and no little Smokey was produced. Meanwhile, Cox was progressing in his forestry career as Smokey's fame grew; a trip to Australia proved to Cox that
18/Georgia Forestry/Fall 1988

Smokey was also well known on that faraway continent.
It seemed that Smokey was everywhere, using his influence among children and adults to protect the nation's forestlands. He even had his own zip code. In one instance, he showed up in a celebrity cookbook that listed his favorite recipe (Blueberry Cake) . In the cookbook, Smokey shares company with such celebrities as John Wayne, Bob Hope, Lawrence Welk and Mrs. Richard (Pat) Nixon.
Another indication of fame is when the National Enquirer takes notice. Two years before Smokey died he was a legend in his own time and the Enquirer, having heard of his failing health, could not resist running a story on the subject.
About this time. Cox found himself back in New Mexico, assigned with the Forest Service to the same Lincoln National Forest in New Mexico where Smokey had been saved years ago. Smokey's failing health was common knowledge now and the people of Capitan requested that the town be his burial place. The request was accepted and Cox was placed in charge of the burial detail.
When the inevitable happened, all the arrangements had been made. Smokey's body was placed in a green pine box and packed in ice. The body was flown from Washington, D. C. to Albuquerque, New Mexico, with plans to drive to Capitan for the burial. However, alterations had to be made to the original plan.
'"We heard that a plan was underway to hijack the body,'" Cox said . 'The alleged plan was to hijack the body, remove the claws and sell them for a large sum of money.'"
Cox said no actual threat ever developed and nobody knew whether there was any truth in the rumor. but at the time no one involved with the Smokey program was

about to take any chances. When the plane carrying Smokey landed iin Albuquerque, a detachment of New Mexico State Pol ice were waiting to escort the body back to Capitan. Cox remembers the November day well - clear and cold - and the drive lasted three hours.
It was dark when they arrived at the burial spot in Capitan, without incident. But still, no chances were taken. Armed state police remained as the cars directed headlights on the burial site and Cox supervised the digging of the grave.
Across the road , a lonely, small town bar reflected faintly colored Iig hts into the cold November night. As the grave digging silently progressed , two Texas deerhunters wandered out of the dim bar, saw the strange activity across the road, and ambled over to investigate. Cox said they were not drunk yet, but '"on the way.'" Despite their semi-inebriated state, the Texans seemed concerned over the proceedings. Both offered assistance and helped lower Smokey's box into the grave.
When it was over, one of the Texans said, '"Nobody is ever going to believe that we helped bury Smokey Bear.'"
Today, a large granite stone with Smokey's name on it marks the grave. The surrounding area is a state park- Smokey Bear State Park. Smokey is now the second most recognized symbol in the world; the first is Santa Claus .
Cox looked out a window of the U S Forest Service office complex in Atlanta, gazing down at a city laced with green belts of trees, tree lined streets and parks clustered w ith trees- a city that appears to be builtin aforest. A city the original Smokey would have liked .
'Yes,'" Cox said looking out the window, "I believe it had a definite influence on my career choice."

Dedication ceremonies were held recently at the Ernst Brender Demonstration Forest near Juliette. a facility named in honor of the late silviculturist and project leader at the Southeastern Forest Experiment Station in Macon. The forest was established by the Commission in cooperation with USFS and the Southern Industrial Forest Research Council. J . James Beasle y, Station Director. is shown with Brender's daughters, Mrs. Betty Belanger, left, and Mrs. Susan Bagwell, following the unveiling of a sign at the forest.

the Atlanta staff of the Georgia Forestry Association as Forest Productivity manager. Responsibilities of the position concentrate on administrative duties. Turner"s prior

JOHN W . " COBB" JOHNSON, superintendent of the Horseshoe Bend Seed Orchard since 1962, retired from the Comm ission recently after almost 35 years of service. He was honored for his many contributions at a dmner g1ven by fellow employees, relatives and other friends. He and his wife, Beverly, live in Glenwood where they attend the Meth-

odist Ch urch... F. M. (SONNY) DURDEN, assistant superintendent, Walker Nursery, was honored recently as he retired from the Commission after more than 32 years of service. He came with the Commission in 1956 as a nurseryman. Durden served one year in the U.S. Army. He and his wife, Juliette, live in Lyons and have two daughters...JOE MATIHEWS, a Rock Hill, S. C.. native and a graduate of the

K. JOHNSON

School of Forest Resources, University of

Georgia, has been assigned to the Tifton

District to serve as a management forester.

He and his wife, Ricki, have one son...

KEVIN JOHNSON has joined the Mill-

edgeville District as reforestation forester.

A native of Detroit, Mich., he is a graduate

of the School of Forest Resources UGA
~~d is a member of the PresbYteria~
~rch...CHUCK FORE, JR., a Leesburg ~lve and a graduate of the School of

~0

est Resources, UGA. has been assigned the McRae District as a management

C~ester. He is a member of the Baptist

t~~ch...DENNIS R. LEBLEU, Cuthbert Dis-

Alba orester for F & W Forestry Services, Inc.,

ny, for the past nine years, has been

named managerofthe new 16-county North District. The new district combines the former Cuthbert and Cordele Districts. Le Bleu directs professional foresters and technicians in serving timberland owners. A graduate of the University of Florida with a degree in forest management. Le Bleu joined F & Win 1975. He and his wife, Charlene, have two children and live in Albany...CHRIS ROLAND of Eastman has been named ranger of the Dodge County Forestry Unit. replacing Ranger Lloyd Rogers, who retired recently after serving in the post 30 years. A graduate of Dodge County High School, the new ranger came with the Commission as a forest patrolman in July 1979. Roland and his wife, Kay, have two sons and they attend

FORE

ROLAND

the BaptistChurch...CLARENCE HILLBURN, ranger of the Glynn County for 28 years, retired effective August 31 . A native of Newton County, Hillburn is a graduate of Baker County High School. He also studied business administration for three years. The retiree began his career with the Commission at the Cook County Unit in 1956, where he served as ranger. Hillburn, whose wife, Gloria, recently passed away, has two sons, Ricky and Randy. Personnel of the Waycross District will soon announce the date of a party to honor the long-time ranger...FORESTER STEVEN LAVAL, a native of Oklahoma with a degree in forestry from Oklahoma State College. has been assigned to the Bibb County Unit to 1replace FORESTER CHARLES PLACE, who recently retired. The forester and his wife, Marla, will make their home in Macon...DAVIDTURNER has joined

TURNER
experience includes two years in wood procurement and he has also served as an independent forestry consultant for a timber company. Turner graduated from the University of Georgia with BSFR and MFR degrees. Although he was born in Italy and has traveled extensively in Europe, Turner considers Georgia his home.
GOOD TIMBER MARKET
EXPECTED TO CONTINUE
Timber prices in Georgia and the Southeast remained at near record levels during the first half of 1988 but showed some softening late in the second quarter. accord ing to El ey C. Frazer Ill of Albany, president of F& W Forestry Services.
He said markets for standing timber (stumpage) throughout the Southeast were "excellent"' during the first six months of the year and pointed out that "prices received by landowners were at a peak throughout the region. particularly in March and April ."'
He said some of the price softening that occurred in the second quarter was due to continued dry weather, especially in the northern half of Georgia. which has made for ideal logging conditions. " This helped to produce an oversupply of pine pulpwood in some areas, with many pulpwood producers and woodyards being placed on quotas even though pulp and paper mills throughout the Southeast continued to operate at near capacity and record profit levels.'' he emphasized.
However, Frazer said that stumpage prices remained strong overall , with the highest. relat ively, being paid for pine sawtimber and quality hardwood " and he also predicted that prices for most classes of standing sawtimber would remain level into the third quarter and the balance of the year.
" Unless an unexpected recession rears its ugly head. I believe the vigorous pace of production and sale of forest products will continue, resulting in continued good markets for standing timber needed to supply the industry," Frazer said .
Georgia Forestry/ Fall 1988/ 19

m IU.IJ ~--

GEORGIA CLAIMS WORLD REFORESTATION RECORD

lese

The massive planting of 603,000 growing pine stands" and he empha- panding as new wood-using plants

1]1

acres of trees in Georgia during the sized that those involved in the drive move into the state . To assure fares-

ltl}ed

past season is believed to have set a will continue to promote tree plant- try's economic impact in the future,

beell

world record in reforestation achieve- ing, as "there remains a considerable however, they claim that tree planting

~Ol'c/ill
l/l;Is'rssitolsl.
Pro

ment, according to the Georgia Forestry Commission.
In making the claim. Commission officials explained that it is doubtful

amount of land in our state that should be in trees and, of course, industry's need for the raw forest product continues to grow."

activity that has increased so dramatically in practically every county in the state must be continued at a brisk rate .

that such forest tree planting inten- Although the reforestation cam- "We've got to look down the road,"

sity has been carried out in any other paign was rapidly gaining momentum said Mixon . "The seedlings we are

section of the world comparable to since its inception five years ago, nurturing today are the forests of

Georgia in size.

Mixon said "one great advantage tomorrow; they must provide ade-

The record planting stems from a came in the spring of 1986." He quate raw material for industry during

statewide campaign launched in explained that that was the time the first decades of the new cen-

1983 by the Commission and coop- Georgia landowners were first asked tury ."

erating organizations to greatly in- to sign up for the newly enacted Con- In order to meet today' s rising de-

crease timber production to meet servation Reserve Program. The ini- mand for seedlings and technical

future needs of a rapidly expanding tial response, as well as in subse- advice on planting - demands that

~ with fore Jr esen tativ managers

forest industrial complex. Landowners planted 370,000 acres in trees during the initial season of the drive

quent sign up periods, placed Georgia in the lead nationally in the number of landowners participating in the pro-

have resulted from the emphasis on reforestation - the Commission established a tree nursery on Flint River

J oe Frank 1at tHe State' ar ago - to fo r every a rvested is c . Recent figu :lt 603,000 ac e planted thi mor e than

and the annual acreage has steadily increased .
Since the kick-off of the campaign five years ago, the number of acres planted in Georgia has increased 95 percent and when only non industrial private landowners are compiled, the figure is 429 percent! Seedling sales

gram. The seventh sign-up ran from July
18-August 31, 1988. Commission foresters are available to advise the landowners who choose the tree planting option of the program. The sign up allows additional landowners to take advantage of CRP, which

to complement existing nurseries and a reforestation specialist was employed in each of the Commission's 12 districts to work directly with landowners.
"Our nursery system now has the capability of producing more than 200 million quality seedlings each sea-

n one year i

from the Commission nurseries since shares cost of establishing trees on son," Mixon said, "and our foresters

the beginning of the campaign have certain erodible and other marginal specializing in reforestation are

increased 73 percent.

lands and then pays the owner an teaching landowners how to properly

"It's a tremendous accomplish- annual rent for ten years.

transport, store, plant and generally

ment." said John Mixon, Commission

Mixon termed the CRP "one of the care for the young trees to assure a

director, "and although our foresters best federal programs ever proposed greater rate of survival."

and support people have worked dili- for the private landowner" and said The director said the 603,000-acre

gently, we were joined by other agen- acreage planted in Georgia under the planting record this year doesn 't

cies, forest industries, farm groups program is expected to exceed the reflect "the many thousands of acres

and thousands of individual landown- volume planted under the highly suc- that are being naturally regenerated."

ers to make it happen."

cessful Soil Bank Program in the late He said the Commission in many

The director said "it is the forestry 1950's and 1960's.

instances encourages landowners to

community at large that is respons- The Commission director and other leave seed trees when harvesting tim-

ible for transforming these hundreds forestry leaders often point out that ber, and "let nature do the plantin g."

o~lf!a, ca .

of thousands of acres of marginal forestry in Georgia represents an $8.7

~~~e~~OIJ to~

cropland and vacant fields into rapidly billion industry and is constantly ex-

a:/]~ SPProoPt et'tJr 0

m,:: C.:::."\~.":: ~~:.:!:J~fF;,/:::;,~ ~if.~ ~:~'-la~:.;~d~~:;d~E.:.~~ ~~..:~.~r sd~0lcelCa1JtitJ~hae..ss.1,"1.o1'eoarJete:edar-?e.~.-.

~-

.~ i2o":~
ebeebee/J t.cti"etiJ!!

,

anagers. re

t:

rrector .

. 'liJe Joe Frank Harns reported ear improvemer

n;gr,.aa.,.~: Ol!IaO~J!;efOol1lgil0(sl>r~ic.t~r~~ll:fl1lld~aog;c,

g ; Fo-r--e

~-..qPbn
t

s ry tak

The GeorWfi Forestry Co

'!!!.~a ChecJred~ot~

ing

<l/]~o .. _
seedli

n~a.1-

. .

er
c~lo
of.

--
t.

ge-.~ e.;s,o.o.,rNe~a~t~ha~e,nt~- . eH4v.eerc\eUpnSltanfltge-df0- ~ "p~ MG\~enotirgn~u,lo

. t e io

will . h~s dreleas. d its seedliP~g. uu Ja.. 15an<fFeb IS ~eason, e~ in any stale.

wo P. ule.

rtce barclwOOds
landowner.

moneY
bj

d' g to John w. Mixon,

ly the

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