Georgia forestry, Vol. 44, no. 1 (Spring 1991)

CHAMPION TREE FARMER ORGANIZES MEETING ON ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

C. M. Stripling, past National Tree Farmer of the Year, is making preparations for a spring meeting of Georgia based environmental organizations to discuss environmental issues in relation to forest management practices. The meeting will be held at Stripling's Camilla tree farm .
Organizations to be invited to the meet include: The Wilderness Society, Audubon Society of Atlanta, Sierra Club {Georgia Chapter), Georgia Conservancy, Georgia Environmental Council, Georgia Trappers Association, and Trout Unlimited (Georgia Chapter).
Bill Lamp, Commission project forester for the Camilla District, is working with Stripling on preparations for the meet. Last year, Lamp and Tommy Justice {past president of the Audubon Society's Albany Chapter), toured Stripling's farm and agreed that if such a meeting could be arranged, it would be beneficial to all concerned.
"The point is that for years many groups have been at odds with each other and the result is that positive accomplishments have been hin-

dered," Stripling said. "Even the en-

vironmental groups are often at odds

with each other on this and that. "

However, Stripling emphasized that

if the forestry community and environ-

mentalists (as well as other groups)

could agree on some common inter-

ests and goals- many positive influen-

ces could be put in motion.

"We need some mutual agreement

when these groups approach the leg-

islature," Stripling said. "You can get a

lot more accomplished if eight or ten

groups address the legislature in agree-

ment on one point - than if all these

groups are disagreeing on different

issues."

Stripling said the Spring meeting will

include lunch, an informal group dis-

cusion, and A tour of his tree farm,

including wildlife management areas.

"The door is open," Stripling said.

"Sooner or later thi s sort of thing is

going to happen. So an informal get

together like this now certainly could

not do any harm. Who knows? Some-

body might even have a good time."

Stripling urges anyone interested to

contact him at 912-336-8973.



NATIONAL FORESTS CELEBRATE 1001HBIRTHDAY

One hundred years ago (March 3,

1891) Congress empowered the presi-

dent to set aside reserves out of public

lands, and thus was born the National

Forests. This spring the U.S. Forest Ser-

vice and other con-

servation organiza-

tions are celebrating

this important cen-

tennial in the nation 's

history.

Support for forest

conservation that led

to the creation of the

National

Forests

came in the late 1800s

when citizen groups

and state leaders arose in response to

all-too-frequent forest destruction by

fire and wasteful timber harvesting.

The concept was formed that the

government co uld act as permanent

custodian of the public's watersheds,

timber supply, grasslands, wildlife, and

outdoor recreation opportunities.

On that date, the Creation Act (at-

tached as a rider to a complex land law)

gave the president the power to create

forest rest::rves for co nservation pur-

poses. These reserves were part of the

191 million acres which today make up

the nation's National Forests.

Conservationists point out that it's

important to remember that th e cen-

tennial observance is not a celebration

of the agency known as the Forest Ser-

vice, but the 1OOth Birthday of those

public treasures known as National

Forests.

Persons interested in additional in-

formation on the Centennial should

call the U. S. Forest Service in Gaines-

ville, {404)536-0541.



ON THE COVER- Early spring brings out th e greenery around this quaint
cabin and water wheel near the banks of the Ocmul gee River i01 Bibb County. (Photo By Billy Godfrey)
2/Ceorgia Forestry/Spring 1991

Georgia
FORESTR Y

Spring, 1991 No.1 US PS No. 21 7120

Vol. 44

STAFF Howard E. Bennett, Editor William S. Edwards, Asso. Editor Jackie N. Swinson Graphic Artist

Zell Miller, Governor John W. Mixon, Director

BOARD OF COMMISSION ERS Jim L. Gillis, Jr., Chairman, Soperton
Felton Denney, Carrollton James Fendig, Savannah Dr. Gloria Shatto, Rom e Robert Simpson, Ill, Lakeland
DISTRICT OFFICES
Di trict One 3086 Martha Berry Hwy.. E/Rome, GA 30161
Di trict Two 3005 Atlanta Hwy./Gaine ville. GA 30501
District Three 1055 E. Whitehall Rd./Athens. GA 30605
District Four P.O. Box 1080/Newnan. GA 30264
Di trid Five 119 Highway 49/Milledgevi lle. GA 31061
Distrid Six 1485 Tygnall Rd./Wa hington, GA 30673
District Seven Route 1. Box 23A/Americus. GA 31709
District Eight Route 3. Box 17/Tifton , GA 31794
District Nine P.O. Box 345/Camilla. GA 31 730
District Ten Route 2, Box 28/Statesboro. GA 30458
District Eleven Route 1. Box 67/Helena, GA 31037
District Twelve 5003 Jacksonville Hwy./Waycross . GA 31 501
Urban Forestry 6835 Memorial Drive Stone Mountain, GA 30083
Georgia Forestry is published quarterly by the Georgia Forestry Commission, Route 1, Box 181, Dry Branch, GA 31020. Second class postage paid at Macon, GA POSTMASTER; Send address changes to Georgia Forestry Commission, Route 1, Box 181 , Dry Branch, GA 31020.

SOUTHERN PINE LUMBER:
HOW DRY IS DRY?
Unfortunately, logs are not sliced into neat construction timbers at the mill and sent directly to the retail lumber yard to immediately become studs, joists and rafters for the builder. There is always a detour, and that's called the drying process.

hen lumber is first cut from a log of Southern yellow pine, it actually feels damp and heavy; the wood is sticky as gum gradually seeps out of it. Little wonder then that the professional builder, as well as the handyman, is reluctant to use it in this state because of its dampness, weight, sticky gum and tendency to warp as it dries.
The water that was so vital to the life of the tree as it grew in the forest suddenly becomes a hinderance as it passes through the saws at the lumber mill. Methods must be applied to greatly reduce the moisture content in the wood before it can be effectively utilized as a building produ ct. Approximately half the weight of freshly-cut southern pine lumber is attributed to water.
As soon as lumber is cut from a log it begins to dry, and as it loses moisture it becomes lighter, stiffer, stronger and it sh rinks. However, if it is properly dried, good grades of lumber don't shrink, swell or warp noticeably in use. Nails

By
Dr. julian R. Beckwith, Ill
and screws hold in dry lumber better than in wet, and dry lumber is easier to saw and plane. If lumber is kept dry it won't rot, and most insects will not attack it. However, if lumber must be exposed to moisture it can be protected from insects and decay by treating with preservatives, after first being dried correctly.
Drying Southern pine lumber at temperatures higher than it will reach in use "sets" the sticky gum to prevent bleeding by boiling off the components that are liquid at low temperatures. In addition, elevated temperatures kill stain and decay fungi, as well as nematodes and insects which may exist inside lumber. Both gum setting and biological sterilization of lum-

ber can be achieved only by kiln drying, since air drying does not produce temperatures high enough for either. All these benefits of dry lumber make it more valuable than freshsawn lumber.
Wood moisture content is an expression of the amount of water in wood compared to the weight of the dry wood itself. It is determined by weighing wood wet, drying it, weighing it again and dividing the weight loss (amount of water boiled off) by the dry weight, then converting to percent. Wood's tube-like cells which are aligned lengthwise in a piece of lumber hold most of the water in their hollow centers like water in a straw. This is called "free water". The rest of the water in lumber is held within the wall structure of these cells and is called "bound water".
During drying, free water evaporates easily and quickly, while bound water requires more energy and time to remove. Removing free water from wood causes weight loss with no shrinkage, but removing bound water
Georgia Forestry/Spring 1991/3

causes wood cell walls to shrink, therefore making the whole piece shrink.
Moisture closest to the surface of wet lumber evaporates first, followed by water from deeper inside. Since moisture can move along the length of the tube-like cells faster than sideways from one cell to another, lumber dries out at the ends faster than at the middle. This causes the ends to shrink before the middle, sometimes producing end splits. Under severe drying conditions the surface of lumber will dry too fast and shrink too much before the center does. The large difference in shrinkage between the surface and center causes stresses in the surface which produce small cracks, called checks. Natural wood characteristics such as spiral grain, compressionwood and juvenile wood cause irregular shrinkage patterns which show up as warp. When a board warps sideways, it is called crook or side-bend , bow is an end-to-end curve, cup is a side-to-side curve and twist describes an end-to-end rotation.
BALANCE ATTAINED
In a particular environment, the moisture content of wood products eventually reaches a balance with the humidity in the air around them . This is called the equilibrium moisture content (EMC). Under normal conditions, lumber in the South will reach equilibrium at about 15 - 18% moisture content when left outside but protected from rain , snow or other water. In heated/air conditioned houses, humidity is much lower, commonly producing an EMC of 6 - 10%. For particular products and uses, lumber is dried to a target moisture content which equals the EMC value for the anticipated environment.
When fresh lumber is stacked in the open air, water begins to evaporate from it. On hot windy days when humidity is low, wood dries fairly quickly. On cold, cloudy, still, misty days, humidity is high and little if any drying takes place. To allow air to circulate easily through lumber stacks, long narrow spacers called stickers are
4/Georgia Forestry/Spring 1991

put between each piece. These are laid perpendicular to the length of the lumber at approximately two-foot intervals. The time it takes to air dry Southern pine lumber depends on the time of year and the weather. Heavy wood usually takes longer to dry than lighter wood, and some pieces seem to dry faster regardless of weight.
WINTER SLOWS DRYING
During winter, wood dries slower because of lower temperatures, and of course rainy weather keeps humidity too high for rapid drying. As indicated, in the Southeast temperatures and humidities will only dry lumber down to about 15% moisture content, which is not low enough for wood which will be used in heated/air conditioned situations. That means, lumber for furniture will have to be kiln dried even if it has been air dried first. Southern pine may air dry in three months or less

in the summer. Because weather conditions are
uncontrollable, the speed of air drying and the resulting wood quality are unreliable. To increase drying rate and to improve quality, lumber dry kilns are used. Kilns are large insulated buildings or chambers in which the temperature, humidity and ve locity of circulating air are controlled. Lowtemperature kilns are heated only to a maximum of about 130F., and commonly use air velocities of 200-500 feet per minute (fpm). Conventional
Drawings show front elevation and cutaway of a modern dry kiln. Opposite page: Lumber is properly stacked on the mill yard for air drying.
Overhead Heat Coils
Center Heat Coils
Sensor Lo ca tions (each station)

WAYS BOARDS CAN WARP
CUP
l-.:::.=---
kilns may reach 200 F., with air speeds of 300-1OOOfpm. For lumber which can be dried rapidly without major drying problem , high-temperature kiln are used at maximum temperatures of 240 F. or more with air speeds of 10002000 fpm .Wood for different products may require different temperature , air velocity, humidity and lengths of time to dry properly. By varying these factors, lumber drying rate can be controlled to remove moisture as fast as possible to achieve a particular level of quality. For instance, Southern pine framing lumber can be dried in 15 to 18 hours in high-temperature kilns, while furnitu re-grade lumber may require several days in lower temperature kilns.

TWIST
BOW
resistance to flow of direct electric current through wood varies with its moi ture content, and electric re istance moisture meter can measure moi ture content quickly and adequately in the range of about 7% to 25 %.
For most Southern pine framing lumber, two moi ture content levels are considered standard; 15% and 19%. The 19% value can be reached easily

by air drying, and even air drying to 15% i possible in some climatic regions at certain time . However, air drying to these level is relatively slow, and will not et gum or terilize lumber. Therefore moi ture content indication on lumber which has been kiln dried at elevated temperatures can be de ignated "KD", uch as "KD 15" or "KD 19". If low temperature drying or air drying were u ed to reach the indicated moisture content, a "KD" designation cannot be used. In such cases, "MC 15" or " MC 19" and "SDRY" mu t be used. The "MC' indication simply means the lumber has been dried to the maximum indicated moisture content, and can be u ed on lumber which ha been air dried, lowtemperature dried, high-temperature dried or all three. The "S-DRY" indication simply means the lumber has been dried to a maximum of 19% moisture content. No matter what the moisture-content indication, the maximum moi ture content value de ignated ha been achieved.
Dr. julian Beckwith, Ill is a wood
products specialist, University of Georgia Extension Service.

BUILDING CODES DICTATE

Building codes require that lumber used for structural support in home constructio n be stamped with a certified grademark. This mark is assurance that the lumber meets certain minimum strength standards. Only two grading agencies can legally authorize certified lumber grading of Southern pine; they are the Southern Pine Inspection Bureau (SP IB) and Timber Products Inspection (TP). All certified lumber grademark will have the logo of either one or the other of these agencies as part of the mark. Grademarks will have a moi ture content indication also. For grademarked Southern pine framing lumber, moisture content limits are part of the standard grade requirements for all lumber two inches and le s in thickness. The

Georgia Fo restry/Spring 799 7/5

"I get a lot of calls from Thomas County landowners who tell me how efficient and courteous our ranger and his patrolmen are in providing Commission services...Whether they are battling a forest fire, handling seedling orders, working on Rural Fire Defense equipment, collecting seed or merely painting a building, they take tremendous pride in their work and it shows."
Gregg Findley District Forester

Ranger Forrest Sumner said he couldn't have had a better crew of patrolmen to work with him in the Rose Capital of Georgia even if he had been given the opportunity to hand pick his men. He contends that there is not a thorn in the bunch .
The bunch includes three dedicated individuals who came from similar backgrounds that well qualify them for the duties they now perform for the landowners and other citizens of Thomas County. Much progress has been made by the unit, according to Ranger Sumner, and he predicts a rosy future for forestry in this agressive South Georgia County.
"Our patrolmen all grew up on farms around here," Sumner said. "They all have agricultural backgrounds that demanded hard work and the operation and maintenance of all kinds of farm machinery. Naturally, they had the skills from the very beginning to do the major portion of the unit's work."
Sumner, a Thomas County native, is a graduate of Central High School in Thomasville, who earned an associate degree in forestry and wildlife management at Abraham Baldwin College. He came with the Commission as a patrolman in Decatur County in 1978 and became assistant ranger before his transfer to Thomas County in 1986 to assume the ranger position.
"There is no way I could do my job if I didn't have the complete cooperation of my crew," Sumner declared. "The patrolmen are very talented and very efficient. They work hard and they take tremendous pride in their work. Actually, they free up my time so I can work closer with landowners and attend to many other duties required of a ranger."
Greg Findley, Camilla district forester and Sumner's immediate supervisor, paints a rosy word picture of the
6/Ceorgia Forestry/Spring 1991

THOMAS COUNTY FORESTRY UNIT

Thomas County Forestry Unit. "I get a lot of calls from Thomas
County landowners who tell me how efficient and courteous our ranger and his patrolmen are in providing Commission services. I have also been impressed with Ranger Sumner and his men and I know our district can always depend on them for excellent per-
ANOTHER IN A SERIES OF STORIES ON OUTSTANDING COUNTY FORESTRY UNITS
formance regardless of the task. Whether they are battling a forest fire, handling seedling orders, working on Rural Fire Defense equipment, collecting seed or merely painting a building, they take tremendous pride in their work and it shows. The unit works with several youth groups and cooperate with their city in the annual Rose Festival."
The unit personnel builds and paints Rural Fire Defense equipment that benefits many volunteer fire departments around the state. When they are not working in the shop, fighting forest fires, plowing pre-suppression fire-

breaks, working on equipment or handling seedling orders, they are usually busy this time of the year planning and building another prize wi nning float for entry in the annual Thomasville Rose Festival Parade. The unit's float features Miss Georgia Forestry and spotlightsthe importance of forestry for thousands along the parade route and television viewers.
During 1990, the unit built a completely new float, which was entered in the Florida Festival as has been done annually for some 15 years. The float won the coveted Grand M arshal's Award. The Thomas County Unit also was presented the Unit Of The Year Award at the annual Georgia Forestry
OPPOSITE PACE: Top left, Ranger Forrest Sumner; right, Patrolman Ed Baggett; bottom left, Patrolman Danny Kelley, right, Patrolman john Huthinson.

Association meeting on Jekyll Island in 1990.
Sumner's unit built nature trails at a youth camp and an elementary school with the cooperation of Forester T.S. Lee, who often assists with Thomas County forestry-related projects. The ranger works with Greenwings, the youth division of Ducks Unlimited, and is coach for youth teams in baseball, football and soccer. He is den leader for a Cub Scout Pact. The ranger said one of his most rewarding experiences was his work with a church group in helping repair homes in the Charleston area following the devastating hurricane.
Sumner and his wife, Mabel, an accountant, and their children, Corey and Kelli, are members of Calvary Baptist Church, where the ranger is Sunday School teacher.
PATROLMAN JOHN HUTCHINSON
Patrolman John Hutchinson was a bulldozer operator during a six-year hitch with the 560th Engineering Battalion of the Georgia National Guard and that experience, in addition to his operation of farm machinery for several years, qualified him to work with heavy equipment at the outset when he came with the Commission in 1977.
Hutchinson, a graduate of Central High School in Thomasville, said he thoroughly enjoys plowing firebreaks and is pleased that he has learned many new skills since coming with the unit.
Hutchinson, who lives with his wife and two children near Pavo, said he gave up farming to work with the Commission because "there is no way you can make a living farming... I enjoyed farming, but the money is no longer there." He said he enjoys tending to a grove of pecan trees near his country home and playing the rhythm guitar "just for my own enjoyment...l'm not a professional."
PATROLMAN DANNY KELLEY
Patrolman Danny Kelley, a graduate of Miller County High School in Colquitt, worked in a textile mill for seven years before he escaped to something he said is "much, much better." He joined the Thomas County Unit crew in 1987.
Kelley said the mill work was very confining and when he had an opportunity to come with the Commission and work outdoors, he lost little time in making the change in employment.
Things have been going smoothly for

the patrolman, with the exception of a little incident on a summer day in 1988: " I was plowing a fire and a big snake fell off a limb and into my lap," he related. " Naturally, I was strapped in the cab and alii could do was grab it and sling it out of the tractor and be thankful it was a black snake instead of a rattler."
Kelley and his wife, Nina, and their sons, Brandon and Jeremy, live on a farm six miles north of Thomasville.
PATROLMAN ED BAGGETT
Patrolman Ed Baggettwasaboutseven years old when Commission personnel came near his rural home in Thomas County to extinguish a big forest fire. Although their equipment would be considered somewhat primitive when compared to today's modern GFC tractors and plows, the youngster was impressed and knew that he would one day want to be a forest firefighter.
His childhood ambition came to pass in 1963 when he was employed by the Commission and began operating a 40 John Deer, one of the early plow units used by the Commission. He also remembers operating a mist blower that was used to kill hardwoods. "It was a blower attached to a crawler tractor to blow a chemical mixed with oil about 15 feet straight up," he said. "It was pretty effective, but it was very difficult to work with and I'm glad the system was abandoned." He said he greatly prefers plowing firebreaks.
Baggett and his wife, Judy, and son, Ivan, live on the Ochlocknee River and attend the Ochlocknee Baptist Church. They also have a married daughter, Wina
Patrolman Baggett, a graduate of Central High School in Thomasville, turns to music for relaxation; he can play almost any kind of string instrument. He is a good cook, but he said "my wife won't let me in the kitchen very often because she said I make too much of a mess." The veteran patrolman joins many of his neighbors and friends in growing the roses that has made his area the attractive rose center of Georgia.

8/Ceorgia Forestry/Spring 7997

DOGWOOD DISEASE
HITS 18 COUNTIES
.
. . .
The Commission is continuin g to monitor Georgia counties for evidence of dogwood anthracnose, a fungus that is killing many of the popular flowering tree along the nation's Eastern Seaboard.
Terry Price, Commission entomologist, said the disease was first discovered in Georgia in 1987 in the Cohutta Wilderness area and has now spread to 18 counties. He said it has caused considrable hysteria among homeowners, as some plant pathologists are comparing its severity with that of the chestnut blight which virtually wiped out most of the nation's native chestnut trees. He noted, however, that there are other pathologists who are "less pessimistic."
Although dogwoods growing in the forests are at more risk from infection, trees growing in open residential lawns are not free from the disease. Price caution s homeowners, however, not to dig wild dogwoods from the woods and transplant them in home yards. "Trees should be purchased at reputable nurseries and never planted in complete shade," Price explained. "They should be watered during drought conditions."
The entomologist said several fungicidal sprays are currently being tested to combat th e fungus and the Commission is cooperating with the U. S. Forest Service in tracking spread of th e disease.
Price said homeowners su specting the disease should contact the Forestry Commission. He said a disease diagnosis center is maintained at the Commission 's state headquarters in Macon and the presence of the disease ca n be confirmed by laboratory culture.

When Dillard talks about Three Forks and the surrounding area, there is a haunting quality of time and place evaporating - a passing of one age to another with Three Forks still existing as a dramatic remnant of vanishing wilderness.

GEORGIA'S THREE FORKS WILDERNESS

By Bill Edwards

[ ! ] hree Forks - a densely forested mountain area secluding the Chattooga river headwaters in the Northeast tip of Georgia- may be the last real wilderness area of its kind in the state.
To Malcolm "Chick" Dillard, a native of nearby Dillard, GA (the town was settled by his ancestors in the late 1700s), there is no question about it. "This is real wilderness well

worth the protective efforts of the U.S. Forest Service," said Dillard. "All things considered, I think they are doing an excellent job of protecting and managing the area."
Located in the Chattahoochee National Forest where Georgia meets the Carolinas, Three Forks is the merging point of Holcomb Creek, Big Creek and Overflow Creek. These near 1pristine streams flow down from the mountains to form the West Fork

of the Chattooga River. Winding through heavily forested
gorges with relatively undeveloped shorelines,the Chattooga is one of the few remaining rivers in the Southeast possessing free flowing white water in a primitive setting.
Malcolm Dillard, 56, works out of the Atlanta headquarters of the Department of Education (Vocational Agriculture) as a vocational forester. Although he has traveled extensively
Georgia Forestry/Spring 1991/9

" When my ancestors settled here, the whole mountain range was wilderness," Dillard said. He recalls stories from his grandfather of Indians appearing out of nowhere to trade goods only to disappear again into the shadowy forests.
Malcolm Dillard

during his forestry career, Dillard has always been drawn back periodically to this pocket of mountain wilderness near his home. He says it "recharges his batteries" and reconnects him with nature.
"Three Forks is unique," Dillard insists. "Variations in elevation and high rainfall combine to create a rare and conducive environment for trees and plants."
A 1957 graduate of the University of Georgia's School of Forestry, Dillard points out that hardwood species in the Three Forks area include a variety of oaks: white, black, scarlet, chestnut, and northern red. Mixed with the oaks are hickory, yellow poplar, basswood, and redmaple. Minor species include black cherry, walnut, cucumber magnolia, ash, and gum.
Many stands of trees, especially those facing north, are dominated by Eastern white pine. There are also impressive stands of dogwood that seasonally bloom into slopes of white flowers.
"I believe Eastern white pine grows to its largest size in the Three Forks area," Dillard said. "I know that the Big Tree Register lists a white pine in Michigan that's bigger than any recorded in Georgia- but I think that's just because somebody hasn't looked good enough in the Three Forks area."
When Dillard talks about Three Forks and the surrounding area, there is a haunting quality of time and place evaporating- a passing of one age to another with Three Forks still existing as a dramatic remnant of vanishing wilderness.
70/Ceorgia Forestry/Spring 7997

Even the names of nearby places conjure visions of wilderness mountains: Owl Gap, Hanging Rock, Warwoman Creek, Oakey Top, Big Shoals, Drip Nose Mountain.
"When my ancestors settled here, the whole mountain range was wilderness," Dillard said. He recalls stories from his grandfather of Indians appearing out of nowhere to trade goods - only to disappear again into the shadowy forests.
"But those days are gone," Dillard said. "And anything left of this sort of environment should be preserved and carefully managed."
WILDERNESS EXPERIENCES
Dillard's appreciation of wilderness is not prejudiced by the Three Forks general area being his birthplace. He is no stranger to other wilderness areas and makes comparisons logically. In 1953, an 18-year-old Dillard worked as a lookout fireman in Oregon's Williamette National Forest. Unlike Georgia, the Oregon mountains had no lookout towers and Dillard was required to walk 10 miles every day to check at high points for smoke signs. During this assignment, Dillard went for 43 days without seeing another human being; smoke was reported by radio. Eventually he walked 30 miles through the mountains to visit the nearest camp.
His lunch was often collected by throwing a stick into multitudes of grouse that flocked around his remote cabin. He was not allowed to have a gun of any sort because his predecessor had shot a bear in front of the cabin. The shooting sue-

ceeded only in irritating the bear enough to wreck the cabin in pursuit of his antagonist.
"The point is that the Oregon mountains were real wilderness too especially in 1953 - but Three Forks is different," Dillard said. "I think anybody with any appreciation of nature, who has been there, realizes this ."
Dillard made his first trip into th e Three Forks area when he was 12 years old. The memory lingers in great detail and it was this boyhood excursion that triggered a lifetime of returns to this remote contact with nature.
"I went with an older cousin (Edward Singleton) who lives in the area, and a friend (Joe Ed Brown, deceased)," Dillard said. "That first trip was like descending into a primeval forest. It was really what started me trout fishing."
Dillard remembers crawling out of his sleeping bag that cold April morning 43 years ago to find red worm s frozen stiff in the can. So he sat
down under a big white pine, with the sound of rushing water all around him, and tied a Royal Coachman wet fly that caught his first speckled trout.
Although silt has now crept into some areas of the streams, and stocked rainbow trout compete with the native speckled species, Three Forks remains basically unchanged.
Thriving hardwood forests still offer ideal habitats for deer, turkey, grouse, and some bear; while teeming populations of timber rattlers make their homes in mountain dens.
Although the numbers of some
wildlife species have diminished, the

area has become no less difficult for human beings to traverse on foot.
Pioneer botanist William Bartram marked the historic Bartram 's Trail in this vicinity during his trek through Georgia. No white man is believed to have set foot in the area until the early 1700s. The earliest records are maps drawn by hunters in the 1730s. Even then, some writings indicated the difficulty of traveling through the mountain gorges.
Today, the U. S. Forest Service recommends that only experienced hikers in good physical condition attempt the journey to Three Forks. Descending from the west side, everything appears deceptively simple at the outset. However, changes in terrain can be sudden, drastic and dangerous. Abrupt drop offs down vertical rock walls are common. Some drops may be 30 to 40 feet to swirling water in rocky streams below. Slippery rocks and loose vegetation can make the situation even more hazardous.
SCENIC, BUT HAZARDOUS
The descent can also be confusing in some places. What seems to be a mountain trail can blend into furrowed mountain contours that become a dense tangle of up-anddown slopes. If the hiker comes out on the West Fork, downstream from Three Forks, he is confronted with cliffs that may reach 200 feet above white water rushing over rocks below. A 16 mile stretch of the Chattahoochee includes some scenic but hazardous white water.
" It's sort of hard to get to," Dillard said. " You can't walk upriver. The only way is to go from the top of the mountain to the bottom."
However, Dillard considers thi s to be a positive influence. He says most of the people willing to make the effort to get to Three Forks are the types that appreciate the environment. A good indication of this is that very little litter is ever found around Three Forks.
" I like it just the way it is," Dillard said. "I hope it stays that way forever."

FIELD DAY SCHEDULED FOR 1DO-COUNTY AREA
A massive Land-Use and Forest Management Field Day scheduled for the first Friday in May on a 2,500-acre Emanuel County farm is expected to draw a large number of landowners from approximately 100 counties.
Forester Chip Bates of the Commission's Statesboro District, one of the key planners for the first event of its kind in the area, said the Commission will be joined by the Soil Conservation Service, Department of Natural Resources, forest industry and several other agencies and organizations in ~taging the field day on the M. F. M. Partnership property - better known as the Morgan Farm - ten miles north of Swainsboro from 9 am. to 5 p.m. on May 3.
The event, to be conducted in conjunction with Swainsboro's popular Pine Tree Festival, will include hands-on demonstration sites set up on a circuit with speakers who are expert in their particular field to be on hand at each station to answer questions. Discussion topics at the various presentation sites will include wildlife, timber production and management, water quality, and recreation. Some of the specific topics will be Tree Planting and Herbaceous Vegetation Control, Wildlife Food Plots, Loblolly Seed Tree Regeneration, Sawtimber Management for Pine Stands, Urban Forestry, Pine Straw Harvesting, and many more.
In explaining the benefits landowners should derive from attending the field day, Bates said "our past history in Georgia has shown th at we have made considerable advances in our knowled ge and ability to manage our forest resources. We have moved from a philosophy of cut and get out (removing the timber and not replanting) to intensively managed forest with computer projections of the optimum time for timber rotation to bring the maximum economic yield. The average landowner does not have access to such sophisticated equipment and must rely on sound advise from professional foresters and good common sense."
Many valuable door prizes contributed by industry and business will be given throughout the day and a tram system will be in operation to transport persons from one exhibit to another. The name of a prominent speaker to address the opening program for the day will be announced soon.
Admission to the field day is $8.00 (which includes a luncheon) if registration is made on or before April 26. After that date, the admission will be $10.00. For registration or additional information, contact Forester Bates or District Forester Dan Gary at the GFC District Office, Statesboro (912/764-2311).
Georgia Forestry/Spring 1991/11

LIVE OAK DISTINCTLY SOUTHERN

LINKS GEORGIA WITH ROMANTIC HISTORY

By Paul Butts

[!] he spreading live oak is symbolic of the romantic Old South and was an ideal species to be designated the official State Tree of Georgia.
Much of the literature stresses the fine appearance and historical aspects of this distinctly southern tree. It is capable of producing a massive growth, and many individual specimens are noted for having been the site of some historical event, such as the signing of a treaty or other important paper. Many years later, the tree continues to be a living reminder of the occasion, and the surrounding community takes pride in their historic landmark.
The stately live oak, with it's thick, dark green leaves and sturdy trunk, was named Georgia's state tree in 1937 in response to a request by Daughters of the American Revolution. The tree is immediately associated by most people with the coastal area of the Southern United States; in Georgia, the historic City of Savannah is known for the majestic oaks
12/Georgia Forestry/Spring 1991

that line many of its streets and parks. The range of the tree and its several recognized varieties is from Southeastern Virginia, along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, through South Georgia, Florida and Texas, with some occurrence in Oklahoma, Northeastern Mexico, and Western Cuba.
While some important examples are known to be several hundred years old, under good conditions the tree can make a growth rate that is equal to or better than that of other hardwood species. Around Savannah and in several other areas, the tree will also occasionally assume an

upright form similar to other hardwood species.
The Georgia champion live oak is at the Baptist Village in Waycross. It is 30 feet and five inches in circumference, 86 feet tall, and has a crown spread of 143 feet. This tree has 487 credit points, as compared to the national champion in Lewisburg, La. which has 527 points. The Georgia tree is taller and has a larger crown spread, but does not win the national title because of its smaller stem size.
Live oak is an evergreen that is classed in the white oak group. Its dry wood weighs 55 pounds per cubic foot, as compared to 42 for red oak, 38 for other white oak, 37 for longleaf pine, and 26 for yellow poplar. As wood strength is approximately equal to density, one can see that the wood of this species is very strong.
Since live oak was considered superior to other species for ship building, the United States Government in the early.1800s set aside live

oak reserves for exclusive use in building military ship . In 1827 the establishment of a live oak plantation was approved, and acorns were planted near Pensacola, Florida. The oak plantation later became the focus for political controver y, and it was abandoned.
In 1794, Congress authorized construction of six frigates and one of these, the Constitution, is now the oldest naval ship on active duty anywhere in the world. The Constitution was made in part with live oak from the Georgia Coast.
One reason live oak was so important in the construction of the old sailing vessels was the builders' ability to locate giant limbs with just the right curvature for making parts. Such members were of superior strength, as they contained no cross-grain like conventional timbers would have.
Although once an important tree for building wooden ships, live oak is usually considered a non-commercial species today because of its spreading growth, high density, and corresponding difficulty in drying and manufacturing. Many modern hardwood uses, such as furniture, do not require the strength, weight, and other characteristic extremes that made this species so important

through the mid-1800s. Also, the restricted size of modern building lots does not encourage its planting as a shade tree.
It seems that ome research and elective breeding might take advantage of live oak's unique qualities, and once more turn this species into a highly desirable tree in Georgia.
o city in Georgia treasures the live oak more than historic Savannah. The area's appreciation of the tree dates back to 1733, when james Oglethorpe and his crew came upon the river bank where the city now stands and declared that no tree could be cut in the "Colony of Georgia" without special permission.
The Constitution, shown at anchor with the skyline of Boston in the background, was constructed partly of heavy live oak timbers from the forests of coastal Georgia. Construction on the vessel was authorized in 1794 and today it is the oldest naval ship on active duty anywhere in the world, according to the Department of the Navy.

The graceful oaks are prominent today along the city's principal avenues and in its public squares. The Savannah Park and Tree Commission has stood guard since 1896 "to maintain, improve, and sustain the excellent health, safe condition, and aesthetic beauty of all trees within the city..." Today, Dr. Don Gardner is the sixth director of the organization and he is striving to prolong the life of some of the trees threatened by negative urban influences.
The public regard for trees in the city was shown in the late 1970's when plans were announced for a street-widening project that would remove many majestic live oak trees. A protest group was quickly formed and several persons chained themselves to the threatened trees to halt their destruction. Today, 200 live oaks still stand along that thoroughfare as a result of their protests.
The tourist trade pumps more than $175 million into Savannah's economy each year and city boosters are convinced that the tens of thousands of visitors are as intrigued with the 11 ,000 spreading live oaks and other trees as they are with the historic architecture and other charms of the coastal city.

Georgia Forestry/Spring 1991/13

LARGE LONGLEAF PLANTING BEATS THE ODDS
TREE FARMER'S SUCCESS ENCOURAGES OTHER LANDOWNERS

It's been almost four years since Clarence Curry planted about a half million longleaf pines on 522 acres of Tattnaii.County sand too poor to support any other crop.
Skeptical neighbors knew Curry had three strikes against him -the soil, the drought and the species - when he made his planting on the recommendation of Commission Forester Willard Fell, and they have been anxious to know the outcome of his folly.
Well, the verdict is in and the land-
74/Georgia Forestry/Spring 1991

owner and the forester are extremely well pleased with the survival rate and rapid growth of the showy, dark green trees that are now well over Curry's head in height in some ections of the plantation. "We did have some survival problems with the initial planting," Fell admitted, "but we had drought that year and the irrigation system that was left on the field after the landowner abandoned row crop farm ingjust didn 't give us the moisture that rain would have provided." He said

scattered area had to be repl anted the following winter.
Curry, well known around Reidsville as a former wholesale gasoline distributor, timber buyer, farmer, and bank director, said he decided to become a tree grower "after th at last year I farmed and lost $30,000." Du ring a recent inspection of his trees, he commented that planting longleaf was " the most logical thing to do with that
old sorry land." Curry was fully aware of the dif-

Planting longleaf was "The most logical thing to do with that old sorry land"

ficulties often found in getting planted longleaf seedlings through the gra stage. The forester explained to him that the long-rooted tree had to be carefully planted and even then there were re generation problem that affect surivivability, but he elected to take the chance and make one of th e largest planting of the pecies in the state.
"His success has encouraged other landowners in this area to plant longleaf," said Fell, "and now we have four or five growers who have already planted and others who will plant next season for a total of everal hundred acres."
Wayne Belflower. who now heads the Flint River Nursery but was with the Walker Nursery near Reidsville when

Curry planted hi tr es in 1989, aid he remembers th e tree planting vendor stopping by almo t daily for everal weeks to pick up about 10,000 fresh eedling each time to plant the following day. He aid he had an cecaion to vi it Curry' plac about three
Other page: Forester Willard Fell examines a rapidly growing longleaf pine on the property of Clarence Curry. Below, the forester and Curry look over planting records and discuss the success- as well as the problem- in growing the longleaf.

month ago and was pleased to see how well the longleafs are growing.
Longleaf pine. long recognized for it quality, was once a major species in Georgia and the South and its heavy, trong, coar e-grained wood made it a favorite for construction purposes and the source of a large percentage of the tate 's naval stores. The growth of longleaf waned after railroad loggers wept across the timber belt early in the century, leaving millions of acres of " tump orchard ." Most of the virgin tands were cut by 1930. Second growth longleaf has not been able to compete effectively with fast growing slash and loblolly pine.
Lynn Hooven, chief of the Commission 's Forest Management Department and a member of a committee

Georgia Forestry/Spring 1991/15

involved in longleaf research, said "the longleaf is a very sensitive species and it has been found that one way to lessen the shock of transplanting is to get the seedling into the ground as soon as possible after it leaves the nursery. " Forester Fell said he is advising growers in his area to " plant the very day it is lifted from the nursery bed."
Hooven said research has also shown that the size of the root collar on the seedling is critical in selecting planting stock. " The ideal longleaf seedling should have a root collar not less than 3/16 of an inch in diameter," he explained. Johnny Branan , chief of the Commission's Reforestation Department, said longleaf is carefully graded at the state nurseries and most seedlings shipped out have about a one inch root collar.
ALL SEEOUNGS SOLD
Branan said " we sold all of the 1.3 million longleaf seedlings we grew this season and our crop of 2 million last year." Although that represents a small fraction of the many millions of slash, loblolly and other pine species produced by the nurseries, Branan said the Commission could greatly increase production if demand warranted it and seed were available. " Right now," he said, "we're having a hard time finding seed. Few seed orchards offer longleaf seed and those found in the wild are extremely scarce."
Hooven said some experimentation includes planting containerized instead of bare root seedlings and planting in the fall instead of the winter. "There is a lot of interest among many landowners and professional foresters in the production revival of this superior pine in Georgia," Hooven said. " We feel research will eventually solve the problems that presently prevent us from reaching that goal."
16/Georgia Forestry/Spring 1991

EXCERPTS FROM
THE HISTORY AND POTENTIAL OF LONGLEAF PINE
By Thomas C. Croker, }r.
The longleaf pine story is a fascinating sage of southern history. It begins in the virgin forest which was open and parklike. The virgin forest dominated some 60 million acres of the southern landscape. Foresters estimated that the original stands contained over 400 billion board feet of the strongest building material in America.
These forests provided many of the necessities of life for the woodland Indians: fuel forwarmingand cooking fires; torches, and building m~terial for lodges and other structures.
The first white men to enter the longleaf forests were Spainards in search of gold. Escapees from the herds of hogs they brought along are the ancestors of the razorbacks that have been such a scourge to longleaf pine seedlings.
English pioneers that came to the East coast were seeking home sites instead of gold. These forests furnished them material to build homes, other buildings, and fences, as well as open range grazing for their livestock. Imitating the lnqians, they set fires to control movement of cattle and maintain the open character of the forests. The first commercial enterprise of the European settlers was the production of pitch and tar from longleaf pine heartwood. Later living trees were tapped for their gum which was distilled to produce rosin and turpentine.
The first mills were powered by water. Besides sawing lumber, they ground corn and cleaned rice.
As the nineteenth century waned, strange sounds were heard in the longleaf forest. The scream of locomotives, the din of power skidders dragging logs to the railroad siding, and the chant of track-laying crews signaled the start of a new era. The railroad loggers had come south to harvest a bonanza of yellow pine timber.
In the scurry and bustle of the times, little thought was given to growing a second crop of timber.
The Great Depression plumbed unusual depths in the land of the longleaf pine. Banks and businesses deP.endent on the mills failed. Suffering was most acute among the forest workers left behind when the mills cut out.
Into this dismal picture awilderness army of young men came bringing renewed hope. The CCC established many 200-man camps in the longleaf belt. Large tracts were fenced against the destructive razorbacks, millions of seedlings were planted, roads and towers were built, and wildfire was surpressed.
The CCC was an important milestone in the longleaf pine story but there was another development of equal importance. In the thirties the battle between the prescribed burners and the fire exclusionists reached a showdown. After researchers of the Southern Forest Experiment Station confirmed the value of controlled burning, the practice gradually spread throughout the longleaf belt and later to other forest types.
Like the fabled phoenix bird, a second forest arose from the ashes of the virgin forest. Much restricted in acreage and often poorly stocked, nevertheless it began to contribute to the southern economy.
In the 1960's a modern day army of men and machines moved into the longleaf forest clearcutting and replanting with loblolly or slash pine. The second growth longleaf including some well-stocked stands are disappearing from the South at an alarming rate. There are two main reasons. First is the difficulty of regenerating new stands; and secondly, the slow initial growth of longleaf seedlings. However, recent developments suggest that this trend can be reversed.

A NEW FORESTRY CASH CROP FOR GEORGIA?

A 77-year-old Gainesville entrepreneur, jim Smith, believes the fast growing paulownia hardwood tree (paulownia tomentsoa) offers attractive financial potential for Georgia growers. He is convinced of this in spite of the fact that there are no mature paulownia plantations in the United States and all U. S. paulownia profits result from cutting the species growing wild and exporting logs to japan.
"There is a vast untapped market out there that has never been touched by this valuable hardwood, and I hope to be among the first to successfully promote it," Smith said. "The wood is strong, light, easy to work with, doesn't warp or split, and polishes to a satiny finish."
Native to China, the paulownia is believed to have been naturalized in the U. S. during the 1840s. The virtues of paulownia have been known for more than 2,000 years. A classical Chinese treatise published in 1049 A. D. offers detailed instructions on cultivation. The author, Chen Chu, suggests fertilization with extravagant amounts of dog manure. The tree is considered attractive for ornamental purposes and produces lavender colored flowers in spring. Paulownia is disease, insect, and fire resistant. The species is intolerant of shade and grows best in direct sunlight.
Smith bases his theory of a potential U.S. market on 12 years (1968-79) of growing paulownia in Brazil and exporting logs to japan. A chemical engineer by profession, Smith graduated with a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from West Virginia University in 1936. He said his knowledge of managing a paulownia plantation was derived from " educational mistakes" that he considers

valuable to the Georgia project. The japanese market opened for the
U.S. in 1972 when a japanese representative of Hokusan Lumber Com pany saw wild paulownia tree s growing in Virginia. Paulownia wood has long been valued in japan for its appearance, strength, and light weight (14.3 7 - 18.75 pounds per cubic foot/ 12% moisture) . During the second century A. D., japanese court musicians played paulownia wood harps (koto) . As centuries passed, other Japanese paulownia products that evolved including water pails, clogs, rice containers, furniture, and dozens of household items.
Production of all these items continue in Japan. However, by 1984, japan was using 81.5% of paulownia wood for furniture pieces and plywood paneling for furniture. The trend continues today.
"Before 1960," Smith said, "most of japan's paulownia was grown there. But then they started having problems."
The problems Smith refers to were primarily those of intense competition for land use. Eventually, japan was forced to rely on imported paulownia and the price fluctuated according to supply and demand. Smith said a paulownia nursery grower from Tennessee recently told him one 8 foot log sold for $4,300. Rumors persist that in times of scarcity, some paulownia trees sold for as much as $20,000 each. This may or may not be true, but prices did become rewarding enough to spawn a peculiar type of criminal- the paulownia rustler. These thieves would invade the lands of others an cut their paulownia. Often, the landowners were not very upset because they thought the thieves had cut a few cottonwood trees - which

resemble the paulownia and is considered to be of little value.
However, as time passed more landowners became aware of paulownia value, but most of them did not bother with cutting a few scattered trees. By 1984, Taiwan was supplyin g most of the imported paulownia to japan (34%). Other suppliers included the People's Republi c of China/ mainland China (19.5%), United States (1 0.6%), Argentina (2.5%), Paraguay (3 .5%), and Brazil (5.6%).
When Smith became interested in growing paulownia (1968), he own ed the first factory in Brazil to manufacture polyester buttons. Having gotten thi s entrepreneurial project operating successfully, he was ready for another financial venture. The time and place for paulownia was right.
During a routine business trip to Sao Paulo, Smith saw a newspaper ad promoting "KIRI - THE MIRACLE TREE." (Kiri is the Japanese name for paulownia). Having had a small pine plantation in 1965, he was interested in tree farming and met with the sponsor of the ad- Cabreuva Construction and Land Development Company.
Smith was impressed and returned to the company several days later with his friend and future partner, Walter Marsh. They met with Cabreuva's technical consultant and agronomist, then visited two Kiri plantations. . Smith and Marsh were convinced. They formed a partnership and went into the paulownia business; but all was not a bed of roses - or even paulownia. Their first shipment of 1,000 root cuttings were dried out and useless. Cabreuva sent them a replacement ship and most of these failed to germinate.
"At this stage it was a learning process," Smith said. "We were deter-
Georgia Forestry/Spring 1991/17

mined and we learn ed well."

monitored for a number of research

From th e replacement sh ipment, studi es.

Smith and Marsh managed to produce In addition to his other research,

root cuttings from year old sap lings in Smith attended a recent paulownia

1969. The trial and error procedure seminar sponsored by the University

continued until Smith had refin ed th e of Kentucky and University of

growing of paulownia to an art. From Tennessee. Smith sai d th ese two

their frustratin g beginning, Smith and states -and Maryland - have shown a

Marsh emerged to export paulownia great deal of interest in growin g

logs to japan from 1973-79.

paulownia.

Other problems throu ghout the "There are also tracts of japanese

years included three droughts, inade- own ed paulownia now growin g in th e

quate knowled ge of growin g rate, and U. S. - if that tells us anything,"

fires caused by careless neighbors; but Smith said. " Th ey (the Japanese) are

the busin ess prevailed with success. very skillful at makin g a profit and it

In the early 1970's, japanese buyers would be stran ge if the idea of a U. S.

were competin g to buy random length market had not occurred to th em. "

paulownia logs with IBSEDs (in si de Smith said th e japanese prefer logs

bark small end diameter) of 3 inches or cut from slow growth trees, DIB

more. By 1979, most of th e buyers (diam eter inside bark) of 10 inches and

would only co nsider buying logs minimum length 8 foot logs. However,

designated at " 2.0 meters length and a a slow growin g paulownia would be

minimum IBSED of 6 inches."

very fast co mpared to other hard-

"Many of our trees would not meet woods. Research from some sources

these specifications," Smith said . "So indicate that a U. S. paulownia crop

since our lease was about to expire, we would be ready for harvest in 14 years:

decided to cut the marketable trees Smith prefers th e co nservative esti -

and come out with a reasonabl e mate of 20 years for a crop of Georgia

profit. "

paulownia, but only time will tell.

Smith said all12 years of experience

were valuabl e- especially the negative

GROWTH CONTROL

experiences. I know wh at to do and

what not to do now," he said . " I know Current log tables defining paul-

exactly how to approach this project in ownia log grades in relation to

Georgia."

growth rate emphasize that growth

Smith's outlook for promotin g should be controlled to _produce logs

cultivated paulownia growth in of marketable quality - but with con-

Georgia is optimi stic, and he hopes it sideration of a tim e frame geared to

will mushroom into th e national economic viability and required

domestic market. For the past two investment.

years, he has been workin g with per- However, paulownia not meetin g

sonnel in the Commission's Gaines- high quality export standards could be

ville district on variou s aspects of his used for many other purposes

paulownia concepts. One facet of the including beddin g for dairy farms,

project is an experimental paulownia chicken house litter, and even

plot at the Commission's Dawsonville experimental pulpwood for making

unit. This growing area will be carefully paper.

"You could go on and on with

possible uses for paulownia," Smith

said." Off the top of my head, one that

comes to mind is air freight crating. It's

light and strong. so it would be a natural.

But I see the .main possible U.S. market

as furniture."

ALL PHOTOS FROM JIM SMITH 'S So far, U. S. furniture makers have

PAULOWNIA TREE FARM IN BRAZIL shown no interest in paulownia -

1968-79. From top left to right: despite its beauty, stren gth and light-

(1) Paulownia seedlings two months ness. The main turnoff has been

old. (2) Saplings six months old. pri ce. Smith believes that paulownia

(3) Back from the stump eight months has not been properly promoted and

old. (4) Area with five year old trees. that a sufficient number of growerswill

(5) Harvesting tree six yea rs-four create competitive pricin g to

months old. (6) Seedlings being pre- stabili ze cost. He also believes that

pared for shipment.

public demand for paulownia furni-

ture will be es tablished with public awareness of quality and beauty.
Some sources believe exporters have apparently been able to limit volume and maintain hi gh prices. Smith suggests that successful large scale cultivation would eventually produce high quality trees and wood at lower prices.
PRICES AND PROFITS
In the 70s, paulownia prices were quoted as being com petitive wi th black walnut, bu t Smith points out that compari so ns chan ge. Base d o n past experience, Smith suggests that a Georgia paulownia plantation cou ld produce 16-foot logs averaging approximately 18 inches DBH (diameter breast height) on a 20-year rotation plan . He emphasizes, for example, that this wo uld be a well managed 300 seedling per acre planting density- yielding from 100 to 150 mature trees after periodic thinning. He believes competitive pricing would stabi lize cost at approxi mately $2 .00/BF.
Th e return from such a hypotheti cal plantation would obvio usly vary dependin g on soil quality, labor costs, site preparation, etc. However, Smith projects a yield of 12,000 BF/acre valued at $1.50-$2.00/BF and a 7.7 5% capital cost (average annual cost of capital invested over 20 year rotation) . He said a co nservative estimate indicates a discounted net return in the $3 ,000 to $4,000 per acre range.
Smith said the estimate does not include additional potential return if logs are sold as two 8-foot sections instead of single, lower yielding 16foot logs. He al so emphasized that the estimate does not include the probability of obtainin g second harvest of marketable logs from the original st u m p .
" Thi s is another plus factor of paulownia that you have to see to appreciate," Smith said. " Paulownia comes back very well from the stump."
PROS AND CONS
One thing that bothers even a stalwart advocate of paulownia like Smith is the mail order sort of hype that has sometimes been used in promotion. Even in Smith's first 1968 Brazil encounter, paulownia was described in the ad as a "mi~?cle tree. " Whether or not the tree is a " miracle" depends on one's concept of the miraculous.
(continued on page 23)
Georgia Forestry/Spring 1991/19

FOREST PATROLMAN PERSUES DEMANDING, METICULOUS ART

By Howard Bennett

hen it comes to trees, big is not better! At least not to Forest Patrolman Mike Payne when he is engrossed in his favorite hobby. A full grown red maple 18 inches tall or a four-year-old hemlock crowning at two feet are ideal sizes to Payne, who is into the fascinating hobby of bonsai, the art of dwarfing

and shaping trees and shrubs through meticulous pruning and controlled fertilization.
Payne has been plowing firebreaks to help protect Union County's big trees from forest fire for 15 years, but weekends and many other off-duty hours often find him in his greenhouses busily pruning, wiring and otherwise tending to some 35 minia-

ture tree to shape them into flowing lines and arresting forms that characterize the true bonsai.
The patrolman's interest in bonsai started when he was studying forestry and ornamental horticulture at the North Georgia Technical and Vocational School in Clarkesville. "A fellow student, who had spent four years in Japan and became acquaint-

20

-

ed with bonsai in the country where it was first developed, introduced me to the art," said Payne. "He invited me to his home to see the trees he had cultivated over the years. That was 20 years ago and I've been hooked ever since." He also became hooked on a girl named Barbara Brackett who was in his class and later became his wife. She is also interested in bonsai, but "does not pursue it to the extent that I do," Payne said.
The ancient Japanese art of bonsai has been well known and appreciated in some areas of this country for about 35 years; it had been practiced much earlier on the West Coast where Japanese had settled and brought traditions and crafts with them from their homeland.

selves," he said. ''I'm always pleased to show the trees to anyone who is interested."
Some trees cultivated by the Japanese are very old and extremely valu-

NATIVE TREES USED

It was once believed that the centuries-old dwarfing of trees had to involve Asiatic species to possess the true concept of bonsai and teachers of the art and most of the plants had to come over from Japan. It was believed that a tree didn't possess the suitable qualities unless it was a Japanese black pine, Japanese five-needled pine, Japanese beech or some other exotic species from the Orient. Payne and others have, of course, known for some years that many species native to Georgia and other states make excellent bonsai.
When the patrolman wants to add to his forest of dwarf trees, he visits the area nurseries for uniquely s)laped trees that would make a good bonsai,
or roams the woods for the right kind of specimen, with son Scott, 11 , and daughter Lena, 7, usually trailing along. Both children are interested in their father's hobby and have a miniature tree of their own.
Payne has found that his hobby has worked well "in telling the forestry story" for the Union County Forestry Unit. He said his bonsai is an immediate attention-getter when he takes some of his trees to a public school for an Arbor Day or Career Day program. In displaying the tiny trees, he tells of their full size counterparts out in the woods and how the Commission strives to protect the county's forests from fire, insects and diseases; it provides an opportunity to tell of the unit's role in reforestation and other services.

Forest Patrolman Payne, above and on opposite page, ca refully shape two of hi many prized bo n ai trees at a work area ju t outside hi potting shed at hi home near Blairsville.
The patrolman can always expect adult visitors to his country home ten miles west of Blairsville to view his collection after each school presentation. "The students tell their parents and they come out to see for them-

able; many are handed down from one generation to another and in most cases the owners would be insulted if they were asked to sell their treasured bonsai. Payne seems to hold to that philosophy as he has several beautiful trees of significant value, but he has never sold a bonsai. "I become attached to them," he explained, " and they are something special that I would rather keep and enjoy."
Although a tree does not have to be old to be a successful bonsai, it should look old as possible. Payne and others who have the patience to follow the art achieve this by cutting off some of the lower limbs of the tree and causing others to curve downward through the use of wires, weights and ties. The technique eventually adds many years of appearance to the natural tree.
When Payne is out scouting for likely candidates for bonsai, he keeps his eye out for interestingly shaped juniper, maple, holly, spruce, hemlock, beech, gum and several other species. He shuns oak, poplar and other trees that have large leaves that cannot be sufficiently dwarfed. In bonsai, the leaf size must be proportionate to the rest of the tree. If he is fortunate enough to come across a gnarled tree growing out of a rock cliff, he can go home with an " almost instant" bonsai. The veteran hobbyist said "nature sometimes does the work for you and if you can lift the root system out intact, it can be trans-
Georgia Forestry/Spring 1991!21

A special wire is used to force limbs - and often trunks - to grow in a desired position.

The bonsai enthusiast begjns to remove much of the soil and severely trims the roots of a pine he is transferring from a training pot to a shallow bonsai container.

22/Georgia Forestry/Spring 1991

Weights are often used to force limbs to grow downward
or in a "weeping" position. Metal washers can be used as
weights.

planted back home in a hollow rock or pot with little effort."
Payne usually starts his trees in " training pots" and after they attain .a certain growth they are transferred to permanent bonsai containers, shallow trays that hold the minimum amount of soil and root mass necessary to keep the plant alive and healthy. It is said that choosing the right size, texture and color of the planting container is like selecting the correct frame for a painting. The planter should never detract from the tree.
The first literature on the bonsai technique translated into English from Japanese contended that the shrouded mystery of dwarfing trees depended on special soils found only in Japan. Hobbyist in this country readily found, however, that the information was incorrect and Payne said "every grower has his or her own preference in soil mixture and mine is sand, topsoil and a little red clay for some species." He said his top soil is "pure humus from under a tree in the woods" and he often places green moss around the base of the bonsai to retain moisture and enhance the beauty of the tree.
NEVER FINISHED
"You are never quite finished w ith a bonsai," Payne said. "Once you get it initially pruned properly and shaped the way you want it and the fertilization regulated, you have to take it out of its container about every third year, trim the roots and replant it in fresh soil. Periodic minor pruning and watering never end."
A tree must pass severe tests to qualify as a true bonsai, a perfection the japanese call Gei. The word has no English translation, but Payne said it means a harmonious blending of all elements of the tree and its planter into a whole that could be compared to a fine sculpture, an objet d'art.
Forest Patrolman Mike Payne has other interests. He works with his father in a family-owned sawmill and he is Sunday School superintendent and teacher at his church, but w hen there is free time, he turns to his miniature forests out in his backyard greenhouses where he masters the ancient art of bonsai and attempt to achieve Gei with each new tree.

Secretary EDYTHE T. LEE of the Rome District has retired after 21 years of service with the Commission. A native of Floyd County, she graduated from the local high school and Carroll Lynn Business School and worked for several companies before becoming Rome's first high school secretary, a position she held for 13 years. She has a son and daughter and four grandchildren. The
retired secretary and her husband, Horace, will continue si nging in the ch urch choir and do some travelin g ...SHE RYL CORBIN, a native of Rome, is the new Rome District secretary. She is a graduate of Coosa High School and is studying business administration during night classes at Floyd College. She previously worked with the Floyd County Extension Office. The secretary and her husband, Tim, attend Fellowship Church in Rome...JOHN C. ALBERT has been appointed vice president and general manager of the

December and was honored with a party in January at the Macon Moose Lod ge. Crouch came with the Commission as its first aircraft mechanic 30 years ago... RON ALLEN , a Fourth District forester assigned to the ButtsHenry Unit since 1986, recently transferred to Macon to serve as forester specialist in the Forest Protection Department. Allen, who earned a degree in forestry from the University of Missouri, came with the Commission in 1983 and first served in the Meriwether County Unit as ranger... ). WALTER MYERS, JR. has been named adjunct assistant professor by the University of Georgia's School of Forest Resources. He assists in forestry policy instruction with undergraduate and graduate students, and has done so since 1988. He holds b~chelor's and master's degrees in forestry from Louisiana State University, and is a past chairman of the Society of American Foresters Southeastern Society, and past national president of-SAF...JOHN RADCLIFFE, Commission electrician, retired March 1 to end more than 35 years of service. Before his transfer to Macon office to serve statewide as electrician, Radcliffe had been forest ranger in the Crisp-Dooly and the Lee

County Units and worked in fire control in Fulton County. The native of Albany is an Army Veteran and member of The American Legion, Lions Club and the Baptist Church. Radcliffe and his wife, Glenda, will make their home in Leesburg. The retiring electrician, who has a daughter, Beth, was honored at a retirement dinner in Macon... FORESTER ARCHIE McEUEN, who came with the Commission in

1959 just a few days after graduating

from the School of Forestry, University

of Georgia, will retire April 1. A native

of Waycross, McEuen has served in

several capacities and as reforestation

forester in the Waycross District in

recent years. McEuen, who served four

years in the Navy and enjoys working

with bonsai as a

hobby, is active in

the United Meth-

odist Church. Th e

veteran forester

and his wife,

Elizabeth, have

four children,

Margaret, Rex,

Phillip and Ellen,

McEUEN

and one grand-

ch ild .

Fore t Resources Group, Union Camp Corporation. He replaces J. GREELEY McG OWIN II, who will retire in August. Albert has responsibi lities for the company' Woodland and Building Products operations...VERNON
ROUCH, Aircraft Maintenance Shop uperintendent, retired at the end of

PAULOWNIA TREE
(continued from page 19)
However, the tree is a very fast growing hardwood that offers distinct possibilities for domestic and foreign wood markets. The question is whether or not thi s can translate into a stable and profitable market for Georgia growers.
Smith believes that a domestic paulownia market can be established and that Georgia can enjoy early
benefits. He points out that paulownia is uitable for marginal land.
However, Smith's enthusiasm is tempered by memories of his early mistakes. He recomm en ds caution to

anyone interested in growing paul.: ownia. "Start off small and expand gradually," he advises.
After this year's last frost (mid-April), Smith plans to have seedli ngs ready for the Dawsonville experiment site. He also plans to offer consul tin g services concerning paulownia growth and establish a private nursery.
Some people might consider such a project to be overly ambitious for a 77 year old entrepreneur - especially looking forward to a 20-year tree crop maturing. However, Smith doesn;t give it a second thou ght. He insists that he is in perfect health and that paulownia is his "mission."
" I have no plans for dying," he said.
Georgia Forestry/Spring 1991/23

nformation

'

When you report a forest

fire in Georgia -anywhere

and at any time, day or

night - a dispatcher im-

mediately alerts a fire-

fighting crew to subdue

the blaze. By means of

a statewide radio-pager-

telephone system, the

Georgia Forestry Commission

provides around the-clock pro-

tection for the state's woodlands.

To report a fire, simply dial your

county forestry unit. If it's after

business hours, the call is

automatically transferred to

a central dispatch facility for

proper response. The Commis-

sion appreciates the

cooperation it receives

from the public in keeping

destructive forest wildfires

to a minimum.

GEORGIA

FORESTRY

t:?

~

(:/~) Afi~S'~

SECOND CLASS POSTAGE PAID AT MACON, GEORGIA

Apprc,dmate Cost 01 Press Time and Paper Only.
COST: $3718.86 OTY. 8000