. F O R E S T R Y ~ GEORGIA FORESTRY Think Before Starting Fires (From the Carrollton Times Free Press) The recent near-tornado a nd accanpanying heavy rain put of f the fire threat in Carroll County woods for a time but the danger is not over. The t hreat will remain , hal ted temporari l y by rains, until undergrowth i n the_ wooded trac ts turn green again and the torc h-like grass cover in les s shaded s pots out in open fields is r eplaced with new growth. During all of this period Ran- ger Burl Bivins and his fire- f~ghting crew will keep their f1ngers crossed and their mobile equipment ready to spring into action anywhere in the county. Just as the recent dry weather was ideal from the farmers viewpoint for burning off land in preparation for plowing and other farming activities, it was excellent for fires to get out of hand. Sane who aimed at controlled burning found they were not able to control the fire. The win d was not taken into cons ide ra ti on or full realization given t o the extreme dryness and t he speed at which fires can travel . Range r Bivins asks that those planning to burn off fields notify t~1e County Forestry Unit, plow fuebreaks wide enough to do the job and to take note of the wind conditions. Winds are less in late hours of the day, but they can still be too brisk for starting fires and keeping them controlled. Woods fires do not destroy 1and- th e earth. They may not even des troy the trees if they are well along in growth. But they des troy the young trees and they se t back growth of the older ones. Either way they cost the owner of the woods money since they des troy lumber-to-be. Vol. 7 GEORGIA FORESTRY April, 1954 Published Monthly by the GEORGIA FORESTRY COl\Il\IISSIO~ State Capitol, Atlanta, Georgia ' Guyton DeLoach, Director No.4 Members, Board of Commissioners: Ks. S. HVarMn, Chairman __________ _ ---- am organ -- -- --- Savanna h C. M. J ordan, Jr. _ J ohn M. McElrath ___ ---- Macon H. 0 . Cummi ngs__ Waycross ____ Alamo Donalsonville Georgia Forestr y is entered as second class matter at the Post Office under .th~ Act of August 24, 1912. Member of the Georgia Press AssociatiOn. E D I T OR ASSOCIATE E DITC>RS ~- * * * * ____ Richard E. Davis -- - Robert Rutherford, Catherine Dismuke * * * * DISTinCT OFF ICES, GEO HGIA FO HESTHY COM ~~HSSION: DISTRICT I-Route 2, Statesboro DISTRICT VI-P. 0. Box 505, Milledgeville DISTRI~T 11-P. 0. Box 26, Camilla DISTRICT VII-Route 1, Rome DI ST HIC?-' III-P. 0. Box 169, Americus DISTRICT VIII-P. 0. Box 811, Waycross DISTRICT IV-P. 0. Box 333, Newna n DISTRICT IX-P. 0. Box 416, Gainesv ille DISTRICT V-P. 0. Box 328, McRae DISTR ICT X-P. 0. Box 302, Washington (From the Waycross Journal Herald) The most significant factor in Southern Forest management has been the advent of the paper and pulp industry in the South. Just a few years ago it was thought that paper pulp coold not be gotten from the pine tree. Or. Herty said otherwise and oersisted until he proved that not only could the pine furnish paper pulp by processes commercially profitable but that the pine also would yield cellulose out of which all rayon and other related products can be had. In the short space of twenty years immense mills have been put up in the Southern Coastal region. There are now more than fifty of the mills, most of them the largest plants of the kind in the United States. A thousand technically trained foresters care for the mill ions of acres owned or 1eased by these mills. This is one of our greatest sources of wealth. All during this fall and winter, fires have raged over these lands ruining thousands and even millions of trees and retarding the growth of numberless others. This . is waste of the most i nexcusa'ble sort. Every county in Sou ~h Georgia ought to take stnngent measures to insure protection from fire of these valuable lands. The appearance of springtime in f&orgia' s woodlands is synon- omous with the flowering of the dogwood tree. During the spring months the opening of the clear, white petals can be noted in all parts of the state, adorning areas not only in the forests, but also gardens and lawns of residential areas. The dogwood serves both as a tree of beauty and a tree of utility. Photo by Atlanta Joumal - Constitution ~tagazine. APRIL , 1954 4JJ.eJ St'U!,w;tltt New Georgia Pulpmills Represent Investments Of $100,000,000 Total investments of nearly SlOO, 000,000 are represented in Georgia's three newest pulpmills, one of them already in operation and two slated to begin production soon. The three mills, which will bring added strength to Georgia's already thriving fares t economy, are the Rome Kraft Corporation at Rome; the National Container Corporation mill at Valdosta, and Rayonier, Inc., at Jesup. More than 700 workers now are bringing the Rome mill to canpletion. The mill, which will be capable of maintaining an annual production rate of more than 200,000 tons of kraft containerboard, is expected to be in operation about the middle of 1954. Representing an inves trren t of more than $25,000,000 the mill will provide employrrent for 650 persons. Approximate! y 350,000 cords of pulpwood will be procured annually fran Northeast Georgia and nearby areas, furnishing employment for 1, 200 persons in various wood operations. The National Container Corporation mill no.v is in operation, with the administration building and detailed construction work now bei,ng completed. Full capacity will be SOU tons of finished board per day. The mill will provide employrrent for 450 persons. Public opening of the Rayonier mill is slated for May 1. Annual capacity will be 87,000 tons. A total of 450 persons will be employed at the Rayonier mill. The mill will produce purified wood cellulose for use in the making of cellophane, high tanacity rayon yarn, continuous filament yarns, staple fib e r, plastics and acetate sheeting and film. :__/ ~ -~ "-' !- / .r -~~ ~-"~" if =-""'' -""-" ~ ~- 4. - ' ."!.- . . , ' .... '1!;:2: MARION COUNTY DEMONSTRATION--More than 7 5 FFA boys and many farmers and landowners attended the recent forestry demonstration on the Albert GJ ass farm in Marion County, ~1arion County Ranger John 0' Donnell, top photo, tells the group how their County Forestry Unit operates. Prizes are awarded by the Ranger, left center photo, to Joe McCorkle, 0. M. Brannon, and Paul McAII ister, for gaining top grades in a marking demonstration. Uistrict Forester Olin 1\itherington, right center photo, describes how forest fires are "crossed out" on a dispatcher's map. Georgia Extension Forester Dorsey Oyer and Farm Forester Troy Simmons, standing at left in lower photo, describe how good thinning practices mean prufits for today--and for the future. Abb Preston, 4-11 Club and FFA member, gave a hardwood poisoning demonstration. Fire fighting equipment was demonstrated. Others assisting were Assis t ant Uistrict Forester Ed Hamby and Talbot County Ranger Curtis Wi ggins. I 4/t -. l \ !. - :" 1 -- Southern Forestry Conference Set For April 26-27 ''Trends in Southern Forestry'' will be the theme of the 1954 Southern Fares try Conference scheduled for Asheville. N. C., April 26-27. L1.:::i. Forest Service Otic f li. E. McCa rdl c wi 11 speak. The conference i s the annual meeti ng of the Forest Farmers Association of Atlanta, Ga. Headquarters for the Asheville meeting will be the Battery Park Hotel, and an attendance of 350 persons is anticipated. This 1954 meeting marks the first time the Southern Forestry Conference has been held in North Carolina, home state of Forest Farmers President J. V. Whitfie 1d o f Burgaw. A seventeen-man committee is completing program and activity plans. Activities will include roster of program speakers, a barbecue by Champion Paper and Fibre Co., tours of Biltmore Estate and Fares t, plus pr esentation of door prizes, including a tree planting machine. A special women's program also is planned. Conference registration will begin at 8 A. M. Monday. The program opens at 10 A. M. with addresses of welcome from Asheville and North Carolina state officials. The keynote speech will follow. The association luncheon will be on the first day. ~1onday afternoon will be devoted to further presentations and to the bar beque. Tuesday, April 27, will feature sessions in the morning and early afte rnoon, followed by a tour. The annual banquet will be Tuesday evening. President \\~1itfie ld stressed that those attending need not be association members. APRIL, 1954 l'udlt P~.ne unty Ranger J. C. Pace; G.S. Chumley, Davis High School principal; Mary Fay Gilbreath, Jack Ivey, Price Selby, master of ceremonies; Betty Hurst, Aaron Ellis, and Assistant District Forester Frank Craven. Dedication of a new headquarters for the Gilmer County Forestry Unit rec ently was hi ghli ght ed by organization of a forestry promotional committee a nd tribute from Seventh District personnel to the citizens of the county for t heir i n terest in forestry. District Forester F. J . Pullen lauded the work of F. J. Kiker, building site donor, and pointed out t hat of the 16 co unt ies in the Seventh Distri c t, Gilmer County citizens contributed the 1argest amoun t for headq uarter s building purposes. Gilmer County Ranger J. L. Dover and his unit personne l performed most of the 1 abor. Among those heed ing the advice of Mon roe County Ranger W. W. Jackson on planting pine on sub-marginal land is Dr. Charles T. Rumble of Macon. Dr. Rumble is planting s lash p1ne on his abandoned fields in Monroe County with a mechanical tree planter so that in 15 to 20 years his idle land will be producing pulpwood or similar products and sawtimber a few years l ater. Ranger Jackson advised Dr. Rumble on the planting operation. More than 714,000 pine seed- lings were planted in Monroe County last year. GEORGIA FORESTRY Foresters Ask For Reports On Killing Fungus Georgia Forestry Commission management foresters, in an effort to prevent serious infes tation of the root killing fungus, Fares annosus, in this state, have asked for reports of all cases of the fungus found in Georgia. Prof. W.R. Campbell of the University of Georgia School of Forestry, pointed out this month that until this time, Southern pines have been r elative ly immune. He said the fungus recently has been reported on pitch pine and Atlantic white cedar. ''Eastern red cedar,'' the professor declared, ''is the canmon host for the fungus in the piedmont. Trees of all sizes are attacked and killed.'' Prof. Campbell reported serious infections in red cedar stands have been reported in Elbert and Jackson Counties. Recent indications are that the fungus may be a serious root disease of Slash Pine- Last year W. H. MdComb, Management Chief, Georgia Forestry Commission, discovered a root rot of slash pine in a 20-yearold stand near Swainsboro. In t his stand, dying followed a t~inni ng made five years preVI ous. Another root rot has been found in South Carolina, and an infected plantation has been discovered in Alabama. 'Root rot,'' Prof. Campbell c ont inued , ''may be a re al danger in young Slash Pine s tands following thinning. It is the number one root diseas e in Europe where special meas ures must be take n to preve nt e xr. essi e loss i n t hinned stands. He asked that all persons noting unusual dying of Slash f?ine, especi_all ~' if the dying 1s progre.ss 1ve fran ye ar to (Continued on Page 1 0) Demonstration Held At Irwin County High School Forest More than 125 persons attended a forestry demonstration held recently in connection with the dedication of the Irwin County High School Forest. The program was under direction of, the Union Bag and Paper Corporation and the Georgia Forestry CommlSSlon. Al Davenport, Union Bag Conservation Field Representative, opened the program w1th the dedication of the school forest. Mr. J. R. Gibbs, Sr., chairman of the school board of trustees, accepted the custody of the woodlands. Ed Ruark, Fire Control Chief, Georgia Forestry Canmission, Turner Barber, District Forester, and Jack Vickers, Irwin County Ranger, explained and demonstrated C011111ission equipment, including fire control maps, tower and plow units. A fire detection plane was used in this portion of the program to report a control burn about a half mile away from the demonstration site. Howard Doyle, Southern Pulp- wood Conservation Association Area Forester, discussed se- lective thinning and held a thinning demonstration featuring audience participation. Bob Tift, Union Bag Conservation Forester, showed the group the proper methods of planting. T. R. Mobley, Vocational Agriculture Teacher of Irwin County High, was master of ceremonies. Ed Ruark, Georgia Forestry Commission Fire Control Chief, below, answers questions concerning a crawler tractor at the recent Irwin County High School Demonstration. Assisting Mr. Ruark in his portion of the dmonstration are Turner Barber, Georgia Forestry Commission District Forester, extreme left, and Jack Vickers, Irwin CoWJty Forest Ranger, extreme right. \ J Sawmillers Invited To Conference Georgia's sawmill operators have been invited to attend an all-day sawmill operators' conference at Blue Ridge onApril 28. The conference, according to Tom Ramke, Forester, Tennessee Valley Authority, will begin at 9 a.m. at the yard of the Atlanta Oak Flooring Company. Sponsors, in addition to the 1VA, are the Georgia Extension Service, the Forest Farmers Association, the University of Georgia and the Georgia Forestry Commission. Discussion topics and demonstrations will include logging and logging costs, increasing efficiency and production of sawmills, and maintenance and operation of equipment. A free luncheon is scheduled for the event. EMPHASIZING CURRENT COOPERATION ot industry in the Keep Georgia Green program is this sign on Highway 42 at the Butts County-Henry County line. One side of the sign, above, asks aid in keeping Butts County Green, while the other side, below, presents the Henry County Keep Green message. W.A. Bunch Sons Lumber Company, of Jackson. constructed the sign. LaGrange Box-- (Continued from Pag e 6) the logs are sawed on the inch rather than every two inches. We find there is little lumber waste in his operation, s1nce boards down to a minimum three inch width are utilized.'' Once the lumber has been properly seasoned by air drying, it is dressed by the canpany planer and is ready to be processed in the box plant. In the process of making a box, the lumber is first carefully graded for defects. Narrow widths are grooved and fused to create broader dimensions. The lumber then is cut to proper dimensions, sized, equalized, and passed on to the mailing machines, where it is made into finished ammunition boxes. (Co n ti nued f rom Pag e 7) cials in s t aging the conservation and t r~ e p l ant ing demon stration of the fi rst two days . Every type of f or est c onse rva t ion equipme nt was used in the demonstration. As a p art of the pr o gram the ha rdw ood i n the area was thinned out. Howard J. Doyle , Area Forester for the Sou t hern Pulpwood Conservati~ Assoc i ation, stated that t he demonstratio n was coincidenta l with Presiden t Eisenhower' s e mphas i s on f orest conservation. Killing Fungus-- (Continued from Page 9) yea r, report to t heir Coun ty Forest Ranger district office of ~he Georgia Forestry Comm1 ss1 on. ' ' Special attention, the professo r declare You bet they can. Nine out of ten are started by people ... people like you and your netghbors So be careful ... extu c<~reful with matches, smokes, campfires, tubbtsh fires, any lite. Be su re that every fl.1me, every spark is dead out. Hel p srop Amenca's most shameful waste. Pleare-' Entutd u stconcl clau matttr at tht Pol!t Oftict, Atlanta , Gtorria . ~..- 11 or