Volume 1 ATLANTA, GA., DECEMBER, 1931 Number 12 SOUTH GEORGIA FOREST MRS. W. W. STARK HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT FIRES PIONEER IN FORESTRY AIDS WITH FIRES Mrs. William W. Stark, Commerce, Ga., Crucial Test Successfully Met-Tim- was not only among the first to promote Roadside Fires to Be Suppressed- ber Protective Organizations Effect- the cause of forestry in Georgia but one who did very effective work, especially Equipment Available to Forest ive in Greatest Threat Yet Con- among women's clubs and schools. She Service for Emergencies. fronted-Unorganized Land Own- was second vice-president of the Georgia ers Willing Fighters-Total Area Forestry Association for four years in the Burned Over Only Small Percent- early years of the organization, being the While directing the forest fire cam- age of Whole-Spectacular Swamp Fires Give Appearance of Wide first woman to hold executive office in the Association. While serving as vice-president, Mrs. paign in South Georgia, State Forester B. M. Lufburrow communicated with Governor Richard B. Russell, Jr., and with Cap- Conflagration. Stark put on an aggressive campaign in tain J. W. Barnett of the Highway De- the interest of forestry in the women's partment, and obtained permission for use "Since forest fires have been successful- clubs of the state, offering two silver lov- of highway forces and equipment in for- ly controlled during the long dry spell we ing cups to the districts of the Georgia est fire control. Division highway engi- have had, they can be successfully con- Federation of Women's Clubs doing th,e neers in South Georgia conferred with trolled at any time," says State Forester best work in promoting forestry. The first Mr. Lufburrow and the following day a B. M. Lufburrow. cup was awarded to Mrs. Nora Laurence highway tractor was put on an important That forest fires have been successfully Smith, of Ashburn, for the best record. fire near Valdosta to make firebreaks. combatted during this crucial test is evi- (Continued on page 3, column 2) Captain Barnett has stated that orders denced by the fact that less area has been would be issued to all highway crews to burned over during the fall than usually suppress camp fires and warming fires, and occurs. A survey now being made sub- to otherwise take care of fires started stantiates the statement. along highways. He has also issued or- Many fire s have broken out but realizizing the great damage that fires will do to the trees during the long drouth, citizens generally have been willing fire fightc ders that highway forces render assistance whenever possible in fire control when called upon by representatives of the Ge~rgia Forest Service. ers with the result that except for swamp The aid thus made available for forest fires, the burned area of each fire has fire suppression in the state is considered been less than usual. by State Forester B. M. Lufburrow to be very important and of great help to prop- T. P. O.'s Splendid Work erty owners in protecting their lands Timber protective organizations have met the situation splendidly. Prompt, systematic and intelligent attacks on out- against fire damage. It is an aid which the Georgia Forest Service values very highly. breaks have restricted the burned area to a small percentage of the whole. The ~imber protective organizations have been In great demand to aid in fighting fires in unorganized areas. Men and .equipment have been supplied and as a result, much Unorganized area has been saved thanks to the T. P. O.'s. ' (Continued on page 2, column 1) MRS. W. W. STARK, COMMERCE PIONEER IN GEORGIA FORESTRY Lincoln county land owners appealed to the county commissioners for the use of convicts in fighting forest fires in October and received assistance from that quarter. Chatham county has a forest fire fighting truck and convicts are subject to call in assisting in forest fire control. 2 GEORGIA FOREST LOOKOUT GEORGIA FOREST LOOKOUT In dealing with swamp fires the Geor- damaged timber with comparative ease. gia Forest Service, cooperating with land Those who have swamp timber that fire Published Monthly By owners, only undertook to hold the flames has damaged would do well to immediate- GEORGIA FOREST SERVICE in the swamps. This was accomplished ly cut and log it, getting it away from the State Capitol Atlanta, Ga. both by direct fighting and by backfiring. swamp as soon as possible to avoid rapid C. A. Whittle, Editor State Geologist S. W. McCallie says decay and insect damage that will set up Staff of the Georgia Foreat Service that it is the belief that the Okefenokee if left in its present place. B. M. Lufburrow, State Forester......Atlanta C. A. Whittle, Director of Education and Utilization .................................... Atlanta Everett B. Stone, Jr., Assistant State Forester ................................ Gainesville H. M. Sebring, Asst. State Forester, - Macon C. Bernard Beale, District Forester, swamp once had much more timber land than at present, the timbered area being reduced by fires burning the peat soil from under the trees. The burned soil areas are now occupied by water instead of trees, the islands in the swamp now covered with trees having escaped the fire. Turpentine Operators Active Much credit is due turpentine operators for their suppression of fires during the drouth. The danger to turpentine "faces" was made more acute by the drouth. Operators patrolled their lands closely and were able to rally help and fight fires which ..............................................Waycross W. D. Young, District Forester......- ....Rome Backfiring Methods otherwise would hava spread and destroyed much property. It is noticeable that Jack Thurmond, District Forester, The greatest difficulty about holding as soon as one passes northward out of - Savannah Charles N. Elliott, Assistant Director of Education ---- Atlanta H. D. Story, Jr., District Forester, fires to the swamps and to restricted areas in the swamps, has been promiscuous backfiring. by timber owners or turpentine lands operated for turpentine, there is less fire fighting and more widespread burning by each fire. ................................................ Albany lease holders, who become panicky when W. G. Wallace, District Forester, the smoke drifts in their direction. In ............................................ Columbus fact, the extension of swamp fires has Causes of Fires Most of the fires started during the Mrs. Nellie Nix Edwards, Secretary to the been more largely due to unnecessary drouth were evidently accidental. Those State Forester ..............................Atlanta backfiring than to the spread of the orig- who believe in burning off the woods real- Mrs. R. S. Thompson, Secretary to Direc- inal swamp fire. New blazes were thus ized that it was too dry to start fires withtor of Education and Utilization, Atlanta started in the swamps where it is possible out doing great injury to the ~rees. Hunt- Forest Fires-Cont'd the original fires would not have reached. ers were probably the chief offenders. Some of the most valuable service ren- Building fires in swamps to smoke out Spectacular Swamp Fires dered by the staff of the Georgia Forest 'possums or 'coons that have taken refuge Swamps, bays or ponds, as they are va- Service was in restraining unnecessary in hollow trees or logs, or the burning of riously called in South Georgia, are the backfiring, and in coordinating and con- briar patches to drive out rabbits were scenes of the most spectacular and per- trolling backfiring so as not to spread fire probably the ways some fires were started. sistent fires. On account of the long to land that need not be burned as a Some were started as warming fires made drouth these swamps or low lands that are protective measure. by hunters and by roadside campers. Some usually full of water or very damp, are The foresters helped to correct the ten- few doubtless used fire to avenge some now quite dry. The soil is made of or- dency of property owners and turpentine real or fancied wrong. Railroads evident- ganic matter derived from moss, grass and lease holders to begin backfiring an un- ly started quite a number of fires. forest litter. When dry this soil will burn. necessarily long distance from the threat- Several South Georgia counties offered This is what is occurring in some of the ening fire. They usually make roads or $100 to $200 reward for evidence to con- swamps. fences the starting point for backfiring vict woods burners. These rewards were When the swamp soil burns the trees without much regard to their distance supplemented by offers of $50 to $500 by of that area are left without root support from the fire. Much area is often thus large timber owners, and should have a and crash to the ground. Until enough unnecessarily burned. The correct meth- wholesome effect. rain comes to saturate the ground, these od, of course, is to establish a firing line swamp fires will continue to smoulder and as near to the fire as practicable. In the NOTES FROM THE FIRING LINE burn. Fanned by winds, the soil fires flare absence of roads, streams, trails or other Holes 5 and 6 feet deep were found up and make rapid headway through the natural breaks from which to backfire, burned in peat soils of swamps. surface vegetation and emerge from the plowing may be employed. By the aid of swamps to the higher pine lands where tractors and plows on swamp fires, the Forest fire fighters learn to detect a grasses and undergrowth create an intense Georgia Forest Service was able to estab- woods fire from a peat fire by the odor and harmful blaze. lish close in firing lines, thus saving many of the smoke. When a swamp fire has only started thousands acres from unnecessary burn- and occupies little space it can be held in ing. Smoke put up by a woods fire is white, check by digging a trench around it. On Destructiveness of Swamp Fires but when it gets on the face of turpentine account of the drouth no water is near and No forest fires are more destructive trees it takes on a dark hue. is not depended upon for combatting the than those burning in dry swamps. For fire burning the soil. In case the swamp the most part the swamps are occupied The Arabia bay in Lanier county was fire has been neglected and allowed to by valuable hardwoods and cypress. Be- the largest fire, covering about 8,000 acres. spread, as has been the usual case, trench- cause of the normal presence of moisture Before foresters got to the fire it had ing or any other method of combatting soil fires is impractical. Only enough rain- in the soil the tree roots are shallow. Lack of moisture weakens the vitality of the emerged from the swamp and had burned several thousand turpentine "faces". Work- fall to saturate the soil will put an end to trees and renders them more susceptible ing day and night in cooperation with tim- them. It was these swamp fires persisting for weeks, throwing up a great amount of to injury from heat. This with burning of the soil brings disastrous results. ber owners, the fires were confined to the swamp in three days. smoke to spread as a dense pall for miles Salvaging Swamp Timber The South Georgian says he has "secur- that resulted in reports that all South The fact that swamps are dry makes it ed" his land when he has backfired and Georgia was on fire. possible to enter them and harvest the checked the main fire from further ap- GEORGIA FOREST LOOKOUT 3 ........ proach, which is a pretty good way to de- Mrs. Stark-Cont'd were as follows: President, Warner Hall, scribe it. Plowing furrows in ground that has not been wet for months is another thing. With a tractor and road plow on which two or three ride, furrows can be plowed. Two members of the forestry force scouting for fires, put out two fires single handed by beating out the flames. The best way to get bystanders to fight The second cup was won by Mrs. Don Barnes, of Royston. In her own district (ninth) Mrs. Stark offered cash prizes to schools organizing fo~estry clubs and making the best exhibits of wood and woodcraft. She also carried on a publicity campaign in the newspapers of her district and arranged for forestry meetings in the schools. Mrs. Stark has been prominent in woman's club work in Georgia for several years, having been treasurer of the State Decatur; Vice Presidents, Henry H. Estes, Gainesville, and J. M. Tinker, Athens; Secretary, Chas. N. Elliott, Covington; Treasurer, Lewis H. Johnson, Decatur. Prominent guests attending the conference were Clinton G. Smith, Supervisor of the Cherokee National Forest; Miss Cecelia B. Branham, Brenau College, Gainesville Mr. and Mrs. James A. Hall, Atlanta; Mr. and Mrs. H. M. Jennison, University of Tennessee, Knoxville; and R. R. Ozmer, author and prominent au- fire, the foresters found, was to go in and Federation, chairman of credentials and thority on the southern Appalachians. show them how. The initiative and hard civil service; state chairman of woodcraft fighting of foresters led one land owner in public schools; state superintendent of to say that the Georgia Forest Service had stewardship of the Georgia Baptist W o- saved him many thousands of dollars. man's Missionary Union; chairman of for- estry, publicity, fine arts, illiteracy and FOURTH DISTRICT W. G. Wallace, District Foresrer Columbus J. The highway crews that went on the public welfare in the Ninth District Fed- fires rendered fine service and were highly eration of Women's Clubs; president Wo- T. Fountain of Reynolds to Plant complimented by men in the forest ser- man's Improvement Club, Commerce; his- Large Acreage in Pines vice. torian of J. E. B. Stuart Chapter U. D. Mr. T. J. Fountain of Reynolds, one of C.; historian James Pittman Chapter D. the twelve Master Farmers of Georgia, is The lookout tower on the top of Ware hotel at Waycross was used to advantage in detecting outbreaks of fires in the Way- A. R.; historian of Madison county and now is engaged in writing a history of the county. She also is president of the planning reforestation of more than two hundred acres of formerly cultivated land by planting direct with longleaf pine mast. cross region. Woman's Missionary Society of the First Mr. Fountain has the reputation of being Baptist church of Commerce. thorough in anything he undertakes, there- While the state foresters from the whole country were visiting the Superior Pine Products area at Fargo a fire call came in. A crew dashed off in trucks and were back in half an hour with the fire out. Capt. I. F. Eldredge in charge of the forest, in the meantime proceeded calmly to explain It is with great pleasure that Mrs. Stark is listed in the Georgia Forest Look.out's gallery of notable pioneers in forestry. ANNUAL TRAIL CLUB MEETING fore successful. Although the direct planting of pine seed on areas to be reforested has not generally proven successful it is hoped that this experiment will produce the desired results, and if so, the method followed will be available to others wishing to plant by seeding. their plans of operating the 225,000 acre area. Tennessee-Georgia at Helen. Driving an automobile on a twisting Hikers Convene Old Indian Trail on Pine Mountain To Be Opened up as Scenic Highway and Firebreak woods road through a smoke so dense one could see only a few feet ahead is another incident in a forester's life on the firing line. The reporter who surveyed the fire Sixteen hardy hikers from the Smoky Mountain Club of Tennessee, traversed their rugged peaks and came into the Blue Ridge of Georgia on the week end of November 7-8 for the annual meeting of the Georgia Appalachian Trail Club. Mr. A. S. Persons, president of the Meriwether County Timber Protective Organization, with the commissioners of Harris and Meriwether counties, and officials of the Meriwether Foundation, Inc., made an organized tour in automobiles of an old Indian trail leading along the ridge of Pine area from an aeroplane and reported all Forty-five members of the Georgia Club Mountain from Warm Springs to Tip Top, South Georgia on fire must have met with poor visibility due to widespread smoke were present. The annual conference was featured by where the Columbus-Atlanta highway goes over Pine Mountain. This old Indian trail floom very few fires. a square dance in the spacious hall of follows along the ridge for a distance of Mitchell Mountain Ranch and a hike to the about twelve miles, and is the location of a One farmer in the fire region said his top of Tray Mountain, one of Georgia's proposed scenic route that has long been land had not had a wetting rain since highest peaks. This trip was one of the in the minds of hundreds of Georgians. Jlarch. most enjoyable of the year on account The Hon. George Foster Peabody, in a of the colorful autumn foliage and the letter to the Columbus Inquirer-Sun, called "Let's Report All Fires and Help Stop cool, pleasant weather. the attention of people in this section to 'Ein", appears in large letters on a black Mr. E. G. Frizzell, of the University of the scenic possibilities of Pine Mountain board in the lobby of the Appling county Tennessee Experiment Station, was the and its attraction to tourists. Dr. Peabody COurthouse, placed there by County principle speaker on the program. He in all probability, has dreamed of a scenic Arent Walker who is also secretary of a gave a very interesting and inspirational route along the ridge of this beautiful tbnber protective organization. Mr. Walk- talk on the Smoky Mountains and the ac- little mountain range. er is an ardent fire protectionist. tivities of the Knoxville club. Dr. H. M. The Georgia Forest Service is anxious Jennison, botanist of the University of to see this project developed, and to have . A group of students studying forestry Tennessee, made a short talk on the Great the entire mountain range finally incor- ~ Stockton Consolidated School, headed Smoky Mountain National Park. porated into Timber Protective Organiza- Professor Guy Waddell, rendered valu- Officers elected for the coming year tions similar to the one now protecting ~ service fighting fires at Arabia bay. for the Georgia Appalachian Trail Club the timberlands around Warm Springs. 4 GEORGIA FOREST LOOKOUT Parson Huit Preaches Fire Protection D. C. Brumbalow, county agent, and STATE FORESTERS A. H. From Pulpit Huit, colored preacher and land- Senator E. R. King were of considerable assistance in organizing this T. P. 0. MET IN SOUTii owner, living in Chattahoochee county believes in preaching fire protection from SIXTH DISTRICT Georgia and Florida Hosts to One of the pulpit. Parson Huit is one of those Jack Thurmond, District Forester Most Successful Sessions of Na good souls who believe that if you set Savannah tional Association - Studied Pine the Devil's weapon, fire, to destroying Belt. God's woods the Devil is likely to catch you. soon Protective Work Started on Liberty On October 16, the opening session of EIGHTH DISTRICT H. D. Story, Jr., District Forester T. P. 0. the National Association of State Foresters On October 15th, Mr. W. I. Staf- was held at Savannah with the Georgia ford, Patrolman on the Liberty County State Board of Forestry as host and with Albany T. P. 0. started fire-break construction Secretary of State John Wilson acting as work on the 21,000 acres of land listed toastmaster. The visitors from all parts Flint River T. P. 0. in the organization. of the country heard words of welcome Flint River Timber Protective Organiza- The work is being done with a Fordson from T. G. Woolford, Atlanta, president tion,' located in Decatur county with a tractor and side plow. In wet weather of the Georgia Forestry Association; J. small area extending into Seminole county, this type of output is not so good but due Cheshire Nash for Savannah; and United was formed September 22 with an area of to the continued drouth in Southeast States Senator William J. Harris. E. 0. 33,016 acres owned by W. G. Powell and Georgia the bays and ponds are all dry Siecke, president, responded. After an- son, George S. Tucker, Dr. H. H. Brinson, and plowing with this type of outfit has nouncements by State Foresters B. M. Charles Hodges, G. W. Donalson and C. M. proven to be the most economical and Lufburrow of Georgia and Harry Lee Freeman. successful. Baker of Florida, visiting foresters were Dr. R. L. Z. Bridges listed 5,640 acres in Fire-breaks are constructed on this or- introduced. this T. P. 0. on November 3 for protection ganization by plowing two furrows 25 to After a tour of Savannah, the foresters which makes a total of 38,656 acres. 30 feet apart and burning out the inter- proceeded to Brunswick, visiting Old Mid- W. G. Powell and son, Lamar Powell, vening strip. Mr. Stafford states that way church enroute. At Brunswick the signed up a large portion of this area. for the 50 miles of break that he has al- Hercules Powder Company pine stump They have been engaged in the naval stores ready plowed the average cost for plow- utilization plant and the Georgia Creosot- business for a good many years, working a part of their land for turpentine and grazing cattle on their holdings. They have been interested in fire protection and have actually been protecting a large area ing has amounted to $2.00 per mile. The burning out of the strip will be done just as soon as there is a little moisture in the soil and will be contracted to different in- ing plant were inspected. Proceeding to Waycross, a night session was held. E. 0. Siecke delivered the president's address. C. S. Judd spoke on forestry in Hawaii, Prof. Paul Chapman told for several years by putting in fire breaks dividuals at $1.50 per mile which makes of forestry in vocational schools of Geor- unassisted. the total operation cost $3.50 per mile. gia, and State Forester Fred Merrill of There are good prospects for a large To date Mr. Stafford has reported no Mississippi and H. L. Demmon, director T. P. 0. in this locality as people are very fires on the land listed in the Liberty T. of the Southern Forest Experiment Station much interested. P .. 0. but on unprotected lands in the at New Orleans, spoke on the effect of Dr. Bridges is a naval stores operator; county numerous fires have occurred which fire on longleaf pine. Charles Hodges is grazing cattle on his have caused untold damage. All land- Visits were made to forests of the Tim- land and has shown unusual interest. He, owners in this county are urged to see Mr. ber Products Company, Cogdell and Supe- with Lamar Powell, assisted in the organ- Stafford and arrange to cooperate with rior Pine Products Company, Fargo, on ization of the unit. him in the protection work and be care- Tuesday. Reaching Jacksonville a night The officers are: W. G. Powell, presi- ful with fires in this time of great danger. program consisted of addresses by Fred dent; Lamar Powell, vice-president, and Morrell and A. B. Hastings of the U. S. Charles Hodges, secretary-treasurer. Treutlen T. P. 0. Constructs Breaks Forest Service on cooperative relations of All budgets have been completed and federal and state forest services. work is to begin soon. Fire break construction work has start- On Wednesday visits were made to the Cemocheechobee T. P. 0. ed on the Treutlen T. P. 0. as Mr. James Osceola National Forest and naval stores The Cemocheechobee Timber Protective Fowler, Jim Gillis and M. H. Newsome go laboratories, and to the McCloskey tur- Organization of Fort Gaines, in Clay into their fifth year of fire protection pentine still near Lake City where brief county, was organized September 5, with work. They use the plowed and burned talks from E. W. Hadley, V. L. Harper and an area of 10,055 acres and 14 members. breaks and have obtained good results Geo. P. Shingler of the federal service The officers are: E. R. King, president; with th!iJm since they started the work. were heard. A visit was made to branch Zach Arnold, vice-president; and D. C. Several small fires have started on this naval stores experiment station at Starke, Brumbalow, secretary-treasurer. organization's area but due to the efficient and state nursery at Raiford. The members are as follows: Zach Ar- system of protection used they were ex- At Ocala a business session was held, nold, Senator E. R. King, P. C. King, G. W. tinguished before doing any material dam- and the next day the forestry party visited Garrison, A. J. Shaw, W. G. Grimsley, age. The few fires occurring in this coun- Daytona Beach and St. Augustine, return- A. C. Sutton, W. G. Gay, J. W. West, ty were started from trains and roadside ing to Jacksonville, where the session Mayor B. M. Turnipseed, N. H. McLendon, fires. No fires appear to have been start- formally ended. Dr. J. 0. Baldwin, J. E. Peterson, J. B. ed by any local individual as the educa- Grimsley. tion against woods burning in Treutlen Birds have effectively controlled two This area is pretty scattered but there county has reached a stage where all the outbreaks of the southern pine beetle on is a chance to block it in so that it will people know the harm that results and the Pisgah National Forest,. North Caro- be fairly solid when the people see how theY. are all anxious to keep the woods 1ina, according to observations of R. A. the organization functions. rough. St. George, of the Bureau of Entomology.