Forestry-geological review [Sept. 1935]

DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY AND GEOLOGICAL DEVELOPMEN

Vol. 5

ATLANTA, GA., SEPTEMBER, 1935

No.9

Federal

Forestry

Work

I D

Georgia FIFTH ANNUAL VOCATIONAL FORESTRY CAMP HELD AT

DAHLONEGA JULY 28, AUG. 3

Brief Sketch of the Government's Forestry Activities in the South Given

by Joseph C. Kircher, Regional Forester, Atlanta

The fifth annual vocational forestry

. camp was held at The North Georgia Col-

On July 1, 1934, the U. S. Forest Serv- plans are laid and executed for the devel- lege, Dahlonega, Georgia, during the week

ice established Regional headquarters in opment of the resources of these forests. July 28 to August 3. Previously the dura-

Atlanta to handle its activities in 11 south- While in many of them watershed protec- tion of the camp was three weeks, but due

ern states. This was done so that the fed- tion is the primary consideration, it is pos- to the lack of finances could be held for

eral foresters could be in closer touch with sible to secure this and still make use of the only one week this year.

the forestry activities of the most import- timber and other resources.

One hundred and six vocational students

ant forest region in the United States and The policy of the Forest Service is to attended the camp, 63 for the first t.ime and

the success of the first year of local admin- develop all of the resources under coordi- 43 in the second year group. Sixty counties

istration has thoroughly justified the move. nated plans which provide that no resource were represented. The students were se-

All of the activities of the U. S. Forest be slighted. Thus, although in a forest the lected on the basis of a competitive exami-

Service in the south head up in the Atlanta timber stands ar" rehabilitated and timber nation in forestry, general scholarship and

office except research, which for the same will be cut as it matures, the recreational moral charact.er also being considered.

region is centered in the Forest Experi- possill>ilities are being developed also and Courses in tree identification and utili-

ment Stations at New Orleans and Ashe- fish and game are being protected. In this zation were studied by the first year group,

ville.

way, these areas not only will become per- while the second year boys studied survey-

The broad lines of acitvities of the For- manent sources of timber supply based upon ing and mensuration. Since the camp was

est Service which are centered in Atlanta which permanent communitjes will be built held for only one week, the students began

JLre:

up, but they are also becoming playgrounds their studies the first day, using all the

1. The acquisition, protection and admin- where the public may camp and rest or time available for classes. As a result of

istration of the National Forests.

hunt and fish under state laws.

intensive work, six of the second year

2. The cooperative fire control with the In Georgia, national forest purchases are group made an average of 100 and nine

states under the Clarke-McNary Law. limited to the mountain sections of the made an average of 98. The honor roll for

3. The administration of CCC work on northern part of the state. Here two na- the second year group is as follows: George

national forests and general supervis- tiona! forests, the Cherokee and the Nan- Brown, Carnesville; Frank Downer, Rich-

ion over the state and private CCC tahala, are being developed. So far, some- land; James Harden, Ocilla; Hugh Lewis,

forest camps.

what less than one-half million acres have Washington; Dewey Medders, Sylvester;

4. Cooperation with states and the lum- been purchased, but upon completion, the Mario'n Renfroe, Quitman, all of whom

ber industry to get better forest practices in private timberlands.
When 'the forestry ,movement start.ed some 40 years ago, large areas of public domain were set aside as national forests in the west, and these have been protected

two foresb will contain about one million made 100; Cecil Attaway, Wrightsville;

I ~res.of f~rallands in Georgia.

Buel Carlan, Commerce; Lehman Dekle,

Even though these areas have been Register; Edwin Drake, Adrian; Charley

largely cut over in the past, and many of ; Jones, Coffee; John Miller, Franklin; Scott

these repeatedly burned, they are 'always Walters, Gore: ?eorge w.estbrook, Cadwell

supplying some wood products which are and Henry Williams, Plams, who made an

and developed ever since. In the east and harvested by the local population. So far, average of 98. south, however, the government no longer cutting of timber has been largely in the The honor roll of the first year group is

held any wild lands, so that it was not pos- nature of salvage or t.o better growing as follows:

sible to create forests here. In 1911, how- conditions, and it will be many years be- William Dalton, Dacula, Ga., 98.8; Paul

ever, public demand for the protection of fore these forests come into full production. Barrett, Sparks, 98.1; Charlie Kiker, Jr.,

watersheds through preservation of forest Meanwhile, however, they have become Epworth, 97.5; Fred Brown, Carnesville,

cover resulted in the passage by Congress great summer playgrounds where thousands 97.5; James Rainwater, Fairburn, 96.5;

of the Weeks Law, which allowed the feder- of Georgians enjoy the beauty of the moun- Ray Stephens, Franklin, 96; Wiallace

al government to purchase lands for nation- tain scenery, the cool climate and the fish- Childs, Chula, 96; Amos Ray, Dalton, 95.5; al forests. Later, this authority was enlarg- ing and hunting. To make these forests of Jack Veatch, Ila, 95.5; Ellis Clarke, Leslie,

ed to allow purchase of lands for timber greater public use, a good road system is 95.

growing also. Under these laws a system of being developed ail well as a number of The eamp was in charge of Mr. Geo. I.

national forest is being developed in the camp and picnic grounds. On the shores of Martin, Assistant Supervisor of Vocational

south.

Lake Rabun the Forest Service will soon Education, Tifton, Ga., and the instructors

Only true forest lands are purchased develop a bathing beach.

were: Geo. W. Moseley, Forester, Abraham

and upon acquisition, a complete fire pro- It would be unwise, of course, for the Baldwin College, Tifton; District Forest-

tection system is installed. At the same time

(Continued on Page 5, Col. 1)

(Continued on next page)

j

2

FORESTRY-GEOLOGICAL REVIEW

Forestry-Geological Review
Published Monthly by the
DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY AND GEOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT
State Capitol, Atlanta
CLAUDE E. BOGGS, EDITOR
Forestry Diviaion B. M. Lufburrow, State Forester
and Secretary of Commission..Atlanta Claude E. Boggs, Educational Mgr. Atlanta H. M. Sebring, Asst. State Forester, Atlanta T. P. Hursey, Dist Forester_________________Rome W. D. Young, Dist. Forester______Gainesville S. L. McCrary, Dist. Forester,________Augusta W. G. Wallace, District Forester..Columbus Jack Thurmond, Dist. Forester.... Savannah R. D. Franklin, Dist. Forester......Waycross H. D. Story, Jr., District Forester....Albany Mrs. N. N. Edwards, Secretary______Atlanta Mrs. R. S. Thompson, Treasurer......Atlanta

group an illustrated lecture on the minerals, metals and clays to be found in Georg ia, and conducted the entire student body to a now disused mica mine, where samples of mica were secured.
At the final assembly, held on Friday evening, August 2, State Forester B. M. Lufburrow delivered a prize of $75 offered annually by the Georgia Forestry Association for the best work in forestry done by .u vocational teacher, to Claude E. Boggs, who had been principal and vocational teacher at Dawsonville High School for four years, and previous to that had been at Gore High School in the same capacity. 'IIhis prize has been designated the H erty Prize in honor of Dr. Chas. H. Herty.
The camp singing was conducted by Mrs. Boggs, and the camp secretaries were Miss Elsie Edwards of Sylvester and Mrs. Nellie Edwards of Atlanta.

Development and the Department of Vocational Education, for the express purpose of furthering our study of forestry in a more intensive way, which it is not possible to do in the classroom; desire to express our appreciation for this camp; therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED : That we, the students attending the fifth Vocational Forestry Camp, held at the North Georgia College in Dahlonega, do hereby express our deep appreciation of the opportunities afforded us for the study of forestry in the camp, and respectfully request the continuation of this camp, believing that it is a means of sUmulating interest in forestry in general and in preserving and properly utilizing the forest resources of our great state; and
BE IT RESOLVED: That we express our appreciation to the North Georgia Col-

Geologic.al Diviaion
R. W. Smith, State Geologist............Atlanta
G. W. Crickmay, Asst. State Geologist, ------------------------------------------Atlanta
Lane Mitchell, Asst. State GeoL...Atlanta Miss Margaret Gann, Clerk..~---------Atlanta

ers W. D. Young, Gainesville; W. Gordon Wallace, Columbus; Stewart L. McCrary, Augusta; Claude E . Boggs, Educational Manager, Georgia Forest Service, Atlanta; they were assisted by the following vocatjonal teachers: W. J . Culberson, W. A. Maddox, J. A. Ariail, J. G. Hatcher, W. R. Moseley, C. F. Richards, C. P. Hamilton,
C. A. Nix. Although the work was speeded up all
possible, yet the teachers did not forget that "all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy", so each afternoon a halt was called in the studies and competitive games of baseball were held on the athletic fi eld beginning at 4:30, between the first year group on one side and the second year group on the other.
At eight o'clock each evening there was general assembly in the auditorium of the college for motion pictures and a prepared program. T-he state forester, the state geologist, the dean of the State College of Agriculture, the State Supervisor of Agricultural Education, the Head of the Forest School at Athens, the president of The North Georgia College at Dahlonega, and several members of the college staff, appeared on the programs in the evenings.
The entire student body was taken on a tour across Woody's Gap, through the national forest and other points of interest in the Blue Ridge mountains. At the gap there is a fire tower on top of the mountain which gives a panoramic view of the surrounding country, the valley at the foot of the mountain and the Blue Ridge chain _of mountains extending for miles as far as the eye can reach. The climbing of this tower was a feat accomplished by almost every student and teacher.
The state geologist gave the second year

Top-First Year Students attending Vocational Forestry Camp. Bottom-Second Year Group.

STUDENT BODY PASSES RESOLUTIONS
The students attending the vocational forestry camp held at Dahlonega for the week July 28 to August 3, in appreciation of the privilege of attending camp, and to those whose interest and enthusiasm made the camp possible, through their committee passed the following resolutions, which were read and unanimously adopted at the closing session on Friday night:
WHEREAS, we the vocational agricultural students of the State of Georgia, who have been privileged to attend a summer camp known as the Vocational Forestry Camp, this camp conducted jointly by the Department of Forestry and Geological

lege in Dahlonega, for the use of the college buildings and grounds for the camp and for the splendid cooperation shown in every way, particularly in furnishing equipment for our athletic activities, for the cordial and friendly spirit of hospitality extended both the instructors and students, and their ever ready willingness to be of service to us; and
BE IT ALSO RESOLVED: That we thank the State Department of Vocational Education for their part in making it possible to ;1ttend this camp.
Respectfully submitted:
FRANKLIN PERKINS, Alpharetta H. A. McKIBBEN, Pavo GEORGE BROWN, Carnesville
-Committee.

FORESTRY-GEOLOGICAL REVIEW

3

CCC ENROLEES TO PLANT

SCHOOLS DOING BEST WORK

Unusual interest was shown in this dem-

CARPET GRASS SEED

IN FORESTRY, YEAR 1934-35 onstration, not only by students, but by

people in the community.

Seed to be Planted on Firebreaks Constructed by Timber Protective Organizatio.ns and Landown-
ers

Dawsonville High School Awarded Herty Prize by Georgia Forestry Association
Each year the Georgia Forestry Associa-

General interest was also created in forest fire prevention through stud'ent effort, principally as the result of posting fire pre vention signs in conspicuous places through.out the community.

According to a recent ruling by F. A. tion awards a prize to the vocational agri- On the school forest the principal ac-

Silcox, Chief Forester of the U. S. Forest cultural teacher doing the best work in for- tivity was in thinning and pruning trees,

Service, CCC enrolees may be used in plan- estry. For the school year of 1934-35 this a work that was also extended to adjoin-

ting carpet grass seed on all primary and prize went. to Claude E. Boggs at the Daw- ing forests.

secondary firebreaks constructed by the sonville High Schol. This school is located

CCC boys, and on the secondary firebreaks constructed by timber protective organizations and land owner~.
The state forester advises that land owners located in the areas t.o be planted will be required to furnish the seed and all necessary equipment to do the planting. The labor will be furnished by ECW.
It has been suggested that the TPO secretaries contact the members of their organizations, determine the amount of seed that will be required for each land owner and these orders can be pooled, in order to secure a better price. It is important that these arrangements be made as quickly as

in the second district of which W. D. Young, Gainesville, is district forester.
Mr Boggs and his students carried out as far as possible the management plans laid out by the Georgia Forest Service for conducting the school project..

In the first forestry district of the state, composed of 20 counties in northwest Georgia, with T. P . Hursey as district forester at Rome, the teacher reported as doing the best work in forestry for the school year 1934-35, is R. L. Johnson, Fairburn. Prof. Johnson not only did good work in promoting forestry in his school and community last year, but has carried on a good forestry program for the past. two years. A great deal of interest has been created in forestry by the work that has been done in the school room and by students on their home projects.

possible; otherwise, seed dealers will not

There were 62 forestry students, each of

have a supply equal to the demand and

whom had a home project on which he

prices would probably be advanced.

practiced pruning, thinning, constructed

In the case of TPOs t.hat have no CCC

firebreaks and did some planting.

work, orders may be taken for seed and the

A school project was started on which

planting done by the individual land own-

2,000 loblolly, 1,000 longleaf and 500 slash

ers.

pines were planted. A seed bed was estab-

This offers a great opportunity to reduce

lished in which black locust seed were

the fire hazard in the forests of the state,

p:lanted. The pupils gathered several pounds

and would be a definite step forward in the

of loblolly pine seed some of which were

efforts of the Department of Forestry to

planted and the rest sold. In addition to

prevent and control forest fires.

forest practices on their own school forest,

The CCC camps have constructed 5,374.5

these students included other areas nearby

miles of new firebreaks in the state 20 to

where practical demonstratioRs were car-

25 feet in width, and private land owners themselves have added 20,000 miles of fire-

Display of specimens of woods collected by Dawsonville Forestry students

ried on.

breaks on the protected areas in south Georgia. If these areas could be planted to carpet grass, it would save consid'erable firebreak maintainance and would also be of value to the cattlemen by offering additional pasturage for almost year round grazing.

Each student studying forestry was re- ~ In the forestry district where S. L. Mcquired to have a home project in forestry, Crary is district. forester, with headquarusing for the project two or more acres of ters at Augusta, the best work in forestry woodland. Protection, thinning, pruning was done by schools at Stapleton and Wrens. and planting where necessary, were carried This forest project is conducted jointly by on by the student. A plan of work was fol- the two ~chools, with Prof. J. K. Callahan

lowed for each project covering a season, in charge of both. Mr. Callahan is to be con-

Such an opportunity for a coordinated land use program should prove attractive

this being part of the student's regular instruction in forestry.

gratulated on the splendid program carried on with these schools, which not only creat-

I to every land owner because growing Um-
ber and grazing can, under this program, go hand in hand.
CAMP NOTES

The enterprise that created the most interest, among the students and in the community as a whole, was the collecting of 69
sections of different woods found in the

ed a great deal of interest among the students themselves, but throughout. the entire county. Both schools had 55 boys in the
forestry work.

It is told of one teacher from south comn:unit~ and arranging these in an at- An outstanding piece of work revealing

Georgia, that he drove so slowly around tractive display.

a high degree of initiative on the part of

some of the curves when he arrived in Tree seed were collected by the students Mr. Callahan is the organizing of a timber

north Georgia, his car stalled and the boys and five tree seed beds established for and game protective association in his

jumped out and had to hold the car back to growing seedling.s with which to plant school district, which includes almost the

keep it. from running away down hill.

school property.

upper half of the county. He hopes to

On Wednesday after'noon the first year group elected officers to serve for two years. Ellis Clarke, Union High School, Leslie, was elected president, and Edward Stone, Palmer-Stone Consolidated, Oxford,

A circular demonstration to show the
correct spacing of pines was established. The rows of planted seedlings, radiating from a center widen, and this provides a great range of spacing to give informaUon as to which spacing is be5t to use in the

make this organization county-wide in a short time.
The students have spent one double period per month studying forestry; they collected and sold pine seed and planted 400 seedlings.

vice president.

region.

(Continued on next page)

4

FORESTRY-GEOLOGICAL REVIEW

Hogansville High School, Hogansville, carrying forward this program throughout visit the laboratory, afterwards visiting the

Ga. is reported as the school in the fourth the entire section.

school at Soperton.

forestry district doing the most outst.and- Articles for the county paper were pre- The forestry students a~ a special forest

ing work in forestry during the period men- pared by the students, and an educational project, have planted a belt of pines on one

tioned. Mr. C. A. Bray is the vocational trip to the pulp and paper plant. at Savan- side of the school forest. to act as a screen

teacher and W. Gordon Wallace is district nah was made during the school term.

and to demonstrate the growth of seedlings

forester with headquarters at Columbus. This school ranked third in the , state for doing the best forestry work.
Twenty-five peunds of pine seed were collected, ten dollars worth sold and the remainder planted. This included: loblolly pine, longleaf pine and dogwood. The Hogansville Nurseries purchased five pounds
of loblolly seed and have planted a seed bed

At Soperton, 18 students in forestry gathered tree seed, established seed beds and transplanted 100 seedlings on the school forest. The management plans prescribed by the Georgia Fo;rest Service were carried out, and in addition the boys have a cabin where they meet and discuss their work and enjoy social activities.

over a period of years.
Pavo High School at Pavo, J. D. Davis, teacher of vocational agriculture, not only ranked first in the district where H. D. Story, Jr. is district forester at Albany, but is one of the three schools in the state doing the most outstanding work in forestry. A total of 425 pupil hours were spent in

of them as an experimental project. Young dogwood and redbud trees were
transplanted from the woods to the school grounds.
Fruits from all the different species of trees in this community were collected and an exhibit made by the students. They also collected, cured, mounted and exhibited leaves from all species of tree!.',
The Hogansvidle Kiwanis Club, with 45 members, sponsored a special forestry program. One of the forestry students from Hogansville High School made a talk on the

In the seventh forestry district of the state where Russell Franklin is district forester in charge at Waycross, the school to rank first in forestry work is Screven High School, with H. B. Franklin as teacher of vocational agriculture. Twenty-five students in the school took the forestry work. They carried out the management plans as furnished by the Georgia Forest Service, which included _the gathering of tree seed and establishing seed beds.
A vigorous campaign was conducted in

studying the subject. of forestry. Forty-one students collected pine seed;
of this number twenty planted seed beds as part of their home work in forestry. A total of 500 square feet of space was planted by these students, in their home projects, and four seed beds 4 x 40 feet were constructed on the school forest. A total of 1,000 seedlings were planted by the students.
A fire survey was made covering 6,510 acres, getting the amount burned, the per cent killed and the eause of each fire. The firebreak around the school forest was re-

value of forestry in Georgia and how we fire prevention, and special demonstrations built.

can best protect our forests, and displayed in thinning were held which created con- Of the special work carried on by the

the leaf, seed and fruit exhibit, each species siderable interest through the community. students, probably the most notable was the

of which was carefully labeled. Samples of A father and son banquet was sponsored printing of a special edition of the county

different woods were shown and pictures by the students, and Dr. Allen from the paper. This was an issue devoted to fores-

obtained from the federal forest service. Pulp and Paper Laboratory at Savannah try and the paper was made at the labor-

Plans are being perfected for the erec- gave an interesting talk on the experiments atory in Savannah from pines grown in

tion during the summer of a log cabin on that are being carried on with pines as a Thomas county.

the school forest, for special meetings and source of pulp and paper. The forestry The forestry students in this school are

social activities. The boys also built a fish students and some representative citizens required to identify forty species of trees

pond near the school.

of the county made a trip to Savannah t.o and know their botanical names.

As further evidence of the interest of the

Kiwanis Club, an essay contest was held,

and a number of articles were written for

the LaGrange Daily News. This School has established a school for-

Working in The Forestry Project

estry library, and a number of books, bul-

letins and pamphlets on this subject. have

been secured

Shad Calloway, a graduate of Hogans-

ville High School, a forestry student and winner of vocational fore;.try certificate,



now an FERA teacher, continues his inter-

est in forestry by giving special lectures

to farmers and others in the county who

may be interested on forestry practices, and

the prevention of soil erosion by means of

proper terracing and reforestation.

In the district i~ which Jack Thurmond is district forester, with headquarters at Savannah, Vidalia and Center Schools, F. D. Garrard, teacher of vocational agriculture ranks first as regards work done, and Soperton High School, N. J. Deal, vo-ag teacher, is second.
Twenty-seven students were in the class under Mr. Garrard. Seed were collected and seed beds established by the students. Mr. Garrard called the farmers of the commun ity together for the discussion of forestry pr9P.lems and definite plans were made for

The above picture shows a group of the Pavo Forestry Students working in the Forestry Demonstration Plot.

FORESTRY-GEOLOGICAL REVIEW

5

FEDERAL FORESTRY WORK IN

doing most of the development work in the is hoped will develop this TPO into one of

GEORGIA

fore5ts, and their labors will have far- the best in the district. They expect to em-

(Continued from first page) federal government to 01ttempt to purchase

reaching beneficial results.

ploy a secretary-patrolman in the early

all of the forest land in the south to rehab- The other line of activity of the U. S. part of September.

ilitate it. The greater part. of it must remain in private ownership, and the owners must be encoura~ed to protect their lands against. fire and to keep them productive. The leadership in getting better forest practice on private lands has been taken cooperatively by the State Forestry Departments ,and the U. S. Forest Service. Thus, while the states have most of the direct contacts with private owners, and supervise the fire control activities, the U. S. Forest Service assists the states with advice and with funds.
In Georgia, this arrangement has been very successful. Under it State Forester B. M. Lufburrow has built up a number of strong timber protective organizations, which are now controlling fires on five million acres of private forest lands. As

Forest Service mentioned is cooperating with the states and the lumber industry in getting better woods practice. This is quite new and started last year with the development of the conservation provisions of the lumber code. In spite of the cancellation of the code, the Forest Service is now organizing this service to the lumber industry in .order to advise it as to better woods practice and how to keep timber lands pr'lductive. Quite naturally, the government cannot make detailed management plans for private timberland1i. This is a job for private and consulting foresters.
It can, however, advise lumberland owners and operators how to modify their practices to keep their lands productive, and it can give leadership in cooperation with the

Martha Berry T. P. 0.
At this time the Berry School property is all the land covered by this TPO. However, plans are being worked out to broaden the scope of this organization. As land is purchased for addition to the school property, it is put under fire protection. This is an ideal forest; fires are kept down to a minimum and natural reproduction is abundant. A private nursery is operated, and the seedling1i raised are planted wherever it is impossible to have natural reproduction.
Camp P-87, located on the end of the property, has been at work for about a month constructing trails through the property.

additional state and federal funds become available, the system should be extended so that ultimately it will cover the entire state.
Much credit for the extension of fire control must. also be given to the Georgia Forestry Association, a group of public spirited citizens, who, through their support of the forestry movement in the state, have done much to better conditions. The farsighted policy of this association has certainly made the task of state and federal forestry officials an easier one.

states in getting better woods practices; aNd this is what it plans to do.
This, then, gives a brief sketch of the government's forestry activities in the south. Lack of space prevents more details, but it. must be added that the Forest Service has localized its administration in order that it may have a better understanding of local conditions, and so that it may be of highest public service. The local forest officers are public spirited; they believe in their communities and they want to help them put their timber resources to the best and highest use. The whole organization is

Camp P-86, Menlo, Ga.
Camp P-86 is located in an abandoned field on the top of Lookout Mountain. It will have as its job the preparation of forest property belonging to members of the Lookout Mountain TPO, so that this property can be protected permanently from devastating fires which have slowed the timber growth in this country in past years.
During the short time that this camp has been working, many signs of improvement can already be seen. Patrolman 0. C. Greene is very helpful. In addition t.o his regular

Two and a half years ago, the CCC move- here to assist t.he peop-le of the State of duties as patrolman, he relays messages for

ment was injected into the forestry situa- Georgia, and other neighboring states, in the camp, points out TPO property to sur-

tion. Aside from the building of young men bringing to full production their wonderful veyors, and helps the camp superintendent

into good citizens, the impetus which the timber resources.

get permits where necessary.

CCC boys have given forestry is beyond measure. Surely forest protection and timber production are years ahead of what

JOSEPH C. KIRCHER Regional Forester

The district forester spent August 20 and 21 at. the 4-H Club camp held on the rifle range near Ringgold, Ga. Boys from five or

they would have been without the Civilian

six counties attended this camp and they

Conservation Corps. While the Labor Department enrolls the men and the Army

FIRST DISTRICT

were given special instruction in fire protection.

houses and feeds them, the su~rvision of

T. P. Hursey, Dist. Forester

the work falls largely to the U. S. Forest Service. Some other agencies, such as the

Rome

1

Soil Conservation ~Service and the National : . . . . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -1

SECOND DISTRICT

Park Service work men from a large number of camps, but the majority are supervised by the Forest Service. In the southern

Cherokee County T. P. 0.
After a short-lived slump, the Cherokee

W. D. Young, Dist. Forester, Gainesville

region, the work of 322 camps, each of 200 county T. P. 0. has returned to its former

men, is under the supervision of the Regional office. Of these camps, 128 are directly handled by state foresters on state and private forest lands.
The camp set-up in Georgia, under the supervision of the Forest Service, consists

state of activity. A secretary-patrolman has been employed, and in order to adequately cover the entire protected area, they expect to have another patrolman in the near future.
The county grand jury, at their regular

Plans are being made to organize the Sandy Creek area near Athens, Georgia into a Timber Protective Organization. This area has been under the Administration of the Soil Erosion Service for the past year or so. Meetings will be held at various

of 12 camps on the national forests, 19 camps on private lands, the latter directly handled by the state forester. These camps have done a tremendous amount of work in putting forests into better shape. They have constructed hundreds of miles of fire con-

meeting, recommended that the county commissioners pay $500 per year to the TPO, in order to make it county-wide.
This TPO was organized about the first of July this year, and is to be commended for its good work.

points over the area at an early date with prospects of signing up a total area of 105,000 acres.
Signed up acreage in the Tugalo TPO is steadily increasing, 25,000 acres having been signed up to date. This T. P. 0. em-

trol roads, as well as telephone lines, fire

braces part of Hart and Stephens and all

lines, lookout towers and other improve-

Lookout Mountain T. P. 0.

of Franklin county. Plans are being made

ments. They have improved the timber The Lookout Mountain TPO has had set- to extend the area and make the TPO a 3

stands, built recreational improvements and backs from time to time, due to various county organization. Meetings will be held

fought forest fires. In fact, these boys are reasons, but a plan is now on foot which it this month and next with this in view.

6

FORESTRY-GEOLOGICAL REVIEW

SIXTH DISTRICT Jack Thurmond, Dist. Forester
Savannah

DR. AUSTIN CARY RETIRES FROM ACTIVE SERVICE
Was Authority on Scientific Forest Practices - Valuable Service

contacts with t.he land owners and farmers particularly in south Georgia, where he has known their forestry problems, has been their personal friend, calling them by their given names and has worked side by side

Liberty-Long T. P. 0.-Equipment Purchased

Rendered National and State Forest Services Alike
With almost. a half century of active

with them in their forests, has endeared him to them personally and has borne much fruit throughout. the years.
To quote from the U. S. Forest Service

The Board of Directors of the Liberty- work in the forestry profession behind him, Bulletin, from an article by A. B. Hastings,

Long Timber Protective Organization at Dr. Austin Cary, whose latest title was on the retirement of Dr. Cary, "His keen

their last meeting purchased a Forty Die- Seniqr Logging Engineer, retired from the grasp of practical forestry, unfailing good

sel tractor and Hester Plow for use in con- U S. Forest Service on July 31st.

sense, modesty and determination have per-

structing and maintaining firebreaks and Beginning when forestry was a new and haps been at the root. of his almost univers-

truck trails.

untried profession, with keen foresight, ' al success in dealing with forest land own-

The equipment is on the ground and ac- good judgment and hard work, Dr. Cary ers."

tual maintenance work on firebreaks con- has just laid aside his profession for a well Chief Forester F. A. Silcox of the U. S.

structed from ECW fund s will begin on earned rest. However, it is felt by those in Fore5t Service expresses sincere regret at

September 1st.

close touch with Dr. Cary that his career is the retirement of Dr. Cary from active

The T. P . 0 . through its manager who by no means ended and that his advice and service, and at the same 'time congratulates

has charge of all T. P. 0. work will super- experience will be sought frequently by him on what he has meant to the cause of

vise the maintenance of all firebreaks and those who need guidance in the fields of forestry in the United States.

construction of all new secondary breaks. forestry practice where he is an unques- Dr. Cary secured his A. B. degree at

Liberty-Long T. P. 0 . under the new man- tioned authority.

Bowdoin in 1887, and in 1890 his A . M.

agement of Perry Gordon is showing new life and all phases of protective work are progressing nicely.
Ocmulgee T. P. 0.
The Ocmulgee Timber Protective Organization recently purchased an A. C. tractor, Hester Plow and road machinery for use in maintaining primary firebreaks and construction of secondary firebreaks.
All primary firebreaks and truck trails will be reworked by the T. P. 0 . using a road machine for the maintenance work. All secondary firebreaks will be constructed with the Hester plow.

His work in recent years has been centered in the northeast and south, where he has worked intimately and untiringly with hun"dreds of land owners on management plans for their turpentine forests, and on other phases of forestry work. His intimate

degree. He studied biology at Johns Hopkins and Princeton and later taught in the Department 'Of Geology ./llnd Biology ~t Bowdoin. F"rom 1905 to 1909 he was assistant professor of forestry at Harvard.
He served the State of New York as Superintendent of State Forests for the years 1909 and 1910, and previous to that time had been employed by the Forestry Commission of Maine.
In 1905 the U. S. Forest Service employed him as forestry expert, but his continuous service did not. begin until 1910.
Although in the employ of the Forest Service of the government, Dr. Cary was always ready and anxious. to give the state

Tractor and Plow Demonstration

foresters the benefit of his experience, whenever this was sought.

The Oconee T. P. 0 . covering lands in

For many years Dr. Cary was a contrib-

Treutlen, Montgomery, Laurens and Toombs

utor to technical and trade journals and

countjes plan to have a demonstration this

his "Manual for Northern Woodsmen" has

week given by four tractor and plow com-

been _in such demand that it has been print-

panies to determine what equipment the

ed in several editions.

T. P. 0. will purchase.

Wishes for many happy, useful years to

Equipment purchased by the T. P. 0.

come are expressed for Dr. Cary by those

will be used in reworking all existing pri-

with whom he has been associated, and by

mary firebreaks and construction of secon-

tho &e whom he has served so unselfishly.

dary firebreaks.

DIVISION OF FORESTRY

E. C. W. Notes

TRANSFERS STAFF MEMBERS

Camp P-89 Swainsboro is completed and actual work in the field was started early in August. The supervisory personnel is all on hand and some good work is expected.
The original enrollees at P-82 Reidsville were recently moved back to Utah. This original company is a 2nd Corps Area Company and were moved from Utah to Reidsville but were recently moved back and P-89 Tattnall manned by a 4th Area Company.
Camp P-63, McRae, has moved to their new camp site and the old camp which they used has been turned over to the Park Service along with the Veteran enrollees. The new camp is manned by juniors. .

DR. AUSTIN CARY (Photo through courtesy W . R. Mattoon, Extension Forester
U. S. Forest Service)

On August first, Russell D. Franklin,

who had served as district forester at Rome

for fifteen months, was transferred to

Waycross, succeeding C. B. Beale who had

previously resigned to accept a position as

forestry expert in soil erosion work.

T. P . Hursey has been appointed to suc-

ceed Mr. Franklin, and his headqu-arters

will be at Rome. Mr. Hursey graduated

from the University of Georgia in 1931

and has completed one year's work toward

his master's degree, specializlng in tree

I nursery work. He taught school for one
, year in Brantley county and was in CCC

Icamp work for several months at Hinesville

and Soperton.

..

FORESTRY-GEOLOGICAL REVIEW

7

Soil Erosion and Land Planning in Georgia

to the air; it may be taken up in the transpiration of plants and thus also return to

Geoffrey W. Crickmay

the air; it may seep into the ground and become ground water; or it may run off on

The ever-changing nature of the earth's 1 increased fertilizer bills, the degradation of surface has previously been emphasized in old plantations, the evils of share cropping these articles, but in no other connection is are all symptoms of the same affliction. this instability more plainly and painfully The nice balance between these two pro-
I evident than in the erosion of the Southern cesses of erosion and soil fo;mation is de-
soils. In Georgia, unrestricted soil erosion pendent on four factors: Chmate; Degree is rapidly changing arable fields into bar- 1 of slope ; Soil type; Vegetative cover. Disren gullies and fertile land into sub-margin- t urb one of these factors by smelter fumes, al land. Every rain storm is a mordant, forest fires, lumbering, or agricultural deetching a picture of wastage, and every red velopment and the balance is disturbed, a)river and red stream is a tragedy of lost ways in the direction of increased erosion.
ground. Such soil wastage was directly Climate is a many-sided but somewhat

the surface. The surface run off is responsible for practically all soil erosion in the state and conservation measures are primarily concerned with its control. Because summer rains fall in sudden beating thunder showers there is very little chance for water to enter the ground and run off is consequently at a maximum. It is at this time of the year that the destruction of the "red hills of Georgia" becomes evident in the deeper red color of the creeks and rivers.

responsible for ec'onomic collapse in Cen- constant factor. Its most important phase The transporting power of running water

tral America (Mayan culture), Asia Min- is rainfall which in Georgia ranges from an is dependent on velocity which in turn is

or, and China. Is Georgia to follow the average of 44.25 to 70.48 inches a year, and dependent on slope. Fast flowing streams

same path? Is Georgia to become a sub- from a minimum of 22.00 inches to a max- can carry much more sediment than slug-

marginal state?

imum of 101.67 inches a year. Rain falling gish streams, and the wash off from steep

The situation has become so acute that on the ground may follow any one of four slopes is much greater than from shallow

the Federal Bureau of Soil Conservation courses. It may be evaporated and return slopes. The critical angle of slope above

has established a number of demonstration

projects in the state where the most prac-

tical methods of saving the soil are applied.

Soil erosion control is not an emergency

measure for reemployment during the de-

pression but is the crux of a permanent

plan of land conservation whose need was

felt with the plowing of the first terrace

and which is now demanded for the future

welfare of ,all agricultural st.'l.tes. Ulti-

mately an adequate land use program, bas-

I ed on the results obtained in the demon-
:;tration a1eas, must be applied to every

acre of erosive land in Georgia. The prob-

lems involved are far too complex to be

treated fully in these pages. This article is

a brief sketch of the factors involved, the

types of erosion and methods of control,

the physical and social significance, and

future work to be done.

Erosion is a natural geological process

consisting of the wearing down of the land

by rainwash and excavation, by streams

(wind erosion, important in the western

states, is an inconsiderable factor in Geor-

gia). Amicolola Falls, Tallulah Gorge, and

Stone Mountain are all the result of nor-

mal wearing away of the land over a long

period of time. Our landscape, the natural

contour of the land, represents an

equilibrium between the process of tear-

ing down and building up, a balance

between erosion and soil fol'mation.

Under a natu1'al environment soils develop

faster than they are eroded and there re-

sults fertile and arable land, but under the

mrtificuu conditions imposed by man ero-

sion may easily get the upper hand with

devasting results. The area surrounding

Ducktown, Tennessee is an instructive if

terrible example of what happens when

erosion exceeds soil formation, a barren

wilderness of bare gullied hills upon which

little that is green survives. Exactly simi-

lar wastage is taking place all over Geor-

gia. Every plot of bare ground is a focal point for infection from the disease of soil erosion. The reduction of yields in spite of

GULLY EROSION IN STEWART COUNTY, GEORGIA
This gully has swallowed up a barn, a church, a school house, a graveyard, several farms and farm houses.

8

FORESTRY-GEOLOGICAL REVIEW

which clean cultivation will bring disas- Control measures attempt to set up an art- land use so that the best possible control

trous results varies with the type of soil. ificial balance by returning part of the measures may be applied with the least in-

Instances of erosion on almost horizontal land to its native cover, by judicious plant- convenience to the farmer's own schedule.

land are on record but generally slopes up ing of crops, and by constructing terraces, Soil erosion is by no means entirely the

to 7% and rarely as high as 12 7o are till- check dams, and other structures to prevent farmer's problem. Consider briefly some of

able. Slopes greater than 12 7o should nev- or at least hinder rapid run off.

its far reaching effects. Unchecked run off

er be cult.ivated.

There are two main types of soil erosion, means depletion of ground water supply

The soils of Georgia will be discussed in gulley and sheet erosion. The former is upon which mo,;t rural homes and towns

a later article but some general remarks familiar to everyone, although all do not are dependent. It means increased flow

are appropriate here. Most of the soils of realize the speed with which gullies en- m stream channels, even to the proportion

the state are residual, that is, they have croach upon valuable farm land. The prod- of devastating floods. Great additions of

been fornred from the underlying materials igious gullies of Stewart County, repre- sediment to drainage channels mean muddy

which range from the incoherent clays and senting thousands of acres of ground for- streams, exce,;sive filtration of city water

sands of the Coastal Plain to massive gran- ever lost for further cultivation, started supply, and poor sport for the fisherman. It

ites and gneisses of the Piedmont area. less than 75 years ago. One of the largest means the silting of hydro-electric reser-

a Soils, however, are not simply weathered of these gullies, locally called Providence voirs and of navigation channels with con-
rock but result from long-continued soil- Cave, was initiated by rain drip from a sequent necessity for co!!tly dredging. The

forming process which builds up a definite barn roof and has since swallowed not only rapid removal of natural cover means the

soil profile consisting of three layers or the barn which gave it. birth but also a loss of food for our game birds. No less di-

horizons which for convenience are labeled church, a school house, a graveyard, several rectly soil erosion means the decline of all

A. B. and C, which respectively are the farms and farm houses. Gullies grow by industrial development in the stat.e that is

topsoil, subsoil, and the underlying, partly sapping at the head in such a way as to dependent on agriculture. Land loss is a

decomposed bed-rock. Fertility decreases maintain nearly vertical walls as they eat direct loss to the state; it consists literally

from horizon A down to C but erodibility, their way back. They are lost ground and of throwing capital into the ocean. And of

the ease with which run off will carry away therefore is a tendency for the farmer to even greater consequence is its social sig-

soil particles and plant food, increases disregard them. They were disregarded in nificance. F. A. Silcox, Chief, U. S. :i:~orest

rapidly in this direction. These relations Stewart County and in consequence the Service, has recently said, "Deforestation

apply everywhere and are of immense sig- improved farm acreage has shrunk to about (which inevitably leads to soil devastation)

nificance, for it is apparent that erosion one-third of the 1850 figure and crop yields gnaws at the social and economic vitals of

and decrease in fertility go hand in hand have dropped from well above to below the the social fabric." Sub-marginal land means

and that the destruction of the soil is a state average. It is absolutely essential that sub-marginal people.

constantly accelerating process. For in- gullies be stablized or controlled by water Up to the present time, the Federal

stance, according to H. H. Bennett, Direc- diversion, the erection of checkdams, and government has assumed the entire burden

tor of the Soil Conservation Service, cer- the planting of vines, small trees, grasses of soil conservation by establishing dem-

tain Piedmont areas require 400 to 600 and other thick-growing plants.

onst.ration areas at a number of strategic

pounds of fertilizer to the acre where form- Sheet erosion, as the name suggests, con- points. These projects are only demonstra-

erly 200 t.o 250 pounds were sufficient.

sists of the removal of soil in sheets, the tions of what can be done. It is very es-

The U. S. Bureau of Soils has mapped a depletion of t.he A horizon by erosion at sential that this work be extended by plac-

great many different kinds of soils in the about the same rate over an entire field. ing in each county at least one man to

state. Each soil type reacts to erosion in The most insidious thing about this type whom farmers may appeal for help. Farm-

its own peculiar way. As a general rule of erosion is that it most frequently quite ers have been condemned as "too lazy or

deep sandy soils do not wash as severely escapes the inexperienced eye until the B too careless" to prevent. soil erosion. It is

as those having impervious clay subsoil, for horizon or even the C horizon is laid bare not a case of laziness or carelessness but

a highly absorptive textur~ permits rain- as infertile scars. The Soil Conservation rather one of showing what should be done

fail to seep directly into the ground. For Service estimates that whereas 35 million and how it should be done. Intelligent

example, the relatively steep slopes of Pine acres of land in the United States have owners of large acreage have in the past

Mountain, Meriwether County, upon which been ruined by gullies, at least 125 million been just as remis,; in this respect as their

peache are extensively grown, exhibit very acres have been critically reduced in fertil- tenants, even though the responsibility

little erosion because of the well-drained ity by sheet. erosion. Ridge terraces were 1 should fall on their shoulders. Those who

and open-textured soil; but to the north, designed to prevent this loss but in a great refuse to see the necessity of fighting this

near Greenville, large areas of shallow many instances uncontrolled spillways pro- erosion menace may be urged into cooper-

sloping land of Cecil clay loam have been mated the growth of gullies and the cure ation through their mortgages, particularly

entirely lost to further cultivation by the merely led to a greater evil. Soil experts those of the Federal Land Bank, which

encroachment of deep gullies. It is appar- are now generally agreed that sheet erosion should undoubtedly include land conserva-

ent, therefore, that modern soil maps are can be stopped only by terracing with the t.ion clauses if only to preserve the value

a necessary preliminary to a full program broad base or Mangum terrace, by contour of security.

of land use involving crop adaptation and farming, and by the removal from civili- A final word should be said of erosion

soil conservation.

zation of all steep sloping land. The grow- along the state highway system. Road cuts

The main function of a vegetative cover ing of close-growing crops such as grasses, 'and fills present steep bare slopes that are

is a deterrent to exclusive run off but also small grains, and legumes in contour strips invariably attacked by rainwash, starting

the binding effort of grasses, tree roots, or bands alternately with the regular clean- 'gullies which eat back both into the road

and forest litter help to hold the soil in ly cultivated crop, called strip cropping, and bed and adjoining fields. Mr. Hubert.

place. It is here that man enters to upset has somewhat the same effect as terracing Owens has recently been appointed Land-

completely the nice balance of nature. The but. is commonly practiced in conjunction scape Architect to the State Highway

killing of all vegetation by deadly sulphur with terraces. The best remedies for any Board. His work will involve not only beau-

fumes at Ducktown brought about the ex- particular farm are dependent to a large 'tification. of roads but the protection of

cessive soil erosion in that area. The re- extent on local conditions. In the Sandy fresh cuts from erosion by the planting of

moval of the natural cover in Georgia for Creek demonstration area at Athens, under shrubs, vines, and grasses. For effective

the growing of cleanly cultivated crops the direction of Loy E. Rast, every plot of progress to be made in this importa{nt

such as corn, cotton, and tobacco is the land has been classified according t.o type of phase of soil erosion control, cooperation

main cause for soil erosion in the state. soil, slope, extent and type of erosion, and from county organizations is essential.