Show mn 4 y Small Woodlots Hold Key To Future Timber Supply ti B By BAUKHAGE Newt News Analyst and Commentator I I WASHINGTON I have just had an interesting conversation conversation conversation conversa conversa- tion with R. R E E. E McArdle of the forest service of the department department departs depart depart- s ment of agriculture and I have discovered that Im I'm on one of the people that the United States of America has to look to for its I future lumber supply My father took up some of the last of the government forest land I that was available in hi the Southwest That little plot along with the theother theother theother other privately owned timberland straggling over the map of the U. U S. S makes up three quarters of all the timber there is in the country Only one-fourth one of our forests are public property And three fourths of this three i fourths Is composed of small wood woodlots woodlots lots which average average average aver- aver age 60 to 70 1 1 acres Furthermore Furthermore Further Further- f more much of it itis is not part of a farm being worked by an M ex experience P PL science dt d t a i farmer A great L i ia deal is owned by byr r P people eople who dont don't live on the wood woodlot woodlot woodlot lot or near it like me and many of whom also like me wouldn't be able Baukhage to tell a toothpIck toothpick toothpick tooth tooth- pick from a telephone pole if it it weren't for their size Worse still many farmers owning ownIng ownIng own- own Ing woodlots with valuable stands of timber on them dont don't know how to get their moneys money's worth from that land or how to keep the wooded wooded wooded wood wood- ed acres contributing to their livelihood as the rest of their farmland does In other words growing timber in this thiB country has become to a large extent a side issue I am glad gL to report after telling you yon all aU this bad news that both the government and the lumber Industry are trying this situation situation situation sit sit- to do something about for the general as well as for the Individual good For example In 1937 the Crossett Lumber company gave the government government government govern govern- ment 1680 acres of typical second growth stands in southeastern Arkansas I cant can't go into the program program program pro pro- gram of experimental work that ba has bas been done there but there isone isone is isone one item that affects our story R R. R R. R Reynolds of the forestry service went to work on 40 acres of this area aNa He did the things any farmer can learn to do to a similar woodlot Last year Reynolds reported eight annual cuts which averaged a marketable value of more than a year and he had as much volume as when he be started O Of course everybody hasn't Reynolds Reynolds' Reynolds Reynolds' Rey Rey- molds molds' know-how know but the government government government govern govern- ment is is' is helping to spread that know-how know through its representatives tives or through state So is private enterprise Florida Teaches Youth Forestry Fundamentals TI Thirteen years ago Florida for example began a forestry training camp for her Future Farmers of America members On August 1 of this year some members a of the attended a two week camp at Camp OLeno about 60 miles west a of Jacksonville where they were taught in the forest th the th fundamentals of good forest practices tices I IThe The first week was for beginners beginners begin begin- ners who had had no previous forestry forestry forestry for for- estry background the second week was for those who had attended a previous camp During the first period they were taught fundamentals of gum farm farming ing how ing-how how to secure naval stores such as turpentine and rosin from slash clash and long longleaf pines how to identify the commercially valuable trees and their use how to farm forests as they farm cotton and and other crops how to protect their woodlots from fire how to thin their stands of trees by cutting out the crooked diseased and ana other trees to allow the healthy ones room for more rapid growth how to make seed beds grow tree seed seed- lings In the Ute second week the lads were put through more training In advanced principles with emphasis on actual work In the tho forest They fought a fire Gre to learn the correct procedure They marked trees in a plot estimated estimated estimated esti esti- mated the board footage in a standing standing standing stand stand- ing tree cut it down sawed it Into lumber and measured the lumber lumberas I as a check against their previous estimates They Thoy were taught how I Ito to chip trees in gum farming and how to market the gum They were even put through a law enforcement enforcement enforcement en en- course which stressed I fighting the in the woods They were shown shO how to to detect clues for purposely set setI I fires what evidence to collect and their rights under the law Health and recreation are not neglected in these camps and at atthe atthe atthe the end of the two week period the boys go home enthusiastic ready I to practice on their then own woodlands They take the message to their parents of course and make a report report report re re- re- re port to the organizations to which they belong Briefly they have gained a fundamental knowledge of the value of trees and how they can be grown for profit During the time Florida has run this camp they have averaged averaged averaged aver aver- aged boys a year ear which means some 1300 have been Indoctrinated indoctrinated indoctrinated in In- in the fundamentals of forestry Today many of 01 these graduates are arc leading citizens citizens' of their communities and many arc are growing trees for profit Program Extends To Other States Nor is Florida the only s state te taking taking taking tak tak- ing an interest In this new thinking thinking thinking think think- ing regarding trees and youth Alabama Arkansas Georgia LouIsiana Louisiana Loui Loin siana North Carolina and Virginia staged similar camps this year rear FF A or H 4 club members were the lucky youngsters depending on which group the state forestry agency Is operating co-operating with at the time tune The purpose of course is not to turn out foresters That would be impossible in two weeks But camps can build up an effective interest interest interest in in- terest in growing a cash crop by growing trees This year more than youths from the tiie seven states attended these camps with all expenses paid by the forest industries This is where private industry has stepped into the picture On the modern theory that our future timber supply must come from what we grow not as in the past from what we found on the land the Southern Pulpwood association composed of southern pulp and paper paper pa pa- per industry members with the cooperation cooperation cooperation co co- co- co operation of the Southern Pine association association association as as- pioneered in financing these and similar camps The sum total of this whole project project adds up to this Industry has joined forces with state agencies to interest youth In becoming successful successful successful suc suc- Tree Farmers of America and to turn to account what has been up to recently a wasteful I sideline on the farms farms farms-a a sideline which must supply an important part a of Americas America's current and future future fu fu- I ture vital lumber needs I I g Jim J a ir i Rr ti r 9 ti Io Florida teaches the fundamentals of good forestry to youth at annual summer camps Trammel Green nurseryman for forthe forthe the Florida forest service Is shown here hero Instructing two boys In preparation of a seed bed Here they are spreading pine straw over the freshly planted seed as a protective measure I t S' S I I f. f t t 1 |