A GREAT FOREST 



By JOHN COLLINS, M.D., Colson, Ky, 



THE Ozark National Forest, recent- 

 ly established, is doubtless one of 

 the greatest bodies of hardwood 

 timber on this continent. 



Most of the entire Ozark region is or 

 has been one vast forest, while much of 

 it, including Boston IMountain, a large 

 area of hills and mountain is still 

 clothed in its virgin growths. The oaks 

 predominate, but we have almost every 

 kind of wood growth found in this lati- 

 tude. White oak is by far the most 

 abundant. 



The writer located on a i6o-acre 

 homestead on Boston Mountain, in 

 1906, having imigrated from the moun- 

 tain of eastern Kentucky, a great tim- 

 ber country. A large scope of country 

 near this homestead, in north Pope and 

 south Newton counties, contains much 

 more unappropriated lands than has 

 been entered. This is true of a great part 

 entered. This is true of a great part 

 of the whole forest, so that capital is 

 now invited for investment and devel- 

 opment of this great timber wealth, 

 there having been before this too little 

 of deeded lands, the timber on which 

 could be bought to justify the building 

 of railroads to move it. It is the pol- 

 icy of the Government to put the mer- 

 chantable timber on the market, then to 

 care for the younger growths, and to 

 produce succeeding crops, in anticipa- 

 tion of a wood famine that is inevitable 

 in the near future if not forestalled. 



514 



The President's Proclamation, setting 

 forth this Forest, is dated March 6, 

 1908, previous to which these lands 

 were subject to homestead entry. The 

 absence of railroads, together with the 

 fact that the latent possibilities of the 

 country as an agricultural, and espe- 

 cially as a fruit country, were unknown, 

 have prevented settlement. The peach 

 and the apple — in fact all friuts indige- 

 nous here — do remarkably fine. In 

 size, beauty, flavor, and certainty of 

 yield, it is doubtful if any section in the 

 United States could rival this. 



The wealth in white oak alone, which 

 abounds in excess of all other kinds in 

 most parts, is remarkable — seemingly 

 almost inexhaustible — millions of fine 

 trees now awaiting the ax and saw, ap- 

 parently unknown and ignored by the 

 lumbermen of the country. 



We want capital to come to us ; lum- 

 bermen to investigate this rich field ; 

 railroads not only to carry away this 

 wealth of timber, but also the magnifi- 

 cent crops of fruits and vegetables so 

 easily produced here — for while fruits 

 excel, still vegetables, including all the 

 common garden truck, potatoes, beans, 

 melons, etc., do remarkably well. The 

 writer has nothing to sell, but has a de- 

 sire, common to all settlers, for this 

 needed development. Range for cattle 

 and sheep, and most for hogs are 

 abundant. 



