494 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



natural reforestation of long-leaf pine was a feature of 

 the session. The National Forest Service was well repre- 

 sented. Chief Forester. H. S. Graves, discussed the 

 southern forests and their place in the national timber 

 supply. Supervisor I. F. Eldredge of the Florida National 

 Forest gave an illuminating talk on the perpetuation of 

 the turpentine industry and W. \V. Ashe discussed the 

 forests of the future, second growth, in the light of com- 

 mercial results. Much attention was devoted to state 

 organization for fire protection, and the fire problem in 

 the southern pineries. This subject was presented by H. 

 H. Chapman of the Yale Forest School. Director T- W. 

 Tourney of the Yale School discussed the regeneration of 

 southern pine forests. President Charles L. Pack of the 

 American Forestry Association called attention to the 

 work of the Association in an address of greeting. This 

 formal program occupied two entire days, during which 

 the attendance was large and the closest interest paid. 

 The evenings were devoted to recreation, consisting of a 

 Dutch supper and a banquet, respectively. The resolu- 

 tions adopted by the Congress urged the States of Florida, 

 Georgia, South Carolina, Mississippi, Arkansas and Ala- 

 bama to undertake some form of state forestry organiza- 

 tion modelled after the principles successfully worked out 

 in other southern states, of employing technical foresters 

 under boards free from political pressure. The Congress 

 expressed its disapproval of the combination of forestry 

 with fish and game protection either through warrlens or 

 commissions as tending towards loss of efficiency in both 

 organizations. It commended the State of Louisiana for 

 passing the recent amendment to the state forestry law 

 creating a fund for forestry, and establishing an advisory 

 board to supervise the expenditure and the employment of 

 a technical forester. Two field days were alternated with 

 this program. On- July 12th the Biltmore forest plantations 

 were visited in carriages. These plantations, now fifteen 

 to twenty years old, have jn-oved successful, for the most 

 part, wherever the species was adapted to the soil condi- 

 tions. Wonderful stands of white pine and short-leaf 

 pine were seen. There were many failures amongst the 

 hardwood plantations on jjoor soil. The planting of pine 

 was in most instances closely spaced, 3x3 feet, or 2x4 

 feet, and already shows stagnation due to crowding, bear- 

 ing out the contention of most American foresters that 

 close planting is more of a drawback than an advantage. 

 On Friday, July 14th, an automobile took the delegates 

 to the summit of Mt. Pi.sgah, whence they descended to 

 the "Pink Beds," a forest which in the spring is full of 

 laurel bloom, and in the fall shows the pink and red foliage 

 of the chestnut oak. .\n excursion to Mt. Mitchell was 

 planned for Saturday the 15th, and a few hardy individ- 

 uals defied a steady rain and took the trip. The rest 

 abandoned the plan. Those who left on P>iday or on 

 Saturday to the westward reached home in season. But 

 the Mt. Mitchell excursionists, those who remained in 

 Asheville, and a party of ten foresters, including b'orester 

 H. S. Graves, J. ^\'. Toumey and others who left for 

 Washington at 2.30 P. M., all were caught in the tre- 



mendous floods of Saturday night when the rain, descend- 

 ing steadily and without wind, the entire night, equalled 

 a total precipitation in 24 hours of from ten to fifteen 

 inches in the various mountain zones. Air. Graves' party 

 was stalled at Marion, North Carolina, from Saturday 

 night until I'riday the 21st, during which time first-hand 

 observations were made of flood conditions and effects. 



Alany lumbermen, railroad men and private land 

 owners interested in fire protective organizations were 

 present at the .\sheville meeting. The delegates were 

 unanimous in the feeling that they had been greatly bene- 

 fited, and carried away many practical ideas and much 

 enthusiasm. The Congress marks an epoch in the develop- 

 ment of southern forestry. It presented in clear, compact 

 form the great progress that has been made and served 

 as an impetus towards further effort in this immense 

 region where the entire problem of future management 

 of forest land is as yet in its infancy. Great credit is due 

 to Dr. Joseph Hyde Pratt, State Geologist of North Caro- 

 lina, and Joseph W. Holmes, State Forester, for organ- 

 izing and conducting the affairs of the Congress. A per- 

 manent organization was effected, and the above officials 

 were elected ])resident and secretary respectively. 



I 



FORESTRY BOARD'S SECRETARY 



By ( iE.xicKAL C. C. .\.\i)Ri-:w.s 



Secretary Min)icsofa State Forestry Board 



N recent numbers of .\.\iekic.\n Forestry there have 

 been articles almost insisting that in the organization 

 of forestry in the various states, the office of secre- 

 tary of a forestry board ought to be filled by the state 

 forester. If that plan is the best for a state's forest 

 service, it should be followed. But has the subject been 

 carefully enough considered? 



A forestry board appoints the state forester, and 

 directs and supervises his work. At its meetings it listens 

 to his statements and recommendations, and then instructs 

 him as to what he shall do. These instructions — some of 

 which he may possibly dislike — are to be carefully 

 recorded and complied with. Does it tend to the best 

 efficiency to have him the recorder and sole custodian of 

 these instructions? 



The various states ought now to plant and soon will 

 jilant a thousand or more acres of forest annually, and 

 before many years each state will require assistant fores- 

 ters to manage state forests. At the beginning of the 

 present war in Europe, the German states had in the 

 aggregate 12,000,000 acres of state forest, a trained for- 

 ester for every 10,000 acres, and planted 100,000 acres of 

 forest annualh'. It is reasonably certain that the work 

 and responsibility of state foresters in this country will, in 

 a very few years, greatly increase, and, speaking from 

 eighteen years' e.xperience as secretary of a forestry board, 

 I believe that it will be for the public interest that the organ 

 (jf communication between the forestry board and the 

 forester and keeper of the board's records should be a 

 disinterested person, and not the forester himself. 



