RKVIKWS 931 



funds in the shape of one-fifth of the tax on timber cut and turi:)eutine 

 gathered, called "severance" license, which runs, according to kind, 

 from 2 to 4 cents per thousand and i cent per barrel, estimated to 

 amount to $20,000. 



This is indeed, after 14 years of effort, still a very small beginning, 

 when it is considered that Louisiana, with around a 4-billion-feet cut, 

 being second in fiu-nishing over 10 per cent of the total lumber cut of 

 the country, an.d with a stand of 92 billion feet, will shortly have ex- 

 hausted its magnificent timber resource, and should l)end every effort 

 to i^erpetuating it on the lands which are fit for nothing else, estimated 

 at 20 per cent or more of the land area. 



The most interesting part of the report refers to the operation of a 

 law (1910) which permits a forest owner of land assessed at less than 

 $5 to place the same for reforestation purposes under the department 

 at the reduced valuation of $1 per acre. Under this law the Urania 

 Lumber Company, in 191 3, placed 30,000 acres of cut-over and second- 

 growth lands under the department, which serve as an excellent experi- 

 ment and demonstration forest. Systematic experiments seem to have 

 already demonstrated that, given a sufficient number of seed trees, pro- 

 tection against hogs and fire will furnish an abundant regeneration of 

 the longleaf pine, and fire protection alone assure the regeneration of 

 loblolly and shortleaf pines. About 2,500 acres were five years ago 

 surrounded by a hog-proof fence. Cattle were, however, allowed to 

 graze, and it is judged may for ten years be admitted before the grass 

 is shaded out. The cut had been made to an 8-inch limit. On quarter- 

 acre experimental plots in the fenced, unburned plot in three years 

 longleaf pine seedlings increased by 90 per cent; in the fenced, but 

 burned, plot by 80 per cent; in the unfenced and unburned ])lots the 

 longleaf-pine seedlings were almost wijx'd out. but loblolly and short- 

 leaf still increased slightly in numlx-r. 



A wrong deduction is made on page 12 of the re])ort as regards fre- 

 (juency of seed years in longleaf pine judged from this increase, which 

 mav be due to the occurrence of a seed yi'ar within the three vears 

 without vitiating the hitherto accepted usual periodicity of six or seven 

 \ears. Also the height growth of the seedlings on the burned plots is 

 already notii-eabl\- less than nn the nnl)urncd plots .ind the geui'ral vignr 

 is less. 



Reference i^ made to two studies by Yale students regarding expense 

 of logging small logs and the rate of growth of small trees left .iftt-r 

 logging. It was found that trees smaller than o or 10 inches on tiie 

 stum]) and producing no larger than a 7-inch log are utilized at a loss 



