8 SELECTION OF LAND IN THE GULF COAST REGION. 



tions for the dogwood, although this tree is often seen on the best 

 land. The extensive occurrence of small blackjack oak is indicative 

 of some extreme textural conditions usually a dense clay, but not 

 infrequently a deep, loose sand. 



On the second bottoms, where the soils are well adapted to general 

 farming, there is a mixed growth of longleaf and shortleaf pine, with 

 more or less hardwood. On the poorly drained portions of the bench 

 lands the shortleaf pine is generally the dominant timber tree. Gall- 

 berry bushes are an indication of acid soil. 



CLEARING NEW LAND. 



On most of the cut-over pine lands some of the original forest 

 remains, consisting of saplings and more or less large timber of in- 

 ferior quality, much of the latter being dead. There is usually a 

 good deal of fallen material, wind-blown trunks, rejected logs, and 

 the heavier parts of the tops, or " slash," that remain unburned by 

 the annual fires which consume the light trash and grassy under- 

 growth. 



The remaining pine makes excellent fuel, fencing material, and 

 rough lumber for building. On some land there may not be much 

 more of it than will be required for such purposes. In many places, 

 however, the ground is heavily encumbered with fallen logs, as in 

 old turpentine orchards, and wherever storms have blown down hun- 

 dreds of the tall pines. 



Near the towns cordwood, both green pine and " light wood knots," 

 as the resinous heart wood of limbs and old logs is called, may be 

 marketed at fairly remunerative prices. 



There is also a limited demand for this fuel by railways and steam- 

 boats. In some localities the distillation of turpentine from pine 

 wood is a commercial success, the tops and stumps being used. The 

 utilization of all material left by the sawmills is increasing very 

 rapidly, but in sections remote from the railways it has no present 

 value. 



The pine stumps are the chief obstacle in the cultivation of the 

 cut-over lands. They vary in number from a very few to upward 

 of 50 or 75 to the acre, generally less than the latter estimates. The 

 diameter at a foot or so above the ground ranges from 6 or 8 inches 

 to 2 feet. The average may be placed at about 20 inches, increasing 

 on good land. 



Since they are highly resinous the stumps burn readily, and this is 

 one of the most practical means of getting rid of them. It is necessary 

 to dig a hole at one side to a depth of a foot or so and put some dry 

 wood against the taproot, otherwise the fire will go out after the 

 surface of the stump becomes charred. A hole bored obliquely 

 through the main root just below the ground facilitates the burning. 

 The large lateral roots require grubbing. 



