The Southern Forestry Congress 



DILLON P. TIERNEY 



Readers of the ''North Woods" may find a measinv 

 >!' interest in the work of the Southern Forestry 

 Congress, which convened at New Orleans January 

 i> to ')!. This was the second gathering of the Con- 

 gress. Its purpose is to stimulate activity by the 

 Federal Government, the States and the private own- 

 ers, looking toward the adoption of plans that will 

 make lumbering in the South a stable industry. 



Throughout the discussion of the varied topics on 

 the program there prevailed an air of enthusiasm and 

 optimism that will go a long way in forwarding any 

 really comprehensive plans for making forestry a 

 ironic business. It was evident that here, as in other 

 parts of the United States, interest had centered on 

 planting, fire protection, grazing, or some other phase 

 of forestry, as immediate objectives in legislation. 

 The discussions of the Congress had the effect of 

 measurably crystallizing opinion in favor of a broad 

 plan that would put these ideas in their proper rela- 

 tion to constructive forestry work. 



The classification of land w r as urged so that the 

 lands to be used for forest crops might be designated, 

 and arrangements made for growing timber thereon 

 either by the private owner or the States. 



Grazing and fire were questions which brought out 

 many arguments. Free range and the practice of an- 

 nual burning of grass and forest litter are in many 

 States so firmly established as to constitute a factor 

 in plans for forest management. Experiments con- 

 ducted on the tract of the Urania Lumber Company, 



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