512 AMERICAN FORESTRY 



social conditions. All signs point to an survived repeated fires. Conditions in 

 increasing settlement and expansion of these States make fires almost inevitable, 

 agriculture, but this process will be a In spite of the abundant rainfall, the 

 gradual one and not a rush for land, late spring and summer months are 

 From these facts two conclusions must usually dry and fires burn readily, 

 be drawn. These fires are set carelessly or pur- 

 First, there should probably be from posely to improve grazing which in most 

 25 to 60% of the land in every pine sections is getting steadily poorer in 

 district in the South, devoted perma- the woods. 



nently to growing timber, the more the The effect of these fires upon the 

 farther the land is from markets and forest has been deplored by foresters, 

 transportation and the poorer the soil, and the tendency seems to be to try to 

 Second, much of the land that will ulti- pass laws modeled after those of North- 

 mately be used for farming will not ern States, which seek to absolutely 

 be so used for 15 to 20 years and under prevent fire in the forests and establish 

 proper management much valuable tim- a system of fire wardens for this pur- 

 ber could be grown on it in that time by pose. I kit it is more than probable that 

 proper cutting of present stands. such a policy in the South would defeat 

 Who should be responsible for the its own ends and should never be at- 

 future of the southern timber crops? tempted. It is the right policy for 

 Should the State governments acquire Northern States, where fires can and 

 lands for forest reserves and raise tim- should be absolutely prevented. But 

 ber? Whatever the merits of this plan, there is abundant evidence that the at- 

 it will be difficult to carry out, because tempt to keep fire entirely out of south- 

 of the fact that the forest on these lands ern pine lands might finally result in 

 is not needed for protection of moun- complete destruction of the forests, 

 tain slopes or to prevent erosion, and On longleaf soils, the pine needless 

 the State would use the land solely to form a very inflammable layer, which 

 grow timber. There would be opposi- is supplemented by the growth of grass 

 tion to State reserves both because of in open stands. In many districts, fire 

 the doubt about the agricultural classi- runs over these lands every year. In 

 fication of such lands, and because of two or three years' time, if no fire 

 the expense attached to their acquisi- occurs, there will be enough of an ac- 

 tion and management, which Southern cumulation to make a very hot blaze, 

 States are poorly equipped to meet. fatal to young seedlings in most cases. 

 Small areas might be so acquired to The risk gets worse as the period ex- 

 be used as demonstration forests for tends till at the end of ten to fifteen 

 the encouragement of private owners, years, if fire is set in a dry time, the 

 But the future of the pine forests mature longleaf timber may be killed, 

 of this region will lie with their present This has actually occurred, though it 

 owners, the lumberman and farmer, is so seldom that fires have been kept 

 and State legislation should be shaped out of such lands for more than a year 

 with this in view, to encourage owners or two, that such destruction is very 

 to grow timber by giving them proper rare. 



assistance in controlling fires, and by i n Shortleaf pine forests, fire is much 



equitable taxation of growing timber. i ess of a problem. The needles are 



There is a striking difference between small and accumulate slowly. There is 



southern and northern pine in their re- more shade, less grass, and plenty of 



sistance to fire. White pine is killed hardwood growth whose leaves do not 



easily by fires even when mature. But burn with the heat and flame which 



the three southern pines are all re- distinguishes a grass or pine needle fire, 



markably fire resistant and the longleaf Evidence from stumps of trees which 



pine has adapted its whole structure have been burned into shows that fires 



and growth as a seedling to the primary occur in shortleaf at intervals of five 



object of surviving ground fires. Prob- to eight years, instead of every year or 



ably not a single pine in the South has two, as in longleaf. Shortleaf seedlings 



ever grown to maturity without having are very easily destroyed by fire. But 



