378 AMERICAN FORESTRY 



the stream and deposited where the cur- its coal bill alone some $15,000,000 to 



rent becomes checked ; and especially in $20,000.000. 



the reservoirs constructed for water- FORESTRY ONLY A PART 

 power use where the water is quiet and 



therefore the silt most easily deposited. Obviously, we do not advocate main- 

 This fine silt is deposited also in the taining a forest cover on the entire 

 navigable portion of the stream. This watersheds of our rivers. Lands suit- 

 necessitates constant dredging to keep able to agriculture must be devoted to 

 the stream open for navigation. that purpose, but there should be bet- 



The process of denudation of the ter methods of farming which will pre- 

 mountain slopes already has seriously vent erosion and will utilize a larger 

 affected the capacity of the Southern amount of water through increased ab- 

 streams for water-power development, sorption of the soil and increased crop 

 One prominent Southern engineer has production. My plea for forestry is 

 estimated this to be at least 40 per mainly in the mountain regions on those 

 cert. Apart from the menace to the areas of no permanent value for farm- 

 water powers, the washing away of the ing and situated most critically for 

 soil from the mountains and from the watershed protection, 

 fields in the Piedmont region is a very The total forest area of the Carolinas 

 real danger to the w T ater supply of the and Georgia is estimated at present at 

 cities and towns both from the stand- 75,000,000 acres. North and South 

 point of quantity and quality. Fifteen Carolina have each 19,000,000 acres, 

 years ago the streams in this region and Georgia 37,000,000 acres, 

 carried far less sand, silt, detritus, and Not less than 30 per cent of this 

 washings than now. These have been area, or about 25,000,000 acres, should 

 filling up the channels and increasing be permanently kept in forest for the 

 enormously the expense and difficulty protection of the streams that rise in 

 of purification so that many cities now the Appalachians. Of this protective 

 face not only a shortage of water dur- forest 9,000,000 acres should be in 

 ing the lengthy drought periods, but North Carolina, 6,000,000 acres in 

 unknown dangers in the water which South Carolina, and 10,000,000 acres in 

 they do get. As an example, the city Georgia. Within this area there are 

 engineer of Augusta, Georgia, stated in about 2,000,000 acres on critical water- 

 1908 that their power canal had re- sheds that will be in need of reforesta- 

 ceived more silt in the last 18 months tion. 



than in all the 30 years previous. If Serious injury to the industrial de- 



this is the case with only a portion of velopment of the South can be pre- 



the mountain slopes denuded, what will vented by adopting right measures now. 



be the plight of Augusta and other The National Government has recog- 



cities similarly situated when the bulk nized the public character of the prob- 



of the forests is gone? lem in an extensive purchase of forest 



In the Carolinas and in Georgia alone lands on the headwaters of navigable 

 over $50,000,000 is now invested in cot- rivers. The National Forest Reserva- 

 ton mills run by water power directly tion Commisssion has approved the pur- 

 er by electric power generated there- chase of 120,706 acres in North Caro- 

 from, and this is only the bare begin- lina, at a total cost of $924,589 ; of 23,- 

 ning in electrical development. The 286 acres in South Carolina at a cost 

 2,000,000, or, as some claim, 3,000,000 of $128,157, and of 96,132 acres in 

 horse-power available in the streams Georgia at a cost of $622.654. These 

 that flow from the Appalachians to the Government forests, however, as you 

 Atlantic, when developed, would mean can readily see, will form only a very 

 an investment in hydro-electric plants of small portion of the forest area which 

 upwards of from $200,000,000 to $300,- must be protected. The work of Gov- 

 000,000, earning annually from $40,- eminent purchase is confined to the 

 000,000 to $60,000,000 at a conserva- protection of navigable rivers. A con- 

 tive estimate, and saving the South on siderable number of States have made 



