22 SECOND ANNUAL CONVENTION 



interest the people in the subject of forest protection. His address was 

 as follows: 



FOKESTRT ^VORK OF THE NORTH CAROLINA GEOLOGICAL AND 

 ECONOMIC SURVEY. 



By Joseph Hyde Pratt, State Geologist. 



The North Carolina General Assembly of 1905 reorganized the North Caro- 

 lina Geological Survey, changing its name to the North Carolina Geological 

 and Economic Survey, and in stating the object of the Survey the law says, 

 in part, that the Survey shall make examination of the forest resources of 

 the State and shall make a classification of the forests with special reference 

 to their bearing upon the occupation of the people; and shall study a plan 

 for protection of the forests, with special reference to the preservation of the 

 flow of streams and water powers of the State. This phase of the work of the 

 Geological Survey has become one of its more important problems and studies. 

 It has been estimated that approximately eleven million acres of land in 

 North Carolina are now supporting some kind of forest growth. Nearly one- 

 half of this area is probably absolute forest land, that is, the land is too rough 

 to cultivate properly; is too easily washed by rain or floods; is too poor to 

 yield adequate returns for the labor put upon it, or, for other reasons, the 

 production of timber crops is the most profitable use to which it can be put, 

 for a great many years to come. This large amount of forest land represents 

 an investment of from twenty-five to fifty million dollars at the least. One- 

 sixth of the entire wealth producing capital of the State is invested in forest 

 lands or in industries directly depending upon the products obtained from the 

 forests. Thus it is seen that the problems relating to forestry are most vital 

 to the industrial life of the State, and the State should put forth every effort 

 to make these forests as nearly perpetual as she possibly can, and encourage 

 and stimulate the owners of these lands to assist her in conserving them. 



The Geological and Economic Survey has from its investigations realized 

 most thoroughly the need of conserving and protecting the forest areas of 

 the State, and has for the past two years employed constantly a forester to 

 investigate and assist in carrying out measures that would tend toward awak- 

 ening the people of North Carolina to a realization that some legislation 

 must be enacted to prevent the total destruction of our forests, and thus one 

 of the most valuable assets of the State. 



The forestry work is varied in character and consists of: 



1. An investigation of the forest conditions of North Carolina. 



2. A study of forest fires in North Carolina. 



3. A statistical study of the wood-using industries of North Carolina. 



4. The examination of timber areas in regard to practicing scientific 

 forestry. 



5. Examination of watersheds belonging to municipalities in regard to 

 their protection from fire and contamination. 



6. Investigations regarding the reforestation of abandoned farm lands and 

 cut-over lands. 



In order to obtain more accurate knowledge regarding the timber resources 

 of the State, it was decided to make a thorough investigation of the various 

 conditions of the forests, county by county, so that the Geological and Eco- 



