NORTH CAKOLINA FORESTRY ASSOCIATION 25 



there is young growth and abundance of it there can be no trees to take the 

 place of the old ones when they are cut. 



The chief injury to our forests from cattle, however, is an indirect one, 

 not only in the mountains, but wherever the stock law is not in force. Every 

 year fires are set out and thousands of acres are burnt over in practically 

 every county in which the cattle still run at large, the reason given being that 

 "it improves the range." There is no more widespread or fallacious argument 

 advanced as an excuse for burning the woods than this. And the only basis 

 for it is that the young herbage, having no old growth to cover it, is available 

 for the stock somewhat earlier in the spring if the ground is burnt over in the 

 winter. The total effect of burning the range is very harmful, not only to 

 the woods, but to the range itself. The soils get poorer and poorer year by 

 year by the destruction of all vegetable matter, while the better quality of 

 forage plants are seriously injured or killed out by the fire. The quantity of 

 the poorer kinds of grass which make only early spring pasture, may be 

 slightly increased by killing out the young trees and bushes, but the other 

 forage plants, such as the beggar lice and other peas, on which the stock 

 fatten in the fall, are seriously injured or killed out entirely by fire. 



The sooner the whole State comes under the operation of the stock law, the 

 better it will be, not only for the State at large, but more especially for those 

 parts that are now without its advantages. The chief thing lacking to make 

 many parts of North Carolina prosperous agricultural regions is the enforce- 

 ment of a stock law. Only by putting all the land to its highest use, namely, 

 by cultivating thoroughly and raising as much stock and feed as possible on 

 the cleared land, and by keeping the woodland in the best possible condition 

 by excluding fire and stock, can the present and future prosperity of a com- 

 munity or a State be assured. If it is impossible to bring the whole State 

 under a stock law, there should be a law passed which would make it obliga- 

 tory on those counties which do not wish a stock law to fence themselves . 

 from the counties that adopt the stock law. Thus the counties which wish 

 the open range would be compelled to build a fence entirely around the 

 county, and also be compelled to keep up these fences. 



The forestry work that the State Geological and Economic Survey is doing 

 can be very much increased and assisted by the North Carolina Forestry Asso- 

 ciation, and as State Geologist I can assure this Association of the most 

 hearty cooperation of the Survey in the great work that this Association is 

 undertaking. 



Attorney-General T. W. Bickett, who was on the program for an 

 address on the "Forest Fire Laws of N'orth Carolina," explained that 

 owing to insufficient notice having been given him he had been unable 

 to prepare a paper. He, however, showed his interest in the question by 

 attending, and offered his services to the Association in drafting any 

 necessary laws which the Association might recommend. The Presi- 

 dent then appointed the following committees : 



Committee on Resolutions. — Mr. E. B. Wright, Mr. C. P. Heyward, 

 Professor J. F. Webb, Dr. F. P. Yenable, Mr. Hugh MacKae. 



FQREST RESOUfii 



