NORTH CAROLINA FORESTRY ASSOCIATION 35 



One growing or defective tree, left standing for two or three years after itfj 

 fellows are taken, will reforest two or three acres of ground.* The pine burrs 

 begin to pop open on the coming of cold weather in October or November and 

 scatter the winged seed or "mast," which is whirled in every direction by the 

 prevailing winds of the winter. Almost every seed can germinate, for it falls 

 on an ideal seed bed of sandy loam, which is kept almost constantly moist 

 by the frequent rains. 



After a few warm days the seed sprouts and puts down its small tap root. 

 As soon as the tap root digs its way into the sand it performs one of the 

 miracles of Nature by straightening up and lifting the mother seed into the 

 air. Now the little tree is nourished from below and fed from above. It is fed 

 through the tips of the pine needles until all proper dangers are passed; and 

 with the warm days of spring it soon is six inches high, and by fall it is firmly 

 established in the soil. 



Compare this with the slow, expensive process of reforesting in Europe 

 (with trees of far less value), where each tree is planted and replanted by 

 hand. 



It may be interesting to you to know that while I have been accustomed 

 to going into the woods all my life, I never had the opportunity to observe 

 the growth of the young longleaf pine from the seed, as above described, until 

 after the stock law was passed in New Hanover County a few years ago. 

 The hogs ran at large in that county and were so strenuous that they suc- 

 ceeded in making this phenomenon one rarely to be observed. Now you 

 can see the longleaf pine reproduce itself everywhere. 



Recently a gentleman from New York, who spoke Italian fluently, was 

 questioning an Italian at St. Helena about the results obtained from the 

 vineyards of the colony. It was noticeable that the Italian replied with 

 great enthusiasm, and later when the gentleman was asked what was said he 

 replied that there were no expressions in English to give the exact idea; but 

 as near as he could express it the Italian said, "We can not understand why 

 Nature has done so much for us, why she is so bountiful with the harvests. 

 We feel that she has made a mistake." 



The area of the coastal plain is somewhat in excess of ten million acres. 

 If the value of reforestation is duly appreciated and the forests protected, 

 there should be an increase of at least four million dollars per year to the 

 value of the forests from the natural reproduction. 



Can Nature do more for us in the way of providing forests? Why has she 

 been so generous in soil and climate, in abundance of moisture? We can 

 quite understand the Italian's point of view. 



When we think of the vast areas of the earth's surface not adapted to re- 

 forestation and others wliere the forests, once destroyed, can not possibly be 

 reproduced, we ought to be thankful and protect intelligently what has come 

 to us as a gift. 



At the moment we can not feel proud of the part man is playing. Because 

 of ignorance and natural aversion to effort, he sets fire to the woods in order 

 to give the benefit of the new growth of almost worthless grasses to almost 

 worthless cattle, which are enabled thereby to get a scanty living. He 

 ranges his hogs in the woods, when they would prove far more profitable if 



* A forester would recommend leaving at least one seed tree per acre, and preferably two, to make 

 the reforesting from seed quicker and more sure.— Editor. 



