s 



148 OUR VANISHING FORESTS 



It was then that the natural regrowth of certain 

 cut-over sections where fire had been kept out, 

 began to direct attention to the idea of reforesta- 

 tion, and the new policy was the result. Instead of 

 the usual group of ugly, unpainted shacks, this 

 company has built a handsome town, each building 

 a model of its kind. Parks, schools, offices, hospi- 

 tal, hotel and homes are hardly to be equalled in 

 any city of a hundred thousand people. It all rep- 

 resents faith in just one idea, that sane and practical 

 reforestation can be made to pay dividends. 



The problem of growing timber is perhaps more 

 simple in the south than in certain other parts of the 

 country. Given a chance, Nature generously at- 

 tends to the re-seeding, and the Loblolly or Old 

 Field pine, indigenous to that section, is one of the 

 most rapid growing of all species. Although taking 

 about five times as long to reach maturity, the 

 Longleaf pine, which for many years has been the 

 standard wood for construction purposes through- 

 out most of the United States, also reproduces 

 freely. 



The chief obstacle has been fire. In this well- 

 settled community the careless match has been re- 

 sponsible for the destruction of many millions of 

 seedlings every year. Some who profess to under- 

 stand the principles of forestry have claimed that a 



