230 



The Dawn of a New Constructive Era 



Make Lands 

 Attractive to 

 Prospective 

 Settlers 



Drainage and 



Stump 



Removal 



Cut-Over Lands and Their 



Value 



By C. C. Prescott 



Agricultural Agent, Southern Railway System 

 Development Service 



I was raised on a South Alississippi farm on pine knots and 

 clabber. This was a cut-over land farm and produced crops 

 every year. Any cut-over farm land in the pine belt can be made 

 to do the same thing. 



There must be certain essentials for the development of this 

 land in order that it may yield the maximum crops for the labor 

 expended. Naturally, of course, on cut-over lands the appear- 

 ance has a great deal to do with newcomers or buyers living 

 near them. These lands after the timber has been cut off are 

 left in a dilapidated condition. 



In order to facilitate matters in so far as reclaiming these 

 lands from an agricultural viewpoint, the stumps, tree tops and 

 gullied lands should receive attention at the earliest possible 

 moment. In other words, cut-over lands should be made pro- 

 ductive. Thousands of acres of this land should now be in cul- 

 tivation producing food and feed crops and at the same time 

 giving homes to thousands of people who need these lands. 



Today the large land holder is detrimental to the agricul- 

 tural progress of any territory. He should be induced to cut this 

 land into smaller area, and aid in building communities and 

 good roads in order that it will appeal to the man who has 

 brains and money and is seeking a home. Our cut-over lands 

 will remain idle for years to come unless our business enterprises 

 and large land holders put forth every effort to make these lands 

 attractive. 



As they are, thousands of acres look like a gigantic army 

 en route for Germany on account of the millions of stumps. 

 These stumps should be converted into charcoal and smoke, 

 thereby eliminating a great drawback to our agricultural prog- 

 ress. 



