FOREST COlSrSERVATIOlT IN SOUTHERN PINE REGION. 5 



acres had been burnt over. This reduction was granted by the county com- 

 missioners. The county tlierefore lost several dollars in taxes every year 

 from that one fire, besides the much more serious loss sustained by the farmer. 

 In North Carolina the destruction of mature timber is only a small part of 

 the fire damage, because the usual surface fires, unless occurring late in the 

 spring, do not kill the larger trees. For this reason the value of the reproduc- 

 tion and young growth destroyed necessarily assumes large proportions. 



And further concerning the total loss : 



The very serious annual loss from forest fires can perhaps best be brought 

 out by a comparison. The average loss from fires in North Carolina for the past 

 five years has been about $650,000 a year. This is equivalent to a tax levy of 

 36 cents on the $100 on all the land in the State, or a tax of 13 cents on the 

 $100 on all property, real and personal, now listed for taxation. How quickly 

 would this fire tax be done away with if it came in the form of a regular tux 

 levy ! Yet the fire tax is paid year after year by the people of North Carolina 

 without a murmur. One or two per cent of the amount lost, if properly spent 

 by the State, would reduce the fire damage one-half the first year, and not only 

 save much valuable property belonging to our citizens, but insure the future 

 well-being of the State. 



With the North Carolina figures as a basis, the average yearly 

 damage from forest fires in all of the States of the southern pine 

 region may be estimated as 3,500,000 acres burned over, with a money 

 loss of $6,500,000. If to this were added the losses from soil deteri- 

 oration and floods, the damage would be far greater. 



Damage to the forests in this region is confined principally to the 

 young growth. This is especially noticeable on the cut-over long- 

 leaf pine lands, which are burned over every spring and fall and 

 so kept in a practically barren and waste condition. Except on the 

 bottom lands, damage of this character prevails in all the forests and 

 is generally severe. 



Some of the cut-over lands will undoubtedly be devoted to agri- 

 culture, but in the meantime fire and erosion are robbing them of 

 valuable chemical and physical elements. Should they be kept in 

 tl'ees as a means of retaining their fertility until demanded for culti- 

 vation, their value will certainly be higher than if they are allowed 

 to deteriorate through neglect. This is especially true of the less 

 valuable agricultural areas. 



In many places the disposal of cut-over pine lands for farming 

 purposes will go on very slowly. A merchantable crop of longleaf 

 pine trees for pulpwood can be grown naturally in 30 years if pro- 

 tected from fire. Commercial shortleaf and loblolly pines can 

 be grown in even a shorter time. Consequently, a real opportunity 

 is presented of utilizing the cut-over areas profitably while awaiting 

 the time for their agricultural development. 



Besides the cut-over lands suitable for agriculture, there are large 

 areas valuable chiefly for the production of timber. Land should, 



