Cut-Over Pine Lands in the South. 33 



cut but will quickly sprout and require recutting in the course of 

 2 or 3 years. If closely grazed by sheep or goats the sprouts may 

 be killed. An arsenic poison has been successfully used for killing all 

 kinds of timber and effectually preventing sprouts. Trees are killed 

 in a few weeks' time and often in a few days by deep girdling and 

 applying a solution made according to the following formula : 



White arsenic (arsenic trioxid) 1 pound. 



Washing soda 1 pound or 



Caustic soda * pound. 



Whiting \ pound. 



Water : 4 gallons. 



Dissolve the soda in water, using heat if necessary; then slowly 

 add the arsenic, previously made into a thin paste, stirring all the 

 time ; place on a strong fire and boil for half an hour, stirring from 

 time to time. When the arsenic is thoroughly dissolved add the re- 

 mainder of the water to make up the 4 gallons. The whiting shows 

 the trees treated, as it turns white on drying. Trees are girdled by 

 a heavy downward stroke of the axe cutting through the bark and 

 well into the wood. From a half-pint for small trees to a quart 

 for large ones is applied to saturate the girdle. Saplings may be 

 cut off low and the poison thoroughly applied with a swab. The 

 poison is more effective if applied in winter or early in spring, but 

 will kill trees at any time. 



Down timber should be removed for firewood or piled and burned, 

 as it occupies space on which no grass can grow. The removal of 

 underbrush and down timber increases to a considerable extent the 

 carrying capacity of pastures. 



Seeding the native pastures, following the removal of second- 

 growth and down timber, will facilitate the rapid replacement of the 

 native grasses. Lespedeza and carpet grass may be sown on favored 

 spots of unprepared ground to hasten their natural spread, or where 

 the land is sufficiently clear it may be disked at little cost before 

 seeding. Disking also helps kill out the wire grass. The beds of old 

 tramroads from which the ties have been removed furnish seed 

 beds where desirable grasses may be established and gradually spread 

 over the pasture. 



Stocking the pastures heavily gradually tills out wire grass and 

 establishes carpet grass, but where pasture is grazed close enough in 

 spring to kill wire grass other pasture must be provided during sum- 

 mer and fall, as the cattle will suffer if not given wider range when 

 the pasture begins to fail. Wire grass and broom sedge must be 

 grazed closely to be fully utilized, as cattle do not eat it readily after 

 it matures. The pasture will gradually improve if closely grazed and 

 protected from fire at the same time, but should be seeded to lespe- 

 deza and carpet grass for rapid improvement. 



