6 MISC. PUBLICATION 87, U. 8. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 
nishes employment for about five months. The stove wood is hauled 
in special wagons divided into four sections and sold in Athens, the 
county seat, for $1 a section. All the refuse wood is thus cleaned up 
from the woodland, greatly reducing the fire risk. During the coldest 
part of the year other farmers from the locality come and get woods 
work. 
‘Timber thus tided over many families during a decade of critical 
years when many farmers and some banks became insolvent. For 
many years the farm will likely be a going institution because of good 
judgment and foresight exercised in handling the timber, in the 
words of Robert White, as a savings 
account. 
STORIES OF TWO MISSISSIPPI 
TREES 
SWEETGUM 
For many years until recently, 
sap sweetgum trees were of no 
value. They were not even wanted 
for firewood. The railroads are 
now buying sweeteum crossties in 
quantities for use after creosoting 
treatment. Because the wood fibers 
are interlocked the wood does not 
check much after being treated. 
There is no better material than 
peeled round sweetgum for treated 
fence posts or poles. 
A sweetgum tree grew along a 
small branch in Simpson County, 
Miss., where it was considered a 
worthless sprout. It was of some 
value, however, for it held the bank 
from washing and its shade con- 
F-22338 7 ° 
FieurE 4.—A tree that grew in an old served the soil moisture. Later, the 
field after J. M. Stokes (shown in the tree was cut, and it made eight 
view) grew to manhood 5 
crossties. 
For the timber in the tree the cutter paid the farmer 10 cents each 
for the four larger ties and 5 cents each for the four smaller ties, 
or a total of 60 cents. The tree measured 15 inches across the stump 
and was 40 years old. 
LOBLOLLY PINE 
‘“ T’ve plowed corn here many a time up until I was nearly grown, 
and I’m not an old man now,” said J. M. Stokes, of Kemper County 
Miss., as he stood beside a large loblolly pine. The tree, shown in 
Figure 4, measured 34 inches in diameter at breast height and was 
grown during the past 40 years. It had ample room to develop, and 
the soil conditions in the old field were very favorable. 
LOUISIANA FARMER “SOWS AND REAPS” TIMBER CROP 
Quincey Brumfield, a farmer of Washington Parish, La., sowed 
414 acres of land with seed of loblolly pine and a small amount of 
sweetgum. He then protected the young timber growth and allowed 
eo 1 
