Southern Pines Pay . . . 



Southern Forestry at the Crossroads 



TVTO OTHER region offers greater possibilities for continuous cropping 

 r * of timber than the South. Its soils are well adapted to tree growth. 

 Warm and humid winds that sweep up from the Gulf of Mexico supply 

 an abundance of moisture over the region. The growing season is long. 

 The native southern pine species are among the most rapid growing of the 

 softwoods. 



Recently the number of pulp and paper mills in the South has 

 increased rapidly. Already, there is the beginning of the development of 

 a southern newsprint -paper industry. 



The coming of new wood -using industries to the South should stimulate 

 the production of timber as a crop — should create a new cash crop to replace 

 or supplement cotton and to put lands at present unproductive back to 

 work. Forest -land owners in areas adjacent to the new mills will in all 

 probability have a cash market for trees cut in thinnings, defective trees, 

 and tops of sawlogs and poles for which there has previously been only a 

 limited sale, if any. 



This same new market, it should be kept in mind, will be open for all 

 pine trees down to 5 inches in diameter, which is below pole and sawlog 

 sizes. Such trees are usually capable of rapid and increasing growth in 

 volume. However, the indiscriminate harvesting of these small trees for 

 pulpwood and the cutting of the larger trees for poles, piling, and sawlogs 

 might easily result in forest lands becoming so completely cleared as to 

 produce little of value for years to come. Forest -land owners cannot 

 afford to follow such a course. 



Forestry in the South stands today at the crossroads. The need is for 

 adoption of good forest-management methods that will keep the wood- 

 lands permanently productive and profitable. 



For further information consult your county agricultural agent or write to 



your State forester at the State capital, your extension forester 



at the State college of agriculture, or the 



UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE— FOREST SERVICE 



WASHINGTON, D. C. 



NEGATIVE NUMBER FOR BACK COVER ILLUSTRATION F-266862 



V. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1939 



For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D. C. - - - - Trice 5 cents 



