developed turpentine area can support on a sus- 

 tained-yield basis for the 8-year period 1935-42 a 

 total working body with an estimated annual yield 

 of only 220,000 units; this is 62,000 units less than 

 the average production for the 8 years prior to 1937. 

 Only by dipping into the supply of round trees 

 below 9 inches d. b. h. or by exceeding the sus- 

 tained-yield possibilities from larger diameters, can 

 average production be maintained during the next 

 8 years. 



Almost 2.4 million acres were classified as mer- 

 chantable stump" land, on which there were almost 

 8 million tons of pine stumps from which wood 

 naval stores could be extracted. 



Wood Products 



The total net saw-timber volume in 1934 ex- 

 ceeded 18.5 billion board feet, lumber tally (Inter- 

 national %-inch rule), of which approximately 

 68 percent was in pines, 26 in hardwoods, and 6 in 

 cypress. 



Approximately 70 percent of the pine saw-timber 

 volume is in second-growth stands, but only 36 

 percent of the hardwood and cypress volume is 

 so classified. 



In the sawlog-size conditions of the turpentine 

 pine types more than 76 percent of the total volume 

 occurs on 48 percent of the area in stands of at 

 least 2,000 board feet per acre. 



Of the total cordwood volume of 107 million 

 cords, approximately 51 percent is in pine, 37 in 

 soft- textured hardwoods and cypress, and 12 in 

 firm-textured hardwoods. (See list of species p. 4.) 



More than 36 million trees were classified as 

 suitable for commercial poles, 1 5 percent of which 

 were at least 35 feet long. 



During 1934 the total net effect of turpentining 

 in reducing the growth, increasing the mortality, 

 and in causing a degrade and loss of material in the 

 butts of turpentined trees, amounted to approxi- 

 mately 665 million board feet, lumber tally. The 

 utilization and reduction of this enormous loss is 

 one of the most important forestry problems of 

 south Georgia. 



During 1936 the 343 sawmills produced 328 

 million board feet of lumber, of which 82 percent 

 was pine, 12 was hardwood, and 6 cypress. The 

 total commodity drain for all wood products dur- 

 ing 1936 amounted to almost 149 million cubic feet, 

 45 percent of which was for lumber. 



For all species combined, the board-foot drain 

 upon the forest exceeded increment in 1936 by 11 

 percent, or almost 70 million board feet. Cypress 

 suffered the heaviest overcutting with a deficit of 

 nearly 58 million board feet; pine had a deficit of 

 more than 35 million; but hardwood increment 

 exceeded drain by 23 million board feet. 



The cubic-foot increment of the total growing 

 stock for all species combined exceeded drain in 

 1936 by 7 percent, or 11 million cubic feet. The 

 cubic-foot drain in both pine and cypress exceeded 

 increment, especially of quality material. The 

 offsetting surplus in hardwood increment was 

 principally in young second-growth timber of low 

 value and in the less desirable species. 



Forestry Measures Essential 



Although south Georgia has long been noted for 

 its extensive forests and diversified forest-using 

 industries, there is an excellent opportunity here 

 to build up (perhaps to double) the present growing 

 stock. To do so would assure a permanent supply 

 of raw material and thus permit additional indus- 

 trial expansion. Many areas are still unprotected 

 from fires; openings are in need of artificial restock- 

 ing; turpentine practices, especially those of the 

 many small gum producers, need further improve- 

 ment; and many forest stands are stagnated with 

 worked-out turpentine pines, cull trees, and inferior 

 species. To remedy this situation and bring the 

 forests into full productiveness, the following meas- 

 ures appear essential: 



1 . The effectiveness of fire-control activities and 

 their application to all forest lands within this area 

 must be increased. Recurrent forest fires are 

 responsible for the greater part of the loss that now 

 occurs annually through mortality. The response 

 of the forest to relief from periodic burning is 

 immediate and impressive. Growth is increased, 

 mortality is decreased, and in only a few years thin 

 stands become denser and, if seed trees are present, 

 the openings usually become restocked with fast- 

 growing, desirable species. Protection from fire 

 will go far toward building up and preserving the 

 growing stock and increasing the amount of wood 

 that annually can be turned safely into industrial 

 uses. 



2. Old fields and very large openings that will 

 not restock, or will restock only after a long delay, 

 should be planted, preferably to slash pine. 



