26 WORKING PLAN, FOREST LANDS IN SOUTH CAROLINA. 
the production of open forests of short-boled, long-crowned trees, 
which yield poor timber. This result is less noticeable in the case of 
the Longleaf Pine than in that of the other pines on the tract, because 
of the greater power of the Longleaf to clear itself of its lower 
branches when growing in an open stand. 
The only damage from fire which is heeded is that to large timber. | 
There is a complete disregard or ignorance of the capacity of lumbered 
lands which are protected from fire to produce a second crop. It is | 
not so much the damage to the standing trees, either large or small, 
that makes the question of fire protection vital to the future value of | 
the forest, as the absolute impossibility of satisfactory reproduction 
if frequent ground fires are allowed. Conservative management of 
these lands, cut over as well as timbered, can be successful only with 
protection from fire. 
CAUSES. 
The most potent cause of fire on the tract of the Okeetee Gun Club | 
is the lack of sentiment against fire among the native population, cou- | 
pled with the great contempt for property rights. Fires are care- | 
lessly set to improve grazing, to clear land, and to protect woods where | 
turpentine is being gathered, with entire disregard of the likelihood 
that they will spread to other areas. Many are also due to malice; | 
and for many more the railroads are responsible. 
PREVENTION. 
Under existing conditions complete fire protection on these lands | 
would be exceedingly difficult, and the cost would be prohibitive. 
Ultimate success depends upon the possibility of overcoming the igno- 
rance and prejudice of the native population. The people must be | 
educated to aesentiment against fires. A system of patrol which will 
afford partial protection from fire is recommended in this working | 
plan (p. 47). It is believed that it can be made to limit the destruc- | 
tion of standing timber, and to insure the return of the forest to much | 
land now devastated. 
THE FOREST TREES. 
LONGLEAF PINE. 
On these lands the Longleaf Pine seldom occurs in swampy or 
poorly drained situations. It formerly occupied all the highest and 
driest portions of the tract, in unbroken pure forest covering wide 
areas. Drainage is the factor which chiefly determines its distribu- 
tion. It will grow on soils too dry for any other species, and becomes 
a valuable timber tree where the other pines remain stunted. The 
best timber is found where the subsoil contains considerable clay, but 
is porous enough to allow easy drainage. 






