56 



SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN REGION. 



tion of the tiniher, but the greater ag-g-regato damage has 

 been done b}- lighter fires creeping through the woods 3-ear 

 after year, scorching the butts and roots of timber trees, 

 destroying seedlings and forage plants, consuming forest 

 litter and humus, and reducing that thatch of leaves which 

 breaks the fall of raindrops. Evidence of such tires is 

 found, over approximately 4,500.000 acres, or SO per cent 

 of the entire area. (See PI. XLVI.) 



The effect of forest tires is seldom appreciated, espe- 

 ciall}^ in this region, where so few timber trees are killed. 

 The killing of mature timber trees is, in fact, from the 

 nation's point of view, the least damage of all; for were 

 only the mature trees killed a dozen saplings would stand 

 ready to till the place of each, but the tires affect the sap- 

 lings much more than the large, thick-liarked trees, and, 

 too, where spring tires are habitual seedlings can not grow, 

 prevented ^^^J killed when very small. A forest under such 

 conditions can not reproduce itself. The timber trees die 

 out and are replaced by l>rush that sprouts from the roots. 

 One who studies these effects can see everywhere the dam- 

 age b}" tire in dead trees, scorched butts, hollow trees, dead 

 saplings and seedlings, in clumps of sprouts from roots of 

 tire-killed trees, in the openings, the half-forested land, and 

 in the annual weeds that occupy the burned areas, nature 

 using their humble efforts to cover the nakedness of the 

 misused land. 



Fires increase -ji^g damage by tire causing a loss of the earth cover 



violenceof " = 



floods. ^Qgg j^qi -^yi^h erosion, for it also prevents water from 



% penetrating and being stored in the earth. The roots of 

 trees penetrate deeply into the subsoil, and as they decay 

 leave a network of underground water pipes. The mulch 

 of forest leaves encourages numerous ground- boring worms 

 and beetles that keep the soil of an unburned forest por- 

 ous, not only favoring the absorption of water, but also 

 retarding the capillary rise of moisture to the surface and 

 its loss by evaporation. The mosses and humus of a well- 

 conditioned forest form wet blankets, often a foot thick, 

 the function of which is so evident that it need not be 

 Fires impover- explained here. The dissipation of the chemical elements 



ish the soil. ^ in ii -i 



ot plant food into the atmosphere by nre and the rapid 

 leaching away of the slight residue contained in the ashes 

 is another injurious effect of the forest tires. 

 Fires in this The experience of the older countries should serve us 



region bsst pre- ■ ■ • 



vented by Gov- sutficicntly to prevent our making a similar mistake of 



ernment super- . ^ • "i j rri i. j.u 



vision. policy Concerning our mountain lands, lhat the same 



