prevent the full utilization of natural resources. The natural limitations imposed upon the South in pulp production may in the past have appeared insuperable. It is the work of science, however, to remove such obstacles wherever possible-not with the object of benefitting any particular section or region, but of increasing the resources of the country as a whole. As northern pulpwood stands continue to diminish, the necessity of the South taking an important share in production becomes daily more apparent.

FUTURE OF SOUTHERN PAPER PRODUCTION

By J. H. ALLEN

The time alloted for this great subject is so limited that my statements are to be proveable assertions rather than a discourse of consecutive logic.

In our great southland the old order of things changeth, yielding place to new "spirited laws" and the laws of nature are at work, creating a great new day filled with more opportunities than any days of the past. Today we have millions of acres of cut-over pine lands upon which the winds have blown an oversupply of seed, from which is sprouting natural pulpwood lots without a dollar of expense to the great states of the South. Our natural stand of wood lots (when I say wood lots, I mean lots of millions of acres) would cost, if these stands had been planted in Michigan or Minnesota, some $70.00 per acre, for $70.00 per acre is the average cost of the average wood lot in these States. These cut-over lands are growing yellow pine in a soil and climate that is friendly to the growth of pulpwood timber. Pulpwood timber will grow three times as fast in these great States as it will in the extremely cold northern States. The whole South should be awakened to the value of this great natural resource, for it is now certainly stated by practical men in the paper business, who know wood lots, that more money will be made out of these cut-over lands than has ever been made out of the virgin timber in the South. We do not have to wish for the virgin timber to be here again for opportunities. We do not have to go to the great northwest and change our home, our friends and our climate to continue in the forest products business. We have the forestry proposi

tion at our front door. All we need to do is to realize that the opportunity is here and that the cash register will respond to the economical construction and operation of the kraft paper mill in the South and thousands of pioneer lumbermen will continue in their present abode in this great new order of the day -provided taxes are adjusted and forest fires are prevented.

In many States we have cheap natural gas for fuel; we have hydro-electric power for cheap power; we have the cheapest strata of labor that is found in the United States today and we have the railroads operating in the South that lend the willing ear to the industries along their rails. Is it not, therefore, sound economics, when we consider the great growth of the shortleaf yellow pine, the cheap fuel, the cheap labor and the wonderful railroad facilities, when we deduce that the South is the future kraft paper manufacturing location of the world?

The great lumber railroads of the South have been talked about on the street in New York to the effect that when the virgin timber was cut, their original tonnage in the South would be limited and their securities might decrease in value.

Some months ago the Missouri Pacific interested upon their rails a pulp and paper mill with a large capacity that proved to them that they would have a perpetual timber supply because they were assembling under their plant an acreage sufficiently large that with a conservative estimated growth, would grow enough timber annually to take care of the great timber supply necessary for the paper mill, thereby giving to the plant perpetual life. Was there ever a saw mill built in the South that could issue that same statement?

It is a wise railroad that will attract to its rails the perpetual output of kraft paper mills. It is a wise city that attracts to its neighborhood the large perpetual pay rolls of the paper mills.

There are cities in the South which have been depending upon oil and lumber for their great growth, that are now beginning to look for other avenues of development because the peak has been reached in these two commodities. Do you not see that it is only a short step for a city that has cheap gas fuel, cheap oil fuel, cheap coal fuel and cheap ligenite fuel, an abundance of shortleaf yellow pine pulpwood timber, and a pro

gressive railroad desiring tonnage, to combine these natural economic elements with their cheap labor under the head of the new paper industry and enter forth into the new progressive day of forestry products?

There is only one caution to be issued and that is for the future stockholders of this paper industry and for the cities and railroads interested in the development of it to select the right men to analyze the natural and competent elements entering into this new industry so that the properties may be assembled, the mills built and the properties operated right the first time without the usual debauchery that takes place in any new industrial experiment. There are men today in the South, who are practical in this line of business and can do this thing right the first time and who will certainly be called upon to do this great introductory work.

Kraft paper made in the southern mills has been proven to have the same merit and strength as the kraft paper made in the northern mills and it can be manufactured at a lesser price; so in addition to enjoying all of the natural economic advantages, this new industry for the South will effect an economic saving to the consumers of the United States and in this great country of ours, where money can be made and an economic saving brought about, the success of the new thing is assured in advance. We may, therefore, with assurance, predict that the South will be, within the near future, the kraft paper center of the United States. It, therefore, seems to me that those of us who are interested in this great southland of ours, should awaken the present owners and holders of this vast cut-over land area to the fact that cut-over lands have a great and growing value; and that laws should be passed that would aid and encourage capital to develop this new frozen and seemingly inactive asset into the activity that the elements warrant.

The Southern Forestry Congress is doing a wonderful work, and as the head of the Concatenated Order of Hoo-Hoo, I desire to tender the services of all of our members, our officers and our magazine to the furtherance of this great cause.

REPORT OF NAVAL STORES COMMISSION

By W. L'E. BARNETT

SECRETARY

The forest region of the Landes, which includes parts of the departments of the Gironde and Lot-et-Garonne, is a triangular area of over a million hectares (2,500,000 acres). The Atlantic Ocean bounds it on the West, on the Northeast it is bounded by the Garonne river, on which is situated Bordeaux, the chief port of the region, and the triangle is closed by the Midouze and Adour rivers on the Southeast. Bayonne lies at the mouth of the latter river.

The Naval Stores Industry of France is concentrated in this region which is situated in the Southwestern part of the country.

The forests of Maritime pine are distributed in the departments of the Landes, Gironde, and Lot-et-Garonne as follows:

Department of Landes

Department of Gironde

Department of Lot-et-Garonne

(One hectare equals 2.471 acres.)

516,000 hectares

.461,000 hectares

..100,000 hectares

In addition, there are another 100,000 hectares of pine forests in the Departments of Charente Inferieure, Charente, and Dordogne. The Maritime pine of the Landes forests is of rapid growth, and, in addition to furnishing crude oleoresin, its wood is suitable for a large number of purposes.

The Maritime pine is admirably suited to the geological and climatic conditions existing in the Southwest of France. The winters are mild and humid with little frost, while the summers are warm and sunny. The average annual rainfall in different sections of the Southwest varies between 0.75 and 1.20 meters (29.5 and 47.2 inches), the rain falling principally in the autumn and late in the spring. The number of rainy days varies between 92 and 130.

HISTORICAL SURVEY

Somewhat more than one hundred years ago, the Landes region was one of the poorest in France, and was very unhealthy. Due to forest fires, and to neglect, the woods had been in a large measure destroyed. The dune land extending along

gressive railroad desiring tonnage, to combine these natural economic elements with their cheap labor under the head of the new paper industry and enter forth into the new progressive day of forestry products?

There is only one caution to be issued and that is for the future stockholders of this paper industry and for the cities and railroads interested in the development of it to select the right men to analyze the natural and competent elements entering into this new industry so that the properties may be assembled, the mills built and the properties operated right the first time without the usual debauchery that takes place in any new industrial experiment. There are men today in the South, who are practical in this line of business and can do this thing right the first time and who will certainly be called upon to do this great introductory work.

Kraft paper made in the southern mills has been proven to have the same merit and strength as the kraft paper made in the northern mills and it can be manufactured at a lesser price; so in addition to enjoying all of the natural economic advantages, this new industry for the South will effect an economic saving to the consumers of the United States and in this great country of ours, where money can be made and an economic saving brought about, the success of the new thing is assured in advance. We may, therefore, with assurance, predict that the South will be, within the near future, the kraft paper center of the United States. It, therefore, seems to me that those of us who are interested in this great southland of ours, should awaken the present owners and holders of this vast cut-over land area to the fact that cut-over lands have a great and growing value; and that laws should be passed that would aid and encourage capital to develop this new frozen and seemingly inactive asset into the activity that the elements warrant.

The Southern Forestry Congress is doing a wonderful work, and as the head of the Concatenated Order of Hoo-Hoo, I desire to tender the services of all of our members, our officers and our magazine to the furtherance of this great cause.