70 ri.ANI' I-IKK <»K A I, A HAM A. 



main cliaiiiirls of (li-aiiiavf liavi- cut llifir ln-d tlii-oiiijli (•> the Sul>cai'- 

 lninift'iouv liiiu'stonc. Tin- laicairous strata (•oiistitiitr tla- tloor of 

 llic wide \ all('\ s of ci-osion li\ w liicli tln" div criiiii!^- ranges ai«' scparatt'd 

 and also of tlu'ir foothills. 



VKlil-ri-ATlON tH' TIIK IM, ATKA I S, MOTNTAIV SI.OI'KS, AND IIICHEK VM.I.KYM. 



Xrrojtlulr fm'rxfs.- All iiii 1 lit cnii ) )tcd fort'sl of a \arifd ^^rowtli of 

 (Ifciduoiis leaved ti'ccs and cvcrjiTci'ii cone boarers oiijiinally covered 

 this siil)<li\ ision. On the hroad expanse of the, table-lands above '.»(><» 

 or l.(»(H» feet the tan-liark of mountain oak larjj;«>ly pi'e\ails, associated 

 with post oak and S))anish oak, or more rarely with l>lack-jack and 

 l)lack oak. (u-ctisionally 'with seai'let oak, ii rare ti'e<' in this State; also 

 with mockernut, pionut hickory, and tine chestnut trees (the latter rap- 

 i(ll\ disappearing, having been eagerly sought for on account of their 

 durable tim])er for fencings or wantonly destroyed for the nuts), 

 and with white oak {Quercuf> a/ha) and highland gum (Xyssaxylmt/ca). 

 Among the tree growth of smaller size the sourwood {Oxych'txfnim 

 arhomiiii) is most frequent, here attaining its largest development, not 

 infre(iuently becoming 40 feet in height and over a foot in diameter; 

 together with dogwood, persimmon, sassafras, and the Southern pale- 

 bark maple {Acer Jcacoderme)^ and in localities with a deeper soil, the 

 Nortliern sugar maple {Acer mccharam, harhatniii)^ tulip tree, l)ox elder 

 {Acer negundo)^ and angelica tree {Aralia Hpinom). On Sand Mountai n, 

 in (^ullman County, where these forests have been more closely inves- 

 tigated, the woodlantls support from 25 to 35 timl)er trees of various 

 species per acre, aflording from 5,000 to 6,000 feet B. M. of merchant- 

 able luml)er of all grades, the largest amounts being derived from the 

 Spanish oak and the less valuable black oak {Querea^s velat'ina). The 

 lumber finds a ready maiket in the mining districts. 



Wherever the mountain oak prevails pines are rarely seen. On the 

 ridges of a lower altitude, with a thinner soil, the short-leaf pine 

 {Pinus ecliinata) forms from 20 to .30 per cent of the timber growth, 

 and. together with the lo])l()lly pine {Pinus taeda)^ supplies pine lumber, 

 which always finds a ready market. Dense groves of the latter cover 

 the shallow depressions deficient in drainage, which are particularly 

 fretpient on the Warrior table-land. On these swales, from a fraction 

 of an acre to several acres in extent, the loblolly pine arrives at its 

 perfection, scarcely surpassed anywhere in its dimensions and in the 

 ({uality of its timber. The trees average about 2-1: inches in diameter, 

 with a height of from 110 to 120 feet, the trunks free of knots for a 

 length of from 45 to TO feet and with Ijut a small proportion of 

 sapwood. 



The scrub pine {Plnufi virginiand) is found on the most broken and 

 poorest places at an elevation mostly above 1,200 feet, and is not 

 frequent. 



