OF THE TRADEWATER REGION. If 
But there is one difference between this timber belt east of 
Green river, and the same (if it be the same) west of that 
river, which deserves especial attention: that is, the belt 
east of Green river is remarkable for its massive chestnut tim- 
ber, often more than five feet in diameter, which forms a large 
per centage of the forest trees. West of Green river, how- 
ever, I was not able to find a single chestnut in all the coun- 
ties passed through, and all those of whom I inquired said 
that they had never seen a chestnut on the west side of Green 
river in that part of Kentucky. Certainly this is remarkable. 
The geological formation on the opposite sides of Green river 
is exactly the same, so far as I could determine, and is, so far 
as the surface is concerned, mostly the sandstone of the coal 
measure group. The regular pebbly conglomerate seldom 
appears here, even on the hill-tops. | Certainly, in the belts 
spoken of, I could detect no difference whatever. Both (if 
they be two, and not, as I think, the same) are high, level, or 
nearly so, damp and sandy, and the massive timbers of the 
two are exactly the same, with the exception of the chestnut. 
If it be true, as I was informed (and it certainly is, as far as I 
was able to investigate), that no chestnut is found in this part 
of Kentucky,west of Green river, the reason why the chest- 
nut should jut up against this river, and find in it a perfect 
barrier to its westward course, is worthy of investigation. 
.With the limited time for study at my command, I could dis- 
cover no cause for such a phenomenon. 
While speaking of timber variation, I wish to notice the 
question of the succession of forests in Kentucky and to 
mention the results of some observations made by me in that 
direction. 
In the report before referred to (vol. II, this series), I gave 
my reason for believing that the present forests of white oak 
will be supplanted, in the future,by black oak; red oak, Spanish 
oak, and such timbers, of which black oak will be the leading 
timber. ‘Two questions present themselves to me in this con- 
nection for solution: 1. Is it merely the white oak that is 
supplanted by the black oak, while of other timbers each will 
TIM. 1.—8 Il3 
