16 SOILS OP THE EASTERN UNITED STATES. 



from South Carolina to Virginia, inclusive, the forest growth con- 

 sists chiefly of the hardwoods, principally white oak, chestnut oak, 

 red oak, post oak. and scarlet oak, with some black oak and 

 shingle oak. In addition, hickory is generally present, while upon 

 many of the steeper slopes there is a strong stand of chestnut. 

 Within the sheltered valleys and coves, where deep, moist soil exists, 

 the poplar and maple are prominent at the lower altitudes, while 

 there is some white pine and a considerable amount of hemlock 

 in the cool and moist valleys and gorges at the greatest altitudes. 

 Throughout the general extent of the type there is also a rank under- 

 growth of the mountain laurel, rhododendron, azalias, and chin- 

 quapin, while beneath this minor growth is a heavy carpet of mosses 

 and of ferns. 



While a considerable proportion of both the Porters loam and 

 Porters black loam, accessible to transportation, has already been cut 

 over, there are still extensive tracts in the more remote regions which 

 remain practically untouched so far as lumbering operations are con- 

 cerned. Even in the more accessible sections where lumbering opera- 

 tions have been carried on for the longest period of time, there is 

 usually a rapid reoccupation of the cut-over lands, principally by 

 the hardwood growths. 



There thus exists within the territory covered by the Porters loam 

 and the Porters black loam a considerable area which through all of 

 its characteristics of altitude, climate, and soil is peculiarly and 

 preeminently fitted for forest occupation, and which, because of steep 

 slope and of inaccessibility, is of little value for general agricultural 

 purposes. In addition, practically all of the principal streams of the 

 southeastern seaboard States have their headwaters and the head- 

 waters of their principal tributaries in the same partially forested 

 section. It is again apparent that forestation is extremely desirable, 

 not only from the standpoint of the production of timber for future 

 use, but also from the standpoint of the protection of the sources of 

 the domestic water supply and of water power for the adjoining Pied- 

 mont and Coastal Plain sections. 



In addition the majority of the slopes within the areas occupied by 

 the Porters black loam and the Porters loam are all so steep that 

 even if agricultural occupation were otherwise desirable, the tendency 

 toward excessive erosion is so great that entire fields are rapidly de- 

 stroyed after they are cleared and devoted to farm purposes, bring- 

 ing about not only the destruction of the local soil areas but also 

 endangering the rich bottom lands through which these streams flow 

 and deposit their burden of sand and silt in the lower lying Pied- 

 mont section. 



Thus, from every standpoint, the maintenance of extensive areas of 

 these two soil types, in the eastern Appalachian region, in a forested 

 condition is desirable. 



