514 CLAY, ROAD MATERIALS, ETC. 



by farmers. As a rule, the farmers' woodlots have but little merchant- 

 able timber." 



Areas Suitable for Reforestation. 



The soil of Gilmer is very similar to that in Lewis, being 

 located in what is known as the "Blue grass belt," where this 

 valuable forage crop grows of its own accord when the land 

 is cleared. The northwestern edge of the county, where the 

 Dunkard Series outcrops, is not so rich and could be reforested 

 along the ridges if the need should arise, and there are many 

 steep, stony ridges scattered throughout the county where 

 long strips of woodland could be maintained both for the pur- 

 pose of providing timber and for preserving the water supply. 

 The Soil Map of the Lewis and Gilmer Area, soon to be pub- 

 lished by the U. S. Bureau of Soils, of the Department of 

 Agriculture, in cooperation with this Survey, and to be dis- 

 tributed to those having this volume, will show the areas cov- 

 ered by "Rough Stony Land," and other poor types, where 

 reforestation should best be undertaken. 



CARBON BLACK. 

 Description of Plants. 



In the vicinity of Weston, there are 6 plants engaged in 

 the manufacture of Carbon Black from natural gas, all of 

 which are supplied by wells in close proximity. These plants 

 were formerly operated by several different companies, but 

 all of them have recently come under the control of the Co- 

 lumbian Carbon Company, of Williamsport, Pa., and Weston, 

 W. Va_,, and are jointly supervised by Messrs. Oscar Nelson 

 and Karl Hoskins, who together with local foremen furnished 

 the following information regarding these factories : 



The Raven Carbon Company No. 1 Plant, located on the 

 West Fork River, 3.5 miles north of Weston, and 0.5 mile 

 northwest of Butchersville Station, was built in 1909 and 

 makes carbon black for miscellaneous purposes, the capacity 

 being 1,500 pounds daily, 4 men being employed, with an aver- 

 age monthly payroll of $300. 



