306 THE FORESTS OF GARRETT COUNTY 



valleys include forty-six per cent of this, or 199,900 acres. It is not 

 probable that the farming areas of the county will be materially in- 

 creased in the future, as the best lands are now occupied, and many 

 areas once cultivated are being abandoned on account of their poor 

 soil. The tilled lands often extend up from the valleys over the foot- 

 hills and high on the ridges themselves. The soils of the valleys are 

 deep and vary from a clay to sandy loam. The soil of the higher 

 slopes is shallow and rocky, but fertile, producing good grain crops. 



FOREST LANDS. 



Fifty-four per cent, or 235,200 acres, of Garrett county is wooded. 

 Of this wooded area, 210,200 acres are cut-over or culled forest lands, 

 and 25,100 acres are in virgin forests. 



CUT AND CULLED FORESTS. 



These areas are found in all parts of the county and include the 

 principal types of timber discussed later. The best or all of the 

 timber on these lands has been taken. The present growth varies 

 from low brush of Mountain Laurel and Barren Oak to mature forests 

 from which only the best material has been removed. The largest 

 portion of the culled and cut-over lands bears a sprO'Ut growth of oaks 

 and chestnut, 5 to 30 feet high. Scattered singly or in groups 

 through these sprout forests are old defective or inferior trees left by 

 the lumbermen. The soil of these forest lands varies, but is mainly 

 poor, shallow, and rocky, unsuited to agriculture other than pasture. 

 The map (Plate XXI) shows the area and distribution of these lands 

 with reference to the agricultural lands and virgin forests. 



VIRGIN FORESTS. 



The present area of the virgin forests of the county is 25,100 acres. 

 The timber is, however, rapidly disappearing. The local mills cut 

 annually from 1000 to 3000 acres. The acreage of these forests 

 may be divided among three types, as follows: 



Type. Acres. 



Ridge Timber 20,220 



Slope Timber 4,1$3 



Swamp Timber 733 



Total 25,146 



