MARYLAND GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 319 



The Pitch Pine is a low, knotty tree of the cut and burned ridges, 

 valueless as a commercial timber. The Tamarack is found only in 

 the swamps in small quantities and poorly developed. The Sycamore 

 occurs only on the larger streams and seldom reaches a large size. 

 The other trees are more widely distributed and have a fair develop- 

 ment. 



UNMERCHANTABLE SPECIES. The trees of this group include seven- 

 teen species, and all are hardwoods. They are small trees, or in many 

 localities merely shrubs. The common trees of the group found on 

 the ridges and dry slopes are Barren Oak, Mountain Ash, the Su- 

 machs, Angelica-tree, and Mountain Laurel; along the streams 

 Papaw, Witch Hazel, Sweet Crab, Serviceberry, Scarlet Haw, Red- 

 bud, and Blue Dogwood occur; the Striped and Mountain maples are 

 found on the steep river slopes and the Rhododendron and Sheep- 

 berry in the swamps. 



The dense undergrowth and thickets in many parts of the county 

 are formed by trees of this group. The Mountain Laurel and Rhodo- 

 dendron often make almost impenetrable thickets in the swamps and 

 along streams. On the ridges and dry slopes the Barren Oak and 

 Mountain Laurel have frequently taken complete possession of the 

 ground after fire and form low, dense thickets. The Sweet Crab 

 and Scarlet Haw also form thickets from 10 to 20 feet high in the 

 moist level glade land along streams. 



LUMBERING. 



Garrett county has lumbering interests second to none in the state. 

 Their rapid growth in the past few years is due to the activity of the 

 mills cutting Hemlock. Three large mills are at work in the county, 

 one is building (Plate XXYI, Fig. 2), and there is prospect of another. 

 One of the mills has finished cutting its Garrett county holdings and 

 brings logs from West Virginia. Two West Virginia companies 

 secure part of their material from the slopes of Backbone Mountain. 

 These large mills cut the hard and soft wood with the Hemlock, 

 and thus lengthen their operations. Unless the mills acquire and 

 cut the defective ridge forests, they will have to be closed within 

 the next ten years. 



