CHESTNUT IN TENNESSEE. 7 



soils, and practically never on limestone soils. On clay soils it 

 grows only where the surface of the land is sufficiently rolling to 

 insure surface drainage, and even then it forms only a small pro- 

 portion of the forest growth. It makes excellent growth on highly 

 ac : d soils where it is frequently associated with rhododendron (lau- 

 rel) on north slopes, or with kalmia (ivy) on west slopes, but it 

 also grows in pure stands. Although less exacting than yellow pop- 

 lar, walnut or ash, in respect to depth of soil and amount and uni- 

 formity of moisture supply, it is more exacting than white oak, by 

 which it is replaced on the drier soils, even where there is consid- 

 erable depth. On the thoroughly drained sandy or gravelly soils 

 it gives way on cool slopes to white pine, and on somewhat stiffer 

 soils to scarlet oak, especially at middle elevations, and to black oak 

 at lower elevations. 



While chestnut is exacting in regard to depth and porosity of 

 soil, and makes moderate demands upon soil moisture, it does not 

 require either a sweet or a fertile soil. Unlike poplar, basswood, 

 and ash, it will grow thriftily upon sandy soils with a subsoil defi- 

 cient in lime as well as potash, and in addition to its capacity for 

 gerinmating and growing on the peaty soil of the rhadodendron 

 (laurel) thickets, it does well also on soils with scant humus cover. 

 In these respects it is one of the least exacting of the hardwoods. 

 Of species which require a deep soil, it is intermediate between 

 species like yellow poplar, ash, and walnut, which require consid- 

 erable soil fertility and the less exacting white and short leaf 

 pines. 



As a rule, especially at altitudes between 1,000 and 3,000 feet, 

 chestnut occupies soils which are too acid and sandy to be of high 

 agricultural value unless limed. On the other hand, the soils within 

 these altitudes which are more uniformly moist in the subsoil and 

 are neutral or only slightly acid, such as are occupied by yellow 

 poplar, walnut and locust, are regarded as well suited for farming 

 purposes. At altitudes below 1,000 feet, the soils usually occupied 

 by shortleaf pine, black oak, and hickory, are also considered su- 

 perior for general farming purposes, to those occupied by chestnut. 

 Above 3,000 feet altitude much of the soil occupied by chestnut is re- 

 garded as of good quality for pasture land, if set in redtop (herds) 

 grass, which will grow on more acid soils than will clover and 

 bluegrass. 



