THE REMAINING FOREST. 2-3 



It will be noticed that the table shows an average of 0.75 cow, 0.45 sheep, 

 and 1 hog to each person. This tabulation, however, includes the towns and the 

 densely populated farming regions along Toe, French Broad, Pigeon, and Little 

 Tennessee rivers, which should unquestionably be excluded from a reserve. 



Grazing at large in the mountain forests should not be prevented until the 

 value of mountain timber and the injury by grazing is recognized b}^ the land- 

 owners, who should then be supported if they desire to prevent grazing upon 

 their land. In considering this question it is important to remember that thorough 

 protection against fire would be necessary were grazing stopped, for the accumulated 

 vegetation would furnish a dangerous amount of fuel. The effect of the "no-fence 

 law" in this respect is to be seen verj^ plainl}' south of Chattooga River, where 

 fire in the accumulated debris has greatly injured the forest; but it should be 

 remembered that in the region south of the Blue Ridge droughts are more 

 common and fires much more frequent than in the mountains. 



THE REMAINING FOREST. 



As shown in the accompanying tables (pp. 52, 53) there are on the tract 

 examined 4,100,856 acres of woodland, on which are standing, including every- 

 thing above 4 inches in diameter, 10,824,963 M feet B. M. of log timber, and 

 69,038,817 cords of small wood. The principal species composing the log timber 

 and their proportions relative to the entire yield are shown in the table on pages 

 55, 56. The oaks, of which the principal species are white, red, yellow, chestnut, 

 Spanish, and spotted, constitute by far the greater portion of the timber. 

 These oaks are found mostly on the ridges, especially on the southward and 

 lower and drier slopes, where they grade into the pine forests of the plains. 

 Toward the mountain summits the red oak prevails and is often almost the onlj^ 

 oak on the higher crests. The best development of individual oaks is reached 

 in the coves, where, though circumstances are less favorable to reproduction 

 because of crowding, the few trees that do overtop their neighbors usually 

 attain large size and good quality. White and red oak logs 4 feet in diameter 

 are not uncommon. Next in abundance is the chestnut, constituting over 17 per 

 cent of the forest. It also is most abundant on the ridge lands, but on such 

 lands it is usually wormy. It is sparsely distributed on north slopes and deep 

 coves, where, however, it is of better quality. Hemlock lines many of the 

 ravines and is a common tree on the well watered portions of northward slopes. 

 It is most abundant between altitudes of 3,000 to 5,000 feet. White pine is 

 found as a valuable timber tree over the entire area, but is most abundant alc>ng 

 the Unaka Range and portions of the highlands where in mixture it sometimes 

 yields 60 M feet B. M. per acre. 



