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28 THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN FORESTS. 



The wood is soft and brittle and of little value. A medicinal resin, balsam, is 

 obtained from its bark. 



Arboi' mtse {Thuja occidentalis). The arbor vitse is a small tree which occurs 

 in the Southern Appalachians at only a few places, as on Cripple Creek and 

 Linville River, on limestone soil. 



Bed cedar {Juniperus virginiana). The red cedar is a small tree, seldom more 

 than 50 feet in height, which is frequent below an elevation of 1,500 feet in old 

 stands and along roadsides, especially on limestone soil at the foot of the western 

 slope of the Smoky Mountains. The wood is soft, but durable and valuable. 

 The species reproduces freely, but grows slowly. 



Butternut {Juglans cinerea). The butternut is a short-stemmed tree reaching 

 a height of 70 feet and a diameter of 24 inches. It is frequent on rocky soil 

 along streams between 1,500 and 4,000 feet. It yields a valuable light-brown 

 cabinet wood. Seed is borne at frequent and regular intervals and reproduction 

 is good. 



BloAik walnut {Juglans nigra). The black walnut reaches a height of 110 feet 

 and a diameter of 40 inches, attaining its greatest size in the deep hollows of 

 the mountains of North Carolina, where it occurs mixed with oak and chestnut. 

 The largest and most valuable trees have generally been removed. It seeds 

 regularly and reproduces freely. The black, fine-grained wood takes a good 

 polish, and is largely used in Europe for furniture. 



Bitternut {Ilicoria minima), Bitternut is one of the largest and most 

 valuable of the hickories, often attaining a height of 110 feet and a diameter of 

 30 inches. It is frequent on lower moist slopes and along streams. Seed is 

 borne in abundance at frequent intervals, and reproduction is good. The rate of 

 growth is rapid. The wood is hard, heavy, and tough, and is much used for 

 the handles of tools and in wagon manufacture. 



Shaghark {Hicoria ovata). This tree is frequent along streams and on moist, 

 rich slopes, where it attains a large size. It reproduces freely by seed, and 

 small trees sprout from the stump. The tough, elastic wood is regarded as 

 being second in quality among all the hickories. The large, edible nuts are 

 extensively gathered and sold. 



Carolina shaghark {Hicoria carolinse-septentrionalis), This is a smaller tree 

 than the preceding species, but its wood is of the same quality and is used for 

 the same purpose. It occurs on sandy soil at the southwestern end of the 

 Appalachians, below an elevation of 1,200 feet. 



Shellhark hickory {Hicoi'ia laciniosa). The shellbark hickory is a large and 

 valuable tree which is found at only a very few places. It grows on alluvial 

 lands at a low elevation. 



