66 THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN FORESTS. 



ELK CREEK DISTRICT (gRAYSON COUNTY, VA.). 



Boundaries. On the north, the summit of Iron Mountain; on the east, Briar 

 Patch Mountain; on the south, Point Lookout and Buck mountains, and on the 

 west, Middle Fox Creek divide. 



Area. Total, 64 square miles; cleared, 32.50 square miles; wooded, 31.50 

 square miles. 



Surface. Rolling to mountainous, with some narrow bottoms along parts of 

 the creek and its tributaries. 



Soil. The soil is derived from gneiss, schist, and limestone, and is quite 

 variable. It is porous on the mountains, and ridges and light on the slopes. 

 Most of the valley soil is a red clayey loam, naturally veiy fertile, but needing 

 care to keep it in condition. 



Agricultural value. This is one of the most productive valleys in the county. 

 Large amounts of corn and other grains have been grown, and much of the land 

 is excellently adapted for hay and pasture. The hilly portions are rapidly dete- 

 riorating by continued cropping and erosion. About 12,000 acres are well suited 

 to permanent agriculture. 



Tiniber trees. Chestnut, 25 per cent; chestnut oak, 10 per cent; red oak, 6 

 per cent; white oak, 10 per cent; maple, 8 per cent; gum, 3 per cent; linn, 2 per 

 cent; cucumber, 2 per cent; hemlock, 5 per cent; white pine, 1 per cent; black 

 pine, 1 per cent; other species, 27 per cent. 



Yield. 'Lo^ timber, 40,000 M feet B. M.; small wood, 362,040 cords. 



Demand. The best of the log timber brings about $1 per thousand feet on 

 the stump. 



Accessibility. This district is remote from the railroad, the central part being 

 about 15 miles by wagon road from Crocketts station on the Norfolk and Western 

 Railway. The mountain side is steep, but offers no especial difficulty to logging. 



Fire. The south slope of Iron Mountain has been much burned by slight 

 and often repeated fires reduced, in fact, to scrub growth, and yields only 

 about 8 cords of wood per acre. On the remainder of the tract fires have done 

 much less damage, as the wood lots are protected by clearings. 



Second growth. There are a few very good stands of saplings on the wood 

 lots of the valley, but in general saplings are deficient because of fire, grazing, 

 and close culling. 



Undergrowth. Light. 



Reproduction. Naturally free, but usually prevented by fire and grazing. 



Rate of growth. Medium to rapid. 



