SOUTH FORK OF HOLSTON RIVER BASIN (sOUtHERN TRIBUTARIES). 81 



Undergrowth. Light, except near the streams where dense thickets of laurel 

 occur. 



Beproduction. Seedlings and sprouts start freeh^^ on old cuttings and burns. 

 Chestnut and white pine are the most promising species for reproduction. 



Rate of growth. Medium. 



Water power. On the lower portion of the stream moderate powers could be 

 secured, but the flow is inconstant and hard to regulate. 



Own^ship. Most of the land is held b}' resident farmers. 



Occupancy. About 10 families are living in this basin. 



Prices of land. Mountain lands bring from 50 cents to $2 per acre; farm 

 lands, from $10 to $25. 



DICKEY CREEK DISTRICT (SMYTH COUNTY, VA.). 



Boundaries. On the north, the Rye Valley divide; on the east, the Cressy 

 Creek divide; on the south, the summit of Iron Mountain, and on the west, the 

 Como Creek divide. 



Area. Total, 15.50 square miles; cleared, 1.25 square miles; wooded, 14.25 

 square miles. 



Surface. Rolling to mountainous. 



Soil. On the upper slopes the soil is a porous loam derived from quartzites 

 and schists, while in the lowlands it is a red clayey loam, derived partly from 

 limestone and partly from the wash from the hills. 



Agricultural value. The upper slopes have no value for agriculture, but 

 about 1,000 acres in the lowlands are well adapted to diversified farming. 



Timber trees. White oak, 15 per cent; red oak, 5 per cent; black oak, 5 per 

 cent; chestnut oak, 5 per cent; gum, 3 per cent; linn, 2 per cent; cucumber, 2 

 per cent; maple, 2 per cent; chestnut, 20 per cent; birch, 5 per cent; buckej^e, 

 5 per cent; other species, 31 per cent. 



Yield. hog timber, 10,810 M feet B. M.; small wood, 144,800 cords. 



Demand. The best oak has brought $2.50 per thousand feet on the stump. 



Accessibility. The nearest haul would be about 15 miles over Brushy 

 Mountain, by a rough and hilly wagon road, to a branch of the Norfolk and 

 Western Railway on State Creek. The mountain sides are brushy, but not 

 especially difiicult to log. 



B'ire. Fires have been frequent, and along the spurs and ridges of the 

 divides have greatly injured the forest. 



Second growth. On the upper portion of this basin there are some very 

 good stands of saplings, but in general the supply is deficient because of 

 numerous fires. 



10336 No. 3705 6 



