WATAUGA EIVER BASIN. 103 



A?'ea. Total, 17.50 square miles; cleared, 7 square miles; wooded, 10.50 square 

 miles. 



Surface. Hilly to mountainous, except in the very narrow and interrupted 

 creek bottoms. 



Soil. The soil is derived principally from gneiss and granite, and is a 

 naturally fertile loam, but owing to the steepness of the slopes is very liable to 

 erosion. 



AgincuUnral value. Most of the land is too steep for cultivation, only 3 

 square miles being strictl}^ agricultural. The land would be naturall}^ adapted 

 to grass but for the steepness of the slopes. 



Timber trees. Hemlock, 15 per cent; birch, 10 per cent; beech, 3 per cent; 

 red oak, 5 per cent; white oak, 15 per cent; chestnut oak, 10 per cent; chestnut, 

 15 per cent; white pine, 2 per cent; other species, 25 per cent. 



rielclLog timber, 13,632 M feet, B. M.; small wood, 120,800 cords. 



Demand. From %\ to $2 per thousand feet is the common stum page price 

 for the best of the remaining log timber. 



AccessihlUty. The nearest railroad station is Maymead. The extreme haul 

 is 9 miles, though the nearest point on the railroad is 3 miles nearer. A wagon 

 road follows the stream through the valley, and branches of it lead over most of 

 the mountain slopes. 



Fii'e. Except along the crest of Forge Mountain there have been few fires 

 beyond those used in clearing the land. 



Second ^?w/;i^A. Saplings are abundant, except on the ridges with southern 

 exposure where fires have been very frequent. 



Undergrmoth. Dense laurel thickets cover nearh^ all the northern slopes. 

 The southern slopes are brushy, with sprouts and shi-ubs. 



Reiyroduction. Considerably retarded by brush and fire, but alwaj^s free on 

 clean cuttings. 



Rate of growth. Rapid. 



Water power. Along the lower portion of the stream are sites for mills of 

 moderate power, but the stream is inconstant and the ground is not favorable for 

 holding water in reservoirs. 



Ownershij). The tract is substantially all owned by residents. 



Occupancy. About 100 families are now living in the valley. 



Prices of land. The best farm lands are worth $30 per acre; hilly and ridge 

 farms bring $5 to $10 per acre; while the wild mountain lands are not worth 

 more than $2 per acre. 



