FRENCH BROAD RIVER BASIN ABOVE SKYLAND. 145 



Iluiint.s and Jitter. In the lower part of the basin, where the woodland i.s 

 closely pastured and frequently burned, humus is scant3\ Where the steep 

 quartzite ridges occur fires destroN" nearly all of the leaves each winter. The soil, 

 however, in the forest at the headwaters, especially on the slope of the Max 

 Patch Mountain, is protected by a deep accumulation of mold. 



Agrimdtural value. In the lower part of the basin corn and small grain are 

 extensively grown. Many cabbages are raised for shipment. The soils are too 

 sandy and the elevation too low to be well suited for grass. On the right prong 

 hay and cattle are raised. Apples, oats, and vye do well. 



Timher trees. Black pine, white pine, chestnut, scarlet oak, hemlock, chestnut 

 oak, and red oak form the dominant growth, except at the very head of the 

 right fork, wheie typical hard-wood forests of oak, chestnut, maple, birch, ash, 

 and poplar prevail. 



Yield. In the lower part of the basin is a stand of from 1,000 to 2,000 

 feet B. M. per acre, largely of white pine; in the upper part of the basin the 

 stand is from 3,000 to 4,000 feet B, M. per acre, largely of chestnut and oak. 

 with some poplar, ash, maple, and birch. In addition to the above there are 

 about 20 cords of small wood per acre in the lower part of the basin and about 

 30 cords of small wood per acre on the right prong. 



Demand. White pine, good oak, ash, yellow poplar, and, if sound, chestnut, 

 are in demand, and bring from $2 to $4 per thousand feet on the stump. 



Accessibility. The creek is crossed at its mouth b}^ the Southern Railway, 

 and its headwaters lie only about 9 miles, by road, from the nearest station. 

 A good road extends 4 miles up the creek, and it could, with little cost, })e 

 improved bevond that point. Logging roads could easily be constructed to all 

 the timber, except that on the quartzite ridges, where the steepness and rocks 

 would present a difficulty. 



Fire. The woodland in the lower part of the basin, which is largely in 

 wood lots connected with the farms, is seldom burned; the dry pine forests of 

 the quartzite ridges suffer much from severe and frequent conflagrations, which 

 have destroved nearl}^ all of the young growth, or reduced it to stool shoots, and 

 injured the commercial value of the mature pine. But little damage has been 

 done to the forest at the head of the stream. 



Cutting. There are no mills in operation on the creek at present. Nearly 

 all of the best hard wood, however, has been removed from the lower part of 

 the valley and the choicest has been culled to the very headwaters, except from 

 a few bodies of restricted area. No tan bark has been cut. 

 10336 No. 3705 10 



