FRENCH BROAD RIVER BASIN ABOVE 8KYLAND. 147 



abundant and their dry leaves have been burned. Where this is the case it is 

 apt to be on a south slope and at a comparatively low elevation. Around many 

 of the farms forest litter is removed for bedding for cattle and to improve the 

 tilled soils. 



Agriculture value. The soils and altitude are especially suited to grass and 

 apples. The small grains, tobacco, and corn do well at low elevations. 



Timber trees. Chestnut, chestnut oak, scarlet oak, white pine, red oak, white 

 oak, yellow poplar, birch, linn, maple, and hemlock, with occasional ash and 

 cherry, in relative abundance about in the order named, constitute the greater 

 part of the forests. The timber has been badly culled to within 4 miles of the 

 headwaters. 



Yield. White pine, which is found in commercial quantities only below 

 Kline, will yield about 1,500 feet B. M. to the acre. There is very little 

 merchantable timber of other species associated with the white pine. Above 

 Kline, the poplar will yield about 500 feet B. M. per acre, and the rest of the 

 timber, largely chestnut and oak, about 2,500 feet. Much of the timber is in 

 wood lots attached to the farms. In addition to the above, there will be about 

 15 cords of wood to the acre below Kline, and from 20 to 30 cords to the acre 

 above Kline. 



Demand. At present onl}^ poplar, ash, oak, and cherry are being cut. Three 

 dollars per thousand feet on the stump is paid for the best timber of the 

 above kinds, except for cherry, which commands $12. 



Accessibility. The upper part of these streams is about 16 miles from the 

 Western North Carolina Railroad at Hot Springs. The wagon road is across a 

 high ridge, which adds nuich to the cost of hauling. With some clearing out of 

 rocks in the beds of the streams they can be splashed when at high water 

 and logs driven into Spring Creek. Timber roads can be easily constructed to 

 any bod}" of timber in either })asin. Where the conglomerate is near the surface, 

 or the soil is gravelly, a good roadbed is assured. 



Cutting. Only one sawmill has cut on either stream. It has made four 

 stands, cutting about 200,000 feet B. M. at each stand. On account of the 

 distance, it is necessary to haul only the choicest. Yellow poplar, ash, oak, 

 linn, and cherry hav^e been cut. No pine has yet been marketed, though it has 

 been badly culled for domestic use. The mill which is now in operation is a 

 portable sawmill with capacit}^ of about 10,000 feet per day. Much of the 

 lumber has been marketed locally. The greater part for shipment is cut in 

 one-inch boards and transported by wagon to Hot Springs. 



Fire. Fires are of exceptional occurrence in the hard woods. They are 

 most frequent on the southern spurs of Round, Max Patch, Hogback, and 



