156 THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN FORESTS. 



Fire. ]Many fires ^et to make pasture, by which a larjye amount of log timber 

 has been killed. 



Reproduction. Burns half restocked; too much brush elsewhere. 



Second growth. Inferior, on ridges burned too frequently; in lowlands there 

 is too much brush. 



Undergrwvth. In ravines and bottoms, dense laurel; on ridges, sprouts and 

 herbs. 



Rate of growth. Average 1 inch on radius in eight years. 



Water poicer. Abundant. 



Occupancy. About 30 families are scattered through the mountains. 



Prices of land. Would average probably $2 per acre. None sold recently. 



BIG CREEK BASIN. 



Area. Total, 31.48 square miles; cleared, 1.20 square miles; severely burned, 

 1.36 square miles; wooded, 28.92 square miles. 



Surfacr. Steep mountain slopes and narrow valleys, with very little bottom 

 land. 



Soil. Light loam, except in coves, where dark and deep. 



Humus and litter. Light on ridges, abundant in coves and on northern slopes. 



Agricultural value. Only a few small areas in coves and bottoms have any 

 value for farming. 



Timber species. Poplar, 10 per cent; hemlock, 20 per cent; linn, 5 per cent; 

 cherry, 5 per cent; buckeye, 5 per cent; red maple, 5 per cent; sugar maple, 5 

 per cent; also peawood, cucumber ash, spotted oak, red oak, and white oak. 



Yield. \jo^ timber, 74,240 M feet, B. M.; small wood, 190,000 cords. 



Demand. T)\& best timber might bring %1 per thousand feet on the stump. 



AccessihiUty. The streams are not drivable. Railroad building would not 

 be diflScult. 



Cutting and milling. About 100,000,000 feet have been cut and removed. 

 This timber was floated down Pigeon River. Local operators have hauled a 

 small amount of sawed lumber to Newport. 



Cutting. Several small mills are operating along the foot of the mountain. 

 Some bark is being peeled and hauled to Newport. The lower portion of the 

 forest has been thoroughly culled of log timber. Newport is the nearest shipping 

 poin.t. and the haul, by wagon over rough roads, is not less than 15 miles. 



Fire. Fires have recently invaded the mountain slope, being set freely to 

 improve grazing, and have killed much timber, reducing large areas to brush 

 land. The timber that remains is in remote coves or on steep mountain sides. 



Reproduction. Scant; fires are too frequent and brush comes in too freely. 



