162 THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN FORESTS. 



thirds of the tan bark has been cut for this distance also. At present there 

 is only one mill cutting on the creek, but it is reported that several others will 

 shortly move in, owing to the increase in the price of lumber. 



Reproduction. ^Reproduction is good where the land is not burned. A great 

 deal of the land, however, is regularly and severely burned and the growth of 

 young trees on these areas is largely suppressed. 



Second growth. Except on the lower part of the stream, which has been 

 long settled up and where the farm woodland has been extensively culled, there 

 is very little second growth. Oak and chestnut sprouts are the most important 

 elements in the regrowth. 



Undergrowth. There are dense thickets of , both rhododendron and Kalmia in 

 a great part of the woodland at the head of the river. 



Rate of growth. Accretion is about normal for the various aspects and 

 altitudes. 



Water power. The stream is very rapid, and there are several sites where 

 high dams could be built, which would afford small powers for manufacturing 

 plants. 



Ownership. The upper part of the basin is owned by a company. The 

 forest land on the lower part is largely in small holdings. 



Prices of land. Farm land brings from $4 to $25 per acre; woodland, from 

 $2 to $10 per acre. 



JONATHAN CREEK BASIN ABOVE DELWOOD (hAYWOOD COUNTT, N. c). 



Area. Total, 37 square miles; cleared, 7 square miles; wooded, 30 square 

 miles; severely burned, 1 square mile. 



Surface. There is some level valley land, but the area is not large. The 

 basin lies between two lofty spurs of the Balsam Mountains, the slopes of 

 which are steep and often very rocky. In a few places there are cliffs. 



Soils. Thin and light sandy soils predominate, though over limited areas 

 they are stiffer and loamy. 



Humus and litter. There is a deep accumulation of humus in the damp 

 hollows, but wherever the undergrowth has been burned or the pasturage 

 excessive, as at present, there is scant humus. 



Agricultural value. The soils are not very productive, even on the alluvial 

 lands, because of their sandiness. 



Timber trees. Chestnut and the oaks together compose about 75 per cent 

 of the forest. There is a small amount of birch, maple, linn, ash, hickory, 

 buckeye, and hemlock. On the lower dry hills there is some black pine, and 

 some spruce on north slopes at high elevations. 



