184 THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN FORESTS. 



Gutting. There is no mill at present in operation, but many yards have 

 been sawed, and the best timber has been culled. 



Second growth. Scarlet and black oaks, with pine, hickory, and chestnut, 

 form the second growth on the lower hills. Oak and chestnut form the second 

 growth in the mountains. 



Undergrowth. With the exception of groups of young trees and occasional 

 clumps of Kalmia and other shrubs, underbrush is scant. 



Reproduction. Groves of young trees are frequent in culled woods, showing 

 the readiness with which the forest will reproduce under suitable light conditions. 



Rate of growth. ^yiQ.<$i^t ow dry soils, the rate of growth is generally good. 



Water power. The stream is too small to yield more than a very limited 

 power. This is at present utilized in part by gristmills. 



Ownership. The forest land is largely owned by residents. 



Occupancy. The hills in the lower part of the basin are very largely under 

 cultivation, and the slopes next to the stream, even where steep, are cleared to 

 the head of the main stream, as are nearlj: all of the smaller tributary brooks. 



Prices of land. Woodland is valued at $2 to $3 per acre; farm land, at $3 

 to $50 per acre. 



CO WEE CREEK BASIN (MACON COUNTY, N. c). 



Area. Total, 28 square miles; cleared, 6 square miles; wooded, 22 square miles; 

 severely burned, none. 



Surface. The surface of the entire basin is rough. The area is fan-shaped 

 and opens toward the south. At the north it is surrounded by the Alarka and 

 Co wee mountains and is penetrated by lofty spurs. There is no bottom land, 

 except on the lower part of the stream, and there is very little land with gentle 

 slopes in the upper part of the valley. 



Soils. The soils are gray loose loams, derived from gneiss. They are rather 

 coarse grained and are not very productive. On the mountains they are thin and 

 wash badly. In the lower part of the valley they are fairly deep. 



Humus and litter. There is very little leaf mold, as the prevailing slopes 

 are southerly and dry, and have, in addition, in many places been badly burned 

 by ground fires. 



Agricultural value. Some of the land in the lower part of the basin is of 

 good quality, though injudicious tillage and long cultivation have injured a great 

 deal of it. The soils on the steeper slopes are generally too thin and sandy to 

 yield heavy crops, but corn, small grain, and apples are all cultivated and do 

 well. Some grass is grown, but the soils are too dry for good grass lands. 



Timher trees. Oak and chestnut form the greater part of the forest on the 



