196 THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN FORESTS. 



are subject to periodic inundation by the river at high water, but as this does not 

 wash the land, it is considered beneficial on account of the deposit which is left 

 as the river recedes. Occasionally a severe freshet during the growing season 

 damages the crops. The soil of the uplands is a red, fine-grained or stiff loam, 

 derived in large part from schists and hornblende-bearing rock which have 

 decayed in places to a great depth below the surface. Above 6 miles from 

 Franklin the soils are more sandy. 



Humus and litter. Many of the smaller bodies of woodland connected with 

 the farms or in the midst of farming communities are carefully protected and, 

 in spite of the constant culling, have a deep layer of leaves and litter. In some 

 places the litter is regularly removed for top dressing the farming lands. Much 

 of the forest land in the mountains on steep, southern slopes has very little 

 humus; it is generally abundant, however, on north slopes. 



Agricultural value. The alluvial lands are very fertile and are largely planted 

 in corn, though where they are not subject to flooding, grass and small grain are 

 likewise raised. The uplands produce fine crops of small grain, cabbage, potatoes, 

 apples, clover, and grass. The steeper lands along the mountains produce well 

 where the soils are not too sand}^, but are apt to wash badly. 



Timber trees. The forests of the hill country have to a great extent been 

 severely culled for both domestic building material and fuel. In some places 

 they are largely of second growth chestnut, black oak, scarlet oak, and black 

 pine. There are occasional old fields with groves of nearly pure pine. Where 

 the country is rougher and there is less cleared land the forests have not been 

 ,so extensively culled. Chestnut, black oak, scarlet oak, white oak, and occasional 

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

 part of the growth. 



Yield. There is very little merchantable timber suitable for milling purposes 

 in the thickly settled agricultural districts. These lands will yield, however, 

 from 25 to 30 cords of fuel per acre. At the head of the small streams flowing 

 into the river and on the upper slopes of the mountains there is some merchantable 

 milling timber. These forests will yield from 1,500 to 2,000 feet B. M. per acre, 

 but much of it will be low-grade material, since most of the best timber has 

 already been removed. 



Demand. Good poplar, oak, ash, and linn are much sought for, and bring 

 from %1 to $3 per thousand feet on the stump. 



Accessibility. Although at the nearest point it is 18 miles to Dillsboro, 

 N. C, which is the shipping point, much lumber is hauled. A charter has been 

 granted for a railroad from Dillsboro across the Cowee Mountains to Franklin, 



