LITTLE TENNESSEE KIVER BASIN. 208 



milling timber has been removed for a mile above the mouth of the creek. 

 No cutting or culling has been done in the upper valley. 



Demand. Oak, yellow poplar, linn, and ash are the species sought. 



Accessihility. The mouth of the creek is 13 miles from Andrews, on the 

 Asheville and Murphy Branch of the Southern Railway, the w^agon road crossing 

 the Valley River Mountains. It is 11 miles down the river to Nantahala, where 

 the mills of the Nantahala Lumber Company are situated. The river will float 

 logs, except at very low water. 



Cutting. There is no mill in operation on the creek. The timber has been 

 cut, however, for a mile above the mouth of the creek and floated down 

 Nantahala River, into which the creek empties, to the mills of the J^antahala 

 Lumber Company. All merehantable timber oak, chestnut, poplar, birch, linn, 

 and ash above 10 inches in diameter have been cut. 



Fire. There is much badly burned land on the steep southern slopes, 

 especially near the head of the creek. The leaves, dried grass, and brush are 

 puiposely burned about every two years to keep the woods open and improve 

 the grazing. It is thought also that burning the dead leaves tends to prevent 

 the cattle disease known throughout the Southern Appalachians as milk sickness, 

 which is probabl}" caused by the cattle eating some poisonous plant. 



Reproduction. The young growth on burns and cuttings is largely white 

 oak and scarlet oak seedlings, and oak and chestnut sprouts. In the coves and 

 on shady slopes birch, yellow poplar, ash, and red oak seedlings are frequent. 



Second growth. In old fields and on north slopes birch, ash, and maple 

 seedlings form the growth. There is no pine. There are very few saplings and 

 seedlings, as they are suppressed by browsing cattle and ground fires. 



Undergrowth. The woods are largely open. Kalmia., huckleberries, bush 

 honeysuckle, and brambles form occasional thickets. 



Rate of growth. Good growth is made by vigorous young trees, except on 

 dry south slopes and along ridges, where the trees attain only a small size. 



Water power. There is ample fall in the stream and available sites for mills, 

 but the power which could be secured would not be large, as the total length of 

 the stream is only 7 miles and there are no large tributaries. 



Ownership. The lower part is divided into small holdings, largeh' held b}' 

 residents. There are 7 families on the stream. 



Prices of land. Timbered lands sell at $3 to $4 an acre, while farming lands 

 sell at $6 to $15 an acre. There is a strong sentiment in favor of the remo\al 

 of the timber from the land in the upper valley, so that this laud may be opc.i 

 to purchase for farming purposes. 



