LITTLE TENNESSEE RIVER BASIN. 217 



Reproduction. Groups of young trees are frequent over nearly all the area 

 that has been burned, appearing in open places where old trees have been killed 

 or wherever the light conditions are suitable. These groups consist chiefly of 

 oak, chestnut, and maple, though other hard woods are not uncommon. There are 

 many clumps of young trees beneath the shade of the spruce which would grow 

 rapidly if the cover were removed. The large areas of open forest, where there 

 is no young growth, would readily restock naturally if aflforded protection. This 

 condition chiefly prevails on the lands of the Cherokee Indians. 



Rate of growth. At lower elevations the growth is rapid, but it decreases 

 toward the summits of the high mountains. 



Water power. The streams are all rapid and there are man}^ sites for dams, 

 but the volume of water is not large enough in any stream to yield a large power. 



Ownership, The largest areas of forest land are the 20,000 acres in the 

 reservation of the Cherokee Indians; the Howell tract of 10,000 acres; and the 

 Whittier tract, about 7,000 acres of which are on this stream. 



Occupancy. There are only about 70 families on this portion of the river, and 

 most of these are in the Indian settlement on Raven Fork. 



Prices of land. Farming land sells at $5 to $25 per acre; woodland, at $2 

 to $5 per acre. 



OCONALUFTY KIVER BASIN BELOW FORKS (SWAIN COUNTY, N. c). 



Boundaries. This area embraces all of the drainage basin below the forks 

 of the river, except the valley of Soco Creek. 



Area. Total, 29 square miles; cleared, 9 square miles; wooded, 20 square 

 miles. 



Surface. Narrow alluvial bottoms, or in a few places fairh^ large ones of 50 

 or more acres, border a great part of the river. Beyond these lie a narrow belt 

 of hills with many gentle slopes, from which rise steep and rough mountains. 



Soils. The soils of the mountains and hills in the upper part of the area 

 are sandy, being derived from sandstones and quartzite. On the hills in the 

 lower part of the basin red clays and red loams, derived from schists and fine- 

 grained sandstones, prevail. The alluvials are sandy and often coarse grained. 



Humus and litter. In most places leaf mold is scant, as the prevailing 

 aspect is southerly, but on fertile slopes and in the deep hollows it has 

 accumulated to a greater depth. 



Agricultural value. The sandy alluvials and the red soils are fairly productive, 

 yielding corn, small grain, clover, and pease, but will not long remain set in 

 grass. The gray, sandy soils do not wear well and soon become thin. There 

 are a few silty alluvia of fine producing capacity. 



