LITTLE TENNESSEE RIVER BASIN. 237 



The lumber has been sawed by portable mills, and what has not been demanded 

 for local use has been hauled to the railroad at Andrews. 



Fire. Fires have been very conuiion. 



Reproduction. Free, except where much burned and closely grazed. 



Second growth. The number of saplings is becoming deficient on account 

 of the numerous tires. 



Undergrowth. Ver}^ little. 



Rate of growth. Rapid. 



Water power. The stream is too small for much power. Near the mouth 

 of Atoa Creek it was 20 feet wide and 6 inches deep with a rapid current at the 

 end of summer. 



Ownership. This land is principally held by residents. 



Prices of land. From $1 to $3 per acre. 



BUFFALO AND COCHRAN CREEK BASINS (ORAHAM COUNTY, N, c). 



Area. Total, 13 square miles; cleared, 2.60 square miles; wooded, 10.40 

 square miles. 



Surface. Rolling to mountainous. 



Soil. Fertile on the bottoms and in coves. Ridges poor. 



Humus and litter. Light. 



Agricultural value. Only small areas in the bottoms and coves are fairh' 

 productive. Most of the fields are worn out. 



Timber trees. The oaks constitute about 60 per cent of the forest. Chestnut, 

 hickory, ash, and the maples, with a few hemlock and white pme, constitute 

 about 30 per cent, while poplar, cherry, cucumber, linn, buckeye, and others 

 constitute the remainder. 



Yield. l^og timber, 7,500 M feet B. M.; small wood, 88,320 cords. 



Demand. One dollar per thousand feet on the stump is considered a good 

 price. 



Accessibility. Wagon roads lead to the upper portions of the valleys, and 

 the mountain slopes are not especially difficult of access. There is but little 

 underbrush. 



Cutting. The more accessible portions have been thoroughly culled for local 

 use, while the best timber of nearly all the tract has been taken out for the 

 market. 



Fire. Nearly all of the tract is frequently burned over. 



Reproduction. Abundant where fire and grazing are prevented. 



Second growth. Saplings are quite abundant on the isolated wood lots, but 



