HIWASSEE RIVER BASIN. ' 248 



During the past yeur the new tanneiy at Andrews has bought about $40,000 

 worth of chestnut-oak bark. A small amount of oak and hemlock bark has been 

 shipped out of the valley by rail. The log timber, from which the bark has 

 been peeled, is left on the ground. 



Fire. Repeated fires have reduced the undergrowth and the humus, and 

 even serioush^ injured the pasturage, especially on southward slopes. 



Reproduction. Free on unburned cuttings. Old burns are slowly covered 

 by persimmon, oak, hickory, etc. 



Second growth. Saplings are abundant where fires have not been prevalent 

 for a long time. 



Undergrowth. Scant. There has been too much fire in recent years. 



Rate of growth. Medium. 



Watei' power. \j\\m{fydi^ yet there are many sites for sawmills along the lower 

 portion of the stream. 



Prices of land. Fifty dollars per acre is asked for the best farm land in 

 this valley, but the mountain lands could be bought at a nominal figure. 



VALLEY RIVER BASIN BELOW ANDREWS (cHEROKEE COUNTY, N. c). 



Boundaries. This tract comprises all of that portion of the Vallej' Eiver 

 drainage basin east of Tomotla and west of the former tract, lying north of 

 Valley River and that portion south of Valley River limited b}^ the eastern divide 

 of Junalaska Creek and the western divide of Vengeance Creek. 



Area. Total, 39 square miles; cleared, 4.80 square miles; wooded, 34.20 

 square miles. 



Surface. Moderate mountain slopes, rolling foothills, and wide, cultivated 

 bottom land. 



Soil. The bottoms are fertile loam. The lower slopes are red clayey loam. 

 Most of the ridges are light and poor. 



Agricultural value. The bottom lands often yield 40 bushels of corn per 

 acre. Vegetables do well, ])ut hay and fruit do not thrive except high on the 

 mountain sides. 



Timher trees. Oaks, 70 per cent; chestnut, 10 per cent; hickory, 3 per cent; 

 gum, 2 per cent; cucumber, 2 per cent; maple, 1 per cent; ash, poplar, cherry, 

 and locust together, 5 per cent; buckeye, 1 per cent; others, 6 per cent. 



Yield. LiOg timber, 26,120 M feet B. M.; small wood, 374,400 cords. 



Demand. Poplar, ash, cucumber, and cheriy are sawed for the market, and 

 bring from %1 to $2 per thousand feet. A market for bark has been developed 

 by the new tannery at Andrews, where chestnut-oak bark brings $7 per cord. 



