HIWASSEE RIVER BASIN. 247 



Yield. Ijog timber, 36,992 M feet B. M.; small wood, 207,360 cords. 



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

 price for floatable log timber. 



Accessibility. This valley is about 25 miles, b}' wagon road, from the nearest 

 shipping point on the railroad. Otherwise, the land is not especially difficult of 

 access. There is but little underbrush, and the surface is fairly smooth. 



Cutting. About 100,000 feet of log timber have been taken out by the 

 Cherokee Lumber Company. Their operations are at a standstill, owing to the 

 difficulty of transportation. Other cutting has been for local use only. 



Fire. Repeated fires have greatly reduced the forest or jDrevented its best 

 development. The people claim that fires have greatly injured the mountain 

 pasturage. 



Reproduction. Reproduction is free on cuttings where fire does not prevail. 

 Old fields are slowly covered with persimmon, oak, and pine, with a small proportion 

 of hickory. 



Second ^/vn^z^A. -^Saplings are not as abundant as they should be, owing to 

 the prevalence of fire. 



JJndergrouith. Very scant, because the forest is frequently burned over and 

 closely grazed. 



Rate of grmvth. Medium. It varies considerably, according to location, being 

 quite rapid on north slopes, where moisture is abundant, but slow on ridges, which 

 are subject to drought. 



Water poiaer. Several valuable powers are on this stream, which, during the 

 low water in October, 1900, was about 50 feet wide and 1 foot deep, with a fairly 

 rapid current. 



Prices of land. The best bottom lands are valued at $50 per acre, while the 

 mountain land could be bought for %1. or less, per acre. 



SHOOTING CREEK DISTRICT (CLAY COUNTY, N. c). 



Boundaries. The divides, including all of the area between the Tusqiiitee 

 Creek and Bell Creek drainage basins, including several small areas draining 

 directly into Hiwassee River. 



Area. Total, 50 square miles; cleared, 15 square miles; wooded, 35 square 

 miles. 



Surface. The bottom lands, which are undulating to rolling, have an area 

 of about 6 square miles. The lower mountain slopes are moderate, but the 

 upper are precipitous on Vineyard and Chunky Gal mountains. 



Soil. The lowlands were once fertile, but are now considerably depleted. 



