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256 THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN FORESTS. 



SOQUE RIVER DISTRICT (hABERSHAM COUNTY, GA.). 



Boundaries. The Soque River on the west, the Wild Cat divide on the 

 north, the Tallulah divide on the east, and the Northeastern Georgia Kailwa}' 

 on the south. 



Area. Total, 68 square miles; cleared, 3.66 square miles; wooded, 64.34 

 square miles. 



Surface. A larg-e portion (about 22 square miles) neai- the river is rolling, 

 thence to the foot of the mountains is hilly, while the mountain slopes are steep 

 and rocky, especially those of the Tallulah Ridge. 



Soil. Light, except on the few small alluvial bottoms, having an area of 

 perhaps 3 square miles. The remainder has very little humus, and the forest 

 is less vigorous than in the more fertile region northward, 



IIuTiius and Utter. Scant. The soil is almost invariably light colored, and 

 the litter is consumed by the frequent fires. 



Agricultural value. Only the lowlands of the narrow valleys seem to be 

 worth cultivating. Some few products might be grown on the ridges, such as 

 cane or peaches, but this land can not be considered as truly agricultural. 



Timber trees. Pitch pine, shortleaf pine, the oaks, hickories, gum, and a 

 great variety of other species of little value, except for fuel. 



Yield. Log timber, 57,600 M feet B. M. ; small wood, 505,600 cords. 



Demand. No log timber is being marketed. The best poplar might 

 possibly bring $1 per thousand feet on the stump. 



Accessihility. Easy, except that the d stance to market is long and some of 

 the higher mountains are steep and rocky. 



Cutting. A few mills are cutting for locy'. use. A large proportion of the 

 timber cut is pine, which is used for house lu nber. Pitch pine, which has little 

 or no market value, is highly esteemed here for flooring. 



Fire. Fires are very frequent, and the whole ti*act is burned over as often 

 as sufficient material accumulates to support the fire. 



RepnKluction. The seedlings start freely, but are rarely able to grow to 

 maturity, owing to the frequent fires. 



Second growth. Saplings are fairly abundant, but there are not enough to 

 restock the land were the mature trees cut. 



tlndergnrmth. Very scant. Fires and grazing on most of the tract have 

 prevented the underbrush from accumulating. There are some narrow strips of 

 laurel along the streams, but elsewhere the woods are almost free from brush 

 and seedlings. 



Rate of grawth. Not observed. 



