266 THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN FORESTS. 



These forests are principally oaks and hickory, with a sprinkling of nearly 

 all other species mentioned in the accompanying list. 



Proportions of timber species in Saluda River basin. 



Per cent. 



Oaks 60 



Hemlock 1 



Hickory 8 



Chestnut 8 



Black gum 3 



Black pine 8 



White pine 1 



Birch 1 



Shortleaf pine 2 



Other species 13 



Proportions of timber species in First and Second Broad River basins. 



Per cent. 



Oaks 60 



Linn 1 



Hickory 8 



Chestnut , 7 



Black gum 3 



Black pine 8 



Hemlock 1 



Birch 1 



Shortleaf pine 3 



Other species 8 



In condition these forests are inferior. There is very little log timber. Many 

 of the trees are fire scarred; many, though old, are small because fire and erosion 

 of humus have retarded growth. Much of the area has a deficient stand, because 

 fires have killed seedlings. 



The Saluda basin contains 46,648 M feet B. M. of log timber and 468,600 

 cords of small wood. The Broad basins contain 460,000 cords of small wood. 



To improve this forest- it would be necessary to prevent fire and pos.sibly to 

 thin out defective trees and undesirable species. The species to be favored here 

 are poplar, ash, walnut, shortleaf pine, post oak, and white oak, and, in the 

 higher altitudes, white pine. 



CATAWBA RIVER BASIN. 



Topography. This area includes the eastern or southern slope of the Blue 

 Ridge, with its numerous spurs, from Blowing Rock southward to Edmondson 

 Mountain, and is drained by the headwaters of Catawba River, including Johns 

 River, Linville River, and the North and South forks of the Catawba, directly 

 through Catawba River into the Atlantic. The elevated crest of the Blue 

 Ridge, with a few points on it at a lower elevation than 4,000 feet, and rising 



