CATAWBA RIVER BASHST. 273 



of Linville Mountain and much of the upper part of the Blue Kidge are often 

 severely burned and there is very little humus on these slopes. 



Timher trees. Oak associated with chestnut forms the characteristic forest on 

 nearly all of the Blue Ridge slopes and the hill country of the lower part of the 

 basin. On dry soils there is considerable intermixture of shortleaf, black, and 

 scrub pines, and occasionally a grove of white pines. The sandy and rocky slopes 

 of Linville Mountain have a forest of small black and scrub pines, associated in 

 places with white pine, in which the oaks are subordinate. In the cool and fertile 

 hollows linn, birch, maple, and other Appalachian hard woods with occasional 

 hemlocks are found. 



Yield. The forest stand is about 2,000 feet B. M. per acre. 



Demand. There is a strong demand for export lumber of all kinds, and a 

 fair demand for low-grade hard woods and pine for domestic building. 



Accessibility. The lower part of the basin is near the main line of the 

 Southern Railway, and the new road from Marion, N. C. , to Johnson City, 

 Tenn.. which is now under construction, will pass through the center of it. 



Second growth. There is much second growth, especialh' pine, in pure 

 groves, and oak and chestnut in the lower portion of the basin. There is much 

 less in the upper. 



Undergrowth. There is considerable brush in many places, generally Kalmia 

 or azalea and huckleberr3^ Where the woods are burned at irregular intervals 

 there is often a dense undergrowth of stool sprouts from small trees and shrubs 

 killed by the fire. 



Reproduction. Reproduction is not good on account of the tires and the 

 excessive pasturage. 



Rate of gro'ioth. Accretion is good in the coves and on moist soils; poor on 

 dr}^ and frequently burned slopes. 



Water jx/ujer. There are several good mill sites, but the stream woidd not 

 yield a very large power. 



Ownership. Most of the land is held in small bodies by residents. There 

 are several tracts, however, of 1,000 acres or more. 



Prices of land. Farming land sells at $5 to $40 per acre; woodland, at 

 II to $.5. 



IRISH, TABLE ROCK, AND UPPER CREEK BASINS (bURKE COUNTY, N. c). 



Area. Total, 234 square miles; cleared, Y square miles; wooded, 227 square 

 miles; severely burned, 8 square miles. 



Surface. The streams drain a triangular basin with its apex on Cranberry 

 Mountain. It is penetrated by mountain spurs from Table Rock, Hawks Bill, 



10336 No. 3705 18 



