TABLE MOUNTAIN PINE DIVISION. 211 



killed by the frequent fires which ravage these forests. Old trees, 

 particular!}' oaks and chestiiuts, show many defects from these 

 fires, chiefij short and limby boles and hollows. Pasturing cattle 

 and ranging swine are regularly practiced ; firing is done to 

 improve the grass crop and secure young stool-shoots in the spring ; 

 and to clear off the litter before the fall of chestnuts and acorns 

 in the autumn. Locally, white pine occurs. Their l)oles, how- 

 ever, are short, limby and frequently defective, the heartwood 

 being snl^ject to the attack of Trametes pini, which caused defective 

 stocks. The Carolina hemlock, the bark of whicii possesses the 

 same tanning properties as that of the hemlock, is confined for 

 the inost part to the eastern slope of the Blue Ridge. Locally 

 abundant, it is found at intervals along this mountain chain, to 

 the west of it on rugged cliffs along the north and south forks of 

 the Estatoe river in Mitchell county ; the South Fork of New 

 river in Ashe county ; the gorge of the Doe river ; and in the 

 southeastern parts of Macon and Jackson counties, and in one 

 locality over forty miles to the oast of this range, the Sauratown 

 mountains. 



In the deep, narrow hollows which indent the eastern slopes of 

 the Blue Ridge, tiie black walnut grew more abundantly and 

 reached a larger size than elsewhere in this State ; but it has been 

 largely removed, and there are now only a few small trees. Of 

 the locust, yellow poplar, and white oak which grew with it, only 

 the white oak is still standing in large quantities. The timber in 

 the hollows, where there are few pines and but occasional hem- 

 locks, has been less damaged by fires than that of the drier and 

 more exposed slopes. Browsing cattle, however, have checked 

 the growth of most of the young broad-leaf trees. 



MERCHANTABLE TIMBER OF THE TABLE MOUNTAIN PINE BELT. 



There is now comparatively little merchantable timber lying 

 along the Blue Ridge. Locally there is white pine, and yellow 

 pine of several species suitable for milling purposes; and in the 

 hollows some yellow poplar, white oak and chestnut suitable for 

 lumber. White oak and chestnut oak railway tie-timber is abun- 

 dant, and large quantities of white and chestnut oak tan ])ark are 



