FOREST CONDITIONS IN TENNESSEE. 21 



stands are rare. When the cut-over lands have not been used for 

 farming, as is sometimes possible, they have usually been so se- 

 verely burned that natural tree reproduction is inferior in amount 

 and quality. 



Slopes. The long, undulating slopes and narrow ridges are cov- 

 ered with many local forest types in which different species pre- 

 dominate. At the lower elevations, chestnut, chestnut oak, black, 

 scarlet, and white oaks, hickory, and sometimes scrub and short- 

 leaf pines, are the chief trees. Chestnut is very often the predomi- 

 nating tree, preferring northerly slopes ; while scarlet, or chestnut, 

 or white oak sometimes predominate, especially on southern expo- 

 sures. White pine also grows on the northerly slopes at the lower 

 elevations. Scarlet oak is most commonly found along the foot- 

 hills just above the limestone outcrops. At higher elevations 

 (above 2,000 feet on Little River) pitch pine is found on the more 

 exposed southern slopes in patches that mark the poorer situations. 

 Here white oak is largely confined to the warmer sites, such as the 

 lower, less exposed ridges and the flatter south slopes. Chestnut 

 oak is also found on such situations, and is abundant on nearly all 

 the ridges and upper slopes of medium elevation. At the higher 

 elevations, especially on slopes with northern and eastern exposures, 

 beech, cherry, basswood, and buckeye are the most important hard- 

 woods. Spruce begins to appear at elevations as low as 4,000 feet, 

 on shallow, stony soil, but reaches its best development above 5,000 

 feet. It is associated with beech, yellow birch, and maple, and at 

 the very highest elevations with balsam. 



The direction toward which the slope faces has a great influence 

 upon the size of the trees and the amount of merchantable timber 

 as well as upon the composition of the stand. The south and west 

 slopes receive the direct rays of the sun during the hottest part of 

 the day, as well as the full force of the prevailing winds of sum- 

 mer. They are, therefore, more subject to drought, to wind break, 

 and, since growth starts earlier in the spring, to frost damage, than 

 the more sheltered north and east slopes. The soil is also thinner 

 and less fertile, due partly to the action of the wind in blowing the 

 leaves up the slopes and over the ridges so that they cannot decom- 

 pose and enrich the soil. Consequently, the timber is smallest and 

 of poorest quality on south slopes, and usually consists of trees best 

 able to endure such unfavorable conditions, among which chestnut 

 oak is most abundant, with chestnut next. White an.d black oak, 

 hickory, short-leaf pine, sourwood, and black gum are also typical 



