THE SPRUCE INVESTIGATION. 



209 



moderated, it became restricted in its distribution to the higher 

 elevations of the mountains, where in the great struggle for 

 existence, it maintained its supremacy over large areas. When 

 the area began to be settled by white people, a disturbing in- 

 fluence was introduced, which resulted in the destruction of 

 vast quantities of the timber, and as a prevalent forest tree its 

 range has been continually reduced until at present we 

 find only a remnant of the primitive forests which once pre- 

 vailed. 



The spruce reaches its highest development and forms al- 

 most pure forests in Grant, Tucker, Webster, Greenbrier, Ran- 

 dolph and Pocahontas counties, where the Cheat, Valley, 

 Greenbrier, Elk and Gauley rivers find their sources in the 



numerous small overflow- 

 ing headwater streams. 

 This remarkable area of 

 river sources is suggestive 

 of what is really found, 

 namely: that the most fav- 

 orable characteristic con- 

 ditions for the prolific 

 growth of the spruce, aside 

 from a high elevation and 

 consequent Canadian cli- 

 mate, is the superabundant 

 moisture in the soil and 

 air. The soil in many ty- 

 pical spruce forests is little 

 else than a mass of broken 

 stones, which is literally 

 filled with water at almost 

 all seasons of the year, 

 thus rendering it possible 

 for a heavy growth of large 

 spruce trees to develop 

 where there is apparently 



Fig. VI. A rocky surface like that in which u'* i-i<.i ,i ,. 



spruce Timber grows. but little earth in reach oi 



