TORREYA 



Vol. 10 



March, igio 



No. 3 



SUMMER NOTES ON THE MOUNTAIN VEGETA- 

 TION OF HAYWOOD COUNTY, NORTH 

 CAROLINA 



By Roland M. Harper 



In July and August, 1908, it was my privilege to spend a few 

 weeks at the Biltmore Forest School, in the mountains of North 

 Carolina, by invitation of the Director, Dr. C. A. Schenck. This 

 school is located during the summer months in the " Pink Beds", 

 a beautiful valley in the northern corner of Transylvania County, 

 with its floor elevated about 3,200 to 3,300 feet above the sea. 

 The Pisgah Ridge, with its crest varying in altitude from about 

 4,500 to 6,000 feet, forms the northwestern boundary of this 

 valley and the southeastern boundary of Haywood County. 



The Pink Beds valley seems to be unique in several respects, 

 and considerably more field work would be necessary before one 

 could do justice to its very interesting vegetation and ecological 

 problems. But the mountains of Haywood County seem to be 

 thoroughly typical of western North Carolina, and much of what 

 follows will doubtless apply almost as well to any other county 

 in the neighborhood. 



While sojourning with Dr. Schenck I ascended to the crest of 

 the Pisgah Ridge several times, and walked once over to Waynes- 

 ville (the county-seat of Haywood County, distant 16 miles from 

 the Pink Beds " as the crow flies" and nearly half as far again 

 by the roads) and back. On the way over to Waynesville I 

 followed the East Fork of Pigeon River most of the way, leav- 

 ing it at its confluence with the West Fork and going thence 

 nearly due west the remaining seven or eight miles. On the way 

 back I went up the West Fork a few miles, then turned eastward and 



[No. 2, Vol. 10, of TOKREYA, comprising pages 29-52, was issued February 28, 

 1910.] 



53 



