26 THE BILTMORE FOREST FAIR 



TJ M_ 00 ^° compartment 40 and 42, there is the 

 lip nOifcfc finest second growth of Yellow Pine, 1 have 

 ever seen, produced free of charge, from 

 self sown seed. I confess that I would prefer a better admix- 

 ture of hardwoods to the pure stand of Pine. The superstructure 

 of older trees (Oaks, notably) was removed by me in the year 

 1897-8. The cut was 38.4 cords per acre. Cyrus T. Rankin did 

 the work; and he did it finely! 



Believe it if you will: In 1880, these woodlands were so 

 bare from undergrowth (being burned annually) "that a fellow 

 could see his milk cow pasturing in the woods at a distance of 

 half a mile." 



The old Pines were cut and milled in or about the year 1885; 

 they must have been cut in a seed year; and by good luck, and 

 owing to a change of ownership, there has not been any fire since. 



A soft snap is hard to chew. 



XJ-_ U-» 00 '^^'^ ^^^^ ^^^ used, agriculturally, up to 

 lip no. ZO *^* y^^^ ^83*- ^° ^^^ Winter of the year 



* 1895-1896, I had planted altogether in its 



Western section, at an expense of $43.34, — 



4 bushels Red Oaks, 



4 bushels White Oaks, 



10 bushels Chestnut Oaks, 



4 bus&els Black Walnuts, 



5 bushels White Walnuts, 

 8 bushels Chestnuts. 



In March, 1897, I had planted in the middle section, near 

 the old cabin, in rows three feet apart 

 5.8 bushels Red Oak, 

 4.5 bushels White Oak. 

 At that time, there was not a Pine visible in the sedge grass 

 covering the field! 

 How is this now? 



