FORESTS OF THE PIEDMONT LOWLANDS. 185 



stream, and back the water for some distance above, killing most 

 of the mature trees which may be on the adjoining bottom, as well 

 as a greater part of the young growth, by flooding their roots. 

 Dense and fast growing thickets of elm and ash, and rarely black 

 gum, appear in such places, and continue unmixed until the bed 

 of the swamp is sufficiently raised to allow other trees to grow. 



The oaks on all of these bottoms show very little young growth, 

 if the water oak to the eastward and the swamp chestnut oak in 

 some localities be excepted. Where oaks and other trees have 

 been culled, chiefly maples and sweet gums have taken their 

 places, so that the promise of the bottom lands for the future is 

 not bountiful, nor do they now contain any large supply of mer- 

 chantable timber. 



IMPROVEMENT OF THE FORESTS OF THE LOWLANDS. 



The forests of the bottom lands have in nearly every instance 

 been excessively damaged by constant pasturage. The white oaks 

 have in consequence not reproduced as abundantly as other 

 species whose foliage and seed are not so largely interfered with 

 by stock. To the eastward and along the stiffer-soiled bottoms 

 the overcup oak and swamp chestnut oak are the most worthy of 

 extensive reproduction ; to the westward and along the smallei 

 streams where the soils are more loamy the white oak is more 

 desirable. Protection must be accorded these in same way as was 

 indicated in the case of the oak flats of the coastal plain region, 

 and regeneration should be secured in the same way. 



Abandoned fields and closely culled spaces on the wetter soils 

 of the bottom lands are quickly sown in a mixed growth of light- 

 seeded trees, chiefly birches, willows and sycamore, and among 

 them soon appear ash and elms and other species demanding a 

 light shade. 



Sometimes, especially along fence rows, black walnuts appear, 

 and these are worthy of protection. In open or thin places in 

 the woods, on the drier bottoms, this tree could well be exten- 

 sively introduced artificially. In the western and northern part 

 of the Piedmont plateau it will reach a large size, but as with 



