CONDITION OF THE WHITE PINE FORESTS. 217 



represented : white pine, forming an upper group, from 100 to 150 

 feet in height, and usually .1 to .3 of the growth ; beneath this, 

 a, group of deciduous trees of varying height, but rarely over 90 

 or less than 70 feet, composed chiefly of white, black, and chest- 

 nut oak, and chestnut. Of these, white oak is the most abun- 

 dant. 



Where lumbered they are irregular; occasional decrepit white 

 pines overtopping the deciduous growth, which, however, has 

 been cut into only locally ; but where around settlements both 

 pine and hardwoods have been culled the entire cover is broken 

 and thin. 



One of the effects of pasturing forest lands is that while 

 young plants of deciduous trees have been destroyed, pines have 

 increased ; but where burning is practiced, sourwood, scarlet oak, 

 white oak and other vigorous and free sprouters have propagated 

 most rapidly, while pines have diminished. 



In a few places a heavy underwood of the great laurel, less 

 commonly of laurel (ivy), grows beneath the deciduous trees, form- 

 ing a thicket 10 to 15 feet in height, with many crooked stocks 

 rising from the same burly roots. Where this underwood is pres- 

 ent the deciduous growth above is usually more open, but brows- 

 ing cattle have inflicted less damage on young growth of tender- 

 leaf species, and fires are less frequent; the humus is thick and 

 the soil unimpaired. 



There are only few farms in the area of white pine forest ; 

 probably less than 20 per cent, of the total acreage being under 

 cultivation. In Ashe and Watauga counties the forest is divided 

 chiefly among small farms; in Mitchell and Macon are large areas 

 thinly settled. On the farms the woodland has been more largely 

 culled and pastured, and its density will seldom be above two- 

 thirds of the normal condition. 



A few groves of vigorous young pines have sprung up in the 

 fields from the self-sown seed of neighboring forest trees ; but 

 such groves are not common. Young pines are increasing in the 

 woodland only to an inconsiderable extent. Much of the bottom 

 land on which this pine grows has already been deforested, and 

 it is probable that all of it will eventually be brought under 



