THE FORESTS OF NORTH CAROLINA. 207 



think it safe to say that the intrinsic value of this 

 heritage alone is such, that within ten years it will be 

 seen, that it exceeds the present total valuation of the 

 entire property of the State. And it is time for the 

 people of the State, and its legislators especially, to 

 begin to realize and take account of the fact, that 

 here is one of the most valuable, as it is also one of 

 the most undeveloped and little considered of her 

 natural resources. And its value is appreciating 

 more rapidly than that of any other kind of property 

 in the State ; and this from two causes, the operation 

 of which is incessant and rapid, and the results inev- 

 itable and soon to become actual, viz. : the rapid ex- 

 haustion of the more accessible forests of the conti- 

 nent and the constantly accelerating consumption of 

 their products, and the increase and cheapening of 

 the means of transportation to those parts of the 

 world where the demand is greatest. 



COUNTY REPORTS. 



Alexander. (Area, 318 sq. miles.)— Taylorsville, 

 Oct. 13, 1882. — We have in this county white oak, 

 post oak, red oak, black oak, Spanish oak, and chest- 

 nut oak; black and yellow pine, and some white 

 pine ; cedar, poplar or tulip tree, maple, beech, birch, 

 mahogany, hickory, dogwood, walnut, cherry, chest- 

 nut, ash, black and sweet gum, cucumber tree, elm, 

 etc. The prevailing growth is the different varieties 



