FOREST CONDITIONS IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. 31 



hollow that it has a local use for "bee gums." This tree forms a small 

 part of the cut of some of the larger mills, but the lumber is inferior, 

 and warps badly unless carefully handled. In burned over forests of 

 the plateau type black gum forms a large part of the young growth, 

 but where fires are kept out the proportion is much less, because it is 

 supplanted by better trees. 



Sweet Gum. — Sweet gum is limited to small areas in the plateau type 

 in the western part of Cherokee County. Here it is useful to reforest 

 abandoned fields, and should be encouraged. 



Cherry. 



Black cherry was at one time scattered through most of the mountain 

 forest, but now little of it is left except in the most remote regions. 

 This tree attains its best development in the rich coves and "benches" 

 of the higher mountains above 3,500 feet elevation. At present the 

 finest cherry timber is in the western part of Graham County, where 

 near the top of the Unaka Mountains it forms as much as 2 per cent 

 of the forest over a large area. The timber is of great value for in- 

 terior finish, and is greatly sought after by lumbermen and dealers. 

 Owing to its slow growth, to its exacting demands on soil, moisture, and 

 situation, and to its intolerance, the reproduction of cherry is unsatis- 

 factory. Wherever it succeeds well, it should be encouraged, though it 

 may not pay as well as many of the faster growing and less exacting 

 species. Another species, the red or bird cherry, is found in the higher 

 mountains mixed with hemlock and to a limited extent with the spruce. 

 It is small, short-lived, and of no commercial value. 



Miscellaneous Hardwood Species. 



Several other species are cut to fill special demands and are of con- 

 siderable value both in the present and future forest, though because 

 they grow in limited quantity they might be considered as comparatively 

 unimportant. 



Black Walnut. — Black walnut was at one time abundant, though lit- 

 tle is now left. It prefers the Piedmont region, and the rich, deep 

 coves, and the lower slopes of the chestnut type below 3,000 feet in 

 elevation. Where it is still standing it has been left with the idea of 

 profiting by its increased value. Yet its value has not appreciably in- 

 creased in the past 20 years. 



Butternut. — Butternut, usually called white walnut in the south, is 

 scattered through the rich, rocky coves, at higher elevations than black 

 walnut. Where it attains merchantable size, it is cut for lumber, and 

 sold for much the same purposes as black walnut, but at a lower price. 



