FOREST CONDITIONS IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. 59 



steeper mountain sides have a fairly deep soil and are successfully 

 farmed and grazed. A few thousand acres lying south of the Blue 

 Ridge, unlike the rest of the county, is rocky and precipitous, with shal- 

 low soil, which is generally unsuited to farming. 



Alleghany does not have adequate market facilities, since its roads are 

 not as good as they should he, and the nearest railroad stations are be- 

 yond its boundaries. The middle of the county is 25 miles from Galax, 

 Ya., 35 from Wilkesboro, 1ST. C, and nearly 30 from Elkin, K C, the 

 three chief markets. There are no streams large enough for the transpor- 

 tation of timber, though Little River might possibly be drivable in flood 

 seasons. As a result of its isolation Alleghany has not been able to 

 develop its resources. About a thousand cords of tanbark are hauled to 

 market each year, over distances 20 miles or more; but this would 

 scarcely be a paying proposition, were it not for the fact that supplies 

 must be brought in, and a load is thus secured both ways. 



Lumbering is on a small scale, with some two dozen portable and 

 water mills. As in Ashe and Watauga counties, there is no great in- 

 centive to cut lumber for shipment, since the long haul not only neces- 

 sitates careful culling, but tends to take away all profit, even on the 

 valuable species. Three or four mills manufacture chestnut shingles, 

 while two or three mills do finishing work, either in connection with the 

 sawmill or as a separate business. 



Farming is the chief occupation. The section around and north of 

 Peach Bottom Mountain is fertile and produces two tons of hay to the 

 acre. Sheep and cattle are raised, while the chief field crops are hay, 

 cabbage, buckwheat, and corn. 



The mineral resources are undeveloped; soapstone occurs in some 

 places and other minerals have been found along the Blue Ridge. 



Most of the forest of the county was cut off years ago when the land 

 was being cleared for farming. At present 63 per cent of the county is 

 cleared. Even in the uncleared areas, the timber may be negligible in 

 quantity and quality because of fires which were set to "improve" the 

 range for cattle. Most of the old timber that has survived is defective 

 chestnut. Young white pine has started up in places, since the cessa- 

 tion of fires. Young scarlet oak grows all over the county. The forest 

 generally is characterized by the predominance of white oak and an 

 abundance of scarlet oak pole stands. Red oak, known locally as water 

 oak, is common on the better sites and in the mountains, and furnishes 

 a large part of the better grades of lumber. 



White pine could be planted to advantage on the sandier soils. On 

 the better soils red oak should do well. Scarlet oak managed as coppice, 

 will furnish fuel. 



