72 



FOREST CONDITIONS IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. 



Bark peeling is a declining industry, and will cease with the exhaus- 

 tion of the mature timber. Chestnut oak and hemlock grow but slowly, 

 and the bark of young trees is comparatively thin; prices will rise, but 

 the increasing use of tanning extract from other materials will sup- 

 plant bark. 



MINOR TIMBER INDUSTRIES. 

 TIES. 



!No ties are shipped out of this region, chiefly because of the high 

 freight rates, and only enough ties are produced to supply local de 

 mands. Hewed ties are got out by small farmers who deliver them on 

 the railroad right of way, where they are taken up by the company. 

 Many of the small sawmills cut ties out of the timber which will not 

 make good lumber. During the past two or three years, while the 

 Carolina, Clinchfield and Ohio Eailway was under construction, many 

 small sawmills cut nothing but ties, but this large production has now 

 practically ceased. Only first class white oak ties (which include those 

 made from chestnut oak and post oak, as well as locust, walnut, sassafras, 

 and cherry), are in demand. Prices for white oak ties in 1909, in 

 the mountains, averaged 33 to 35 cents for first class ties, and from 

 20 to 25 cents for second class ties. Actually, however, a small propor- 

 tion of chestnut and red oak ties are often used in railroad construction, 

 while trolley roads frequently purchase chestnut ties exclusively. Log- 

 ging roads, being temporary, generally use for ties those trees that are 

 not wanted for lumber. 



Table 7 gives the approximate number of ties cut in this region in 

 1909, but does not include those cut by lumber companies for their own 

 roads. 



Table 7. — Output of Cross Ties in 1909, by Species and Counties. 





Counties 



White 

 Oak 



Other 

 Species 



Total 





Number 



Number 



Number 





10,000 





10, 000 



Clay 

































1,000 

 12, 000 

 22, 500 

 20,000 

 36,000 



1,600 

 10, 000 

 29, 500 





1,000 







12, 000 







22,500 







20, 000 







36,000 







1,600 





5,000 

 7,500 



15, 000 



Mitchell 



37, 000 































Totals 



142, 600 



12,500 



155, 100 











