10 WORKING PLAN, FOREST LANDS IN ALABAMA. 
lacking entirely or consists only of a few widely scattered individuals 
of the above species. In the latter case the ground cover consists of 
a mat of grasses and-numerous species of the orders Composite and 
Leguminose. Where the underbrush is dense this herbaceous growth 
is replaced by a thin layer of hardwood leaf litter. In those localities 
where the soil is more fertile and retentive of moisture than that on 
the quartzite formation, the harawoods attain a much larger develop- 
ment and often play an important part in the composition of the forest. 
Here the shortleaf and loblolly pines make their appearance and 
sometimes almost entirely crowd out the longleaf. The hardwoods 
also often predominate on the steep northern slopes of the higher ele- 
vations, the York and Reedy mountains, and the Weogutka range. 
In such localities the number of hardsyood species is increased by the 
addition of the red and chestnut oaks. On the southern exposures 
the pure longleaf forest extends up the slopes and covers the tops 
of the ridges to an elevation of 1,000 feet above sea level. But above 
that altitude, on Weogutka Mountain, the hardwoods begin to creep 
in more and more, until on the top of the mountain the forest consists 
of a stand of stunted oaks and hickories, the pines being represented 
by only a few scattered shortleaf and one or two longleaf trees. 
The occurrence of rhododendron and mountain laurel as undergrowth 
with the longleaf pine considerably alters the appearance of the forest. 
These growths are found mainly among the hills between the Finne- 
gotchkee and Weogufka creeks, the former on the lower slopes of the 
cool northern exposures and the latter in small clumps on the steep, 
rocky, and dry southern exposures. 
While the loblolly pine occurs only on the chale and schist soils and 
on the lower slopes along the edges of the creek type, where the soil 
is deep, fresh, and fertile, the shortleaf is found scattered sparingly 
over all parts of the type. It is less common on the rolling land than 
in the hilly country, where small groups of saplings or scattered indi- 
viduals of mature size are sometimes found growing in the midst of 
an otherwise pure stand of longleaf. 
The chestnut was formerly a common tree throughout the longleaf 
pine land, but during the last fifty years it has been dying out. At 
present the dead stubs are often found scattered among the pines, but 
sound living trees are extremely scarce. Only one perfect specimen 
was seen during the two months spent upon the tract. 
Reproduction on tbe longleaf pine land is not good; that of the 
longleaf pine itself is poor, and where the stand of hardwoods is at all 
dense the reproduction of the pine is entirely prevented by the shade. 
In the open forest, where there is no underbrush, reproduction of long- 
leaf pine has been kept out by the fires and hogs. There is, however, 
in some localities which have not been recently burned, an abundance 
of 2-year-old seedlings, the result of the last heavy seed year, but 
