WEST VIRGINIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 



145 



the foothills of Patterson Creek moimtain, and extending as far 

 south as Petersburg is largely in farms. Patterson creek moun- 

 tain, from the Mineral county line to Petersburg Gap is very 

 well timbered in hardwood but with a number of farm 

 openings. 



' ' The Cave Mountain and Smoke Hole sections have a virgin 

 growth of hardwoods, principally the oaks, with a little pine, 

 poplar and walnut. The Middle mountain, particularly the 

 southern end, has a fairly good stand of chestnut oak and other 

 timbers. The South Fork mountain has considerable virgin 

 oak. The North and South Mill creek sections are largely im- 

 proved as is also the South Branch valley from the mouth of 

 North Fork toward Moorefield." 



The pine forests that were visited in this county by the 

 bark beetles in 1891 and 1892 have not recovered from the in- 

 juries received in those years and in subsequent years by de- 

 structive forest fires that raged in the dead timber. The young 

 pines that are growing up in some sections are either the com- 

 paratively worthless scrub pines or inferior trees of the more 

 valuable species. Conditions in limited areas, however, give 

 promise of a reasonably good stand of softwoods. 



Since the recent extension of a branch of the Baltimore and 

 Ohio railroad to Petersburg from Romney, in Hampshire 

 county, there has been an active interest manifested in fruit rais- 

 ing ; and doubtless many acres of the hitherto uncleared hill land 

 will be set in apple and peach trees within the next decade. An 

 active luiiiber industr}^ also, is likely to follow the building of 

 the railroad. 



GREENBRIER COUNTY. 



Location and Area. 



Greenbrier, next to the largest county in West Virginia, was 

 formed in 1777 from parts of i\Iontgomery and Botetourt coun- 

 ties. It is situated in the southeastern part of the State, border- 

 ing on the Virginia line, and has an area of 1,051 square miles or 

 672,640 acres. 

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