WEST VIRGINIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 



217 



factors in keeping up the water flow of the many streams 

 throughout the whole region. The forest cover, for the purpose 

 mentioned above, should be maintained and protected at all 

 hazards. The water power capable of development is very- 

 great. An electric plant located at the Horseshoe Bend of the 

 Great Cacapon river is now supplying light to the towns of 

 Berkeley Springs, Hancock and Great Cacapon, and power to a 

 number of sand plants near the town of Berkeley Springs. 



The county is well adapted to fruit growing and consider- 

 able of the wooded hill land, almost worthless for the growing 

 of other crops, is being profitably utilized for the culture of 

 peaches. 



Outside of the cut-over timber lands the farmers in the 

 valleys have from 25 to 40 per cent of their farms in timber. 



NICHOLAS COUNTY. 



Location and Area. 



Nicholas county, formed in 1818 from part of Greenbrier, 

 lies a short distance directly south of the center of the state. 

 Its area is 691 square miles or 442,240 acres. 



Topography. 



The whole county is well elevated and portions of it are 

 decidedly mountainous. A belt of land lying along the north- 

 west side of Gauley river and including the areas drained by 

 Beaver creek, Muddlety creek and Peters creek contain many 

 acres of comparatively smooth creek bottoms, glades and rolling 

 uplands. Northwest of this belt the surface is somewhat rougher 

 and the ridges higher. The portion of the county in the eastern 

 end which is drained by the Cherry river contains the highest 

 land. Much of the surface in this region lies above 2^500 feet 

 and a little of it reaches an elevation of almost 4,000 feet. 



Gauley river flows through the county from northeast to 

 southwest. Its principal tributaries flowing in from the north- 

 west are Twentymile creek. Peters creek, Muddlety creek and 

 Beaver creek, named in order up stream. Its tributaris from 



