WEST VIRGINIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 



261 



in the western part. Smaller areas are found in other places. 

 The cut-over lands lie chiefly in the eastern part of the county. 

 Large tracts are to be found, however, in the south-central, west- 

 em and northwestern sections. 



All the white pine has been taken out except an area of 

 about 2,000 acres on Piney river, now being vigorously cut, and 

 a very small area lying near to Beckley, the county seat. The 

 parts of the white pine belt not frequently visited by fire are 

 restocking with a good stand of young trees. On most of this 

 area, however, especially south of Piney river, recent fires have 

 killed all the young white pines that had made a start. 



Forest fires, in general, have been most destructive on 

 Beaver and Glade creeks and Piney river and on Clear Fork of 

 Big Coal river. These burnt areas have only a meager growth 

 of valuable young trees. Other cut-over lands have from 1,000 

 to 2,000 feet of merchantable timber per acre and a fairly good 

 stand of young hardwoods. 



RANDOLPH COUNTY. 



Location and Area. 



''Randolph county was formed from Harrison in 1787 and 

 included all the present county of Tucker, all of Barbour east 

 of the river, all of Upshur east of Buckhannon river, and a con- 

 siderable portion of Pocahontas and Webster. It lost territory 

 in 1821 when Pocahontas was formed; again in 1843 when Bar- 

 bour came into existence, and in 1851 it gave up some of its 

 territory to Upshur, and five years later 350 square miles were 

 cut off to form Tucker ; and in 1860 Webster took a strip ; and 

 after all these losses Randolph still is the largest county in the 

 state."* The county is located between the center and the 

 eastern border of the state. Its area is 1,086 square miles or 

 695,040 acres. 



*"History of Randolph County" — Maxwell. 



