WEST VIRGINIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 



283 



are yet to be reclaimed for fanning purposes. Much of the coun- 

 ty not yet improved lies at so great an elevation, however, that 

 only a very limited number of farm products can be successfully 

 raised. Fully 25 per cent of the county is non-agricultural. The 

 position of the area is such as to give it great importance from the 

 standpoint of water supply and for this reason, if for no other, 

 certainly not less than from SS to 50 per cent of it should be 

 kept permanently in forest. 



The Present Timber Conditions. 



Of the unimproved part of the county, about 56,000 acres 

 are still in virgin forest, and 130,000 acres are cut-over forest. 

 The largest bodies of virgin timber lie along the Alleghanies, in 

 the southeastern section, and between the Dry Fork and Black- 

 water Fork of Cheat. The balance is scattered in areas of from 

 a few acres to 4,000 or 5,000 acres along the southern border 

 and the right hand side of Shavers Fork, at the southern end of 

 Backbone mountain, and, farther north, on the waters of Horse- 

 shoe run. As a rule the cut-over lands are cleared of everything 

 merchantable, except in the western side of the county, and are 

 badly burned, as will be mentioned in the discussions of condi- 

 tions prevailing in the vicinity of Davis. 



The Land of Canaan. 



The region before referred to as the Land of Canaan is de- 

 serving of special mention on account of the remarkable condi- 

 tions that existed there, originally, and because of the great 

 changes that have taken place since the beginning of its ex- 

 ploitation by lumbermen less than 30 years ago. The portion 

 of this area now called Canaan, or Canaan Valley, is a high 

 basin containing some 25,000 acres lying between Canaan 

 mountain on the east, and Brown mountain, through which the 

 Blackwater river has cut its way. Originally, that part of the 

 plateau lying north of the Blackwater and stretching north- 

 westward across Little Blackwater to the base of Backbone 

 mountain, was called Canada to distinguish it from Canaan on 

 the other side. 



