WEST VIRGINIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 



307 



tered, also, by companies with large band mills at Curtin, Rich- 

 wood and other points in Nicholas county. 



Present Forest Conditions. 



A belt of mountain land averaging 10 miles in width and 25 

 miles in length and including the southeastern third of the 

 county is still in virgin forest, except that the best poplar has 

 been removed from an area of about 15,000 acres lying on the 

 south side of Williams river and its Middle Fork, and from 

 8,000 acres on the north side of Gauley river. Outside of this 

 belt there are virgin forests on the headwaters of Holly river 

 in the northeast and on the Elk river between Webster Springs 

 and the Braxton line, making in all an area of about 122,000 

 acres. The cut-over forests — aggregating about 133,000 acres — 

 lie in nearly all sections, but are most extensive in the region 

 drained by the several tributaries of the Holly river, and along 

 the northwestern side of the county. Extensive areas are also 

 found on the Gauley and Williams rivers and on the Elk river 

 west of Webster Springs. Of the remaining 122,600 acres, 

 about one-third is cleared and the balance is in culled woodlots. 



The variety of timber trees growing in the forests of Web- 

 ster county is very great. All along the southeastern side there 

 is a belt of red spruce which varies in width from 2 to 6 miles. 

 The irregular northwest boundary line of the spruce belt 

 crosses Bergoo and Leatherwood creeks of Elk, the Gauley river 

 below its three forks, Williams river near the mouth of Little 

 Beechy run, and the Cranberry river north of Hanging Rock. 

 Such trees as hemlock, sugar maple, beech, yellow birch and 

 wild cherry are frequently found growing with the spruce or 

 in almost pure stands on lower ridges and mountainsides. West- 

 ward from the spruce belt are the valuable forests of yellow 

 poplar, cherry, maple, basswood, chestnut, and other hardwoods. 

 An experienced timber cruiser gives the following list of timber 

 trees growing on a 20,000 acre tract on Elk river : 



Yellow Poplar 

 Chestnut . . . 

 Oaks 



25 per cent. 

 25 per cent. 

 12 per cent. 



