THE INLAND LOBLOLLY PINE REGION. 



33 



is covered with similar forests. Iii the southern section the soil is 

 more sandy and there are numerous sand hills, ap}:)joaching the 

 pine barrens, now nearly denuded of the long-leaf pine, which was 

 once abundant, and largely covered with sand black-jacks. Along 

 Contentnea creek and its numerous tributaries, which drain the 

 entire county, are extensive tracts of cypress swamps. In the 

 northern part of the county these swamps, which extend over into 

 Pitt, have been but little lumbered; in the central portion, however, 

 exploration has been carried farther. About one-half of the forest 

 lands, or 30,000 acres, is still covered with merchantable loblolly 

 pine. 



Edgecombe and Wilson counties lie west of those last described 

 and have an average elevation of- about 50 feet higher than that 

 of these counties. Their soil is considerably drier and more sandy 

 than that of the section to the east of them, being a sandy loam, 

 which in places passes almost into sand. The long-leaf pine, which 

 primarily occupied these lands, has been largely destroyed and a 

 scattering growth of loblolly pine, with an undergrowth of low 

 post and red oaks and dogwood or thickets of black-jack oak, have 

 taken its place. There are along the streams occasional strips of 

 cypress swamp which have not been lumbered and there is a con- 

 siderable quantity of other swamp timber, sweet and black gums, 

 tupelo, soft maple, and occasional overcup and chestnut oaks. 

 Although over one-half of the area of these counties is under cul- 

 tivation, there is still standing a considerable quantity of mer- 

 chantable loblolly pine. 



Wayne, another of the loblolly pine counties, has in the section 

 contiguous to Wilson county a soil and forest similar to those of 

 Wilson, but south of the Neuse river, which flows through the 

 centre of the county, there are extensive tracts of pine barrens, 

 stripped of pine and covered with sand black-jack oak or com- 

 pletely denuded. Skirting the Neuse river and its tributaries are 

 tracts of swampy alluvium, on which there are still merchantable 

 gums and oaks, and in places cypress and ash. The loblolly pine 

 (rosemary), which w^as once abundant along these lands, has for the 

 most part been removed. There are several small white cedar 

 •'bays" at different places in the county. The loblolly pine, except 



