50 



SOUTHEllN APPALACHIAN REGION. 



greater part of them tun c Ix'cii culled in degrees varviiig 

 with their ease of access, 

 topographic fca''- (Traiidfatlier .Mountain group, inchuling ( irand- 



father and Grandmother mountains, lieson the BIueKido-e, 

 Mountain. .i,jfi the highest point in that range, having an altitude 

 of o,96i feet. While it is situated on the Blue Ridge, its 

 affinities, so far as its forests are concerned, are with 

 the interior mountain areas and not with the eastern slope 

 of the Blue Ridge. 



The agricultural lands of this region lie to the north of 

 the Grandfather along New and Watauga rivers, to the 

 west in the valle}' of North Toe River, and on the low 

 mountains and round hills, dotted with clearings, lying be- 

 tween the Grandfather and Roan groups. This mountain 

 group contains an area of more than 100,000 acres, only 

 a small portion of which is cleared. The cleared land 

 is located chiefly among the headwaters of Linville and 

 Watauga rivers. 



The topography of the entire group is rough, with steep 

 and often rocky slopes. Manj^ of the farms are on land 

 which is too steep for profitable agricultural use. The 

 eastern and southern slopes of the mountains ai'e lightly 

 timbered. The western and northern slopes have been 

 somewhat culled, but are still heavil}' wooded. A dense 

 mixed forest covers the northern slope and extends across 

 the valle3^of Boone Fork of Watauga Ri\'er, which is 3'et 

 uncleared for a distance of more than 5 miles from its head. 



(3) The Roan Mountain group, including Roan Moun- 

 tain, Yellow Mountain, and Spear Top, lies on the bound- 

 dary line between North Carolina and Tennessee, between 

 Doe and Toe rivers. It rises from a base of 2,000 feet to 

 a height of 6,313 feet. The area of this group is about 

 120,000 acres, oyer one-fourth of which, or 36,000 acres, 

 is cleared. The slopes are slightly more gentle than on 

 a.nj other of the large mountains, and are well wooded, 

 though dotted with clearings. The entire wooded portion 

 of this area is well timbered. The north slope, being- 

 nearest to the railroad, has been more culled, but some 

 timber has also been cut on the south slopes at the heads 

 of Big and Little Rock creeks. 

 Forests and to- (4) The Black Mountains, which lie iust west of the Blue 



pography about ^ ' i j 



the Black Moun-Jiic|p-e, a few miles north of where the latter range is 



tarns and the ^ ' . " 



craggies. crosscd by the Southern Railwa3\ are a series of short 

 ridges. The most massive of these is that of Black ]SIoun- 

 tain proper, which diverges from the Blue Ridge and extends 



