SOUTHERlSr APPALACHIAN EEGION. 



81 



crests more than 6,000 feet high, form the watershed on 

 the north and west, and from these descend into the northern 

 portion of the basin man}- swift streams, which have carved 

 deep narrow valley's, leaving- high intervening ridges with 

 steep and rugged slopes. The watersheds between several 

 of these streams are high and rough mountains, especially 

 in the Cheoah, Nantahala, and Cowee ranges. The lower 

 part of the basin includes some of the most rugged land in 

 the southern Appalachians, with only a very small part 

 suited for tillage, and few alluvial bottoms; but in the 

 upper part much of the mountain land is not steep, and 

 there are several large and fertile valle3^s. 



The soils in the upper part of the basin are sandy, soii. 

 derived from granite, or in the Little Tennessee River, 

 around and above Franklin, where most of the good farms 

 are located, from schists, and are deep and fertile red 

 loams. In the narrow valleys around the high mountains, 

 where sandstones, quartzite, and conglomerates prevail, 

 the soils are generally thin and sandy, and poor agricul- 

 turalh', but on north slopes and in hollows are well suited 

 to forests. The alluvial bottom lands along manj- of the 

 streams are also light and sandy, though those of the 

 Little Tennessee are silts of the finest texture. 



All of the land available for tillage has been cleared. Agriculture. 

 Corn is the staple crop on both alluvium and upland, the 

 yield of small grain, grass, and apples being much smaller 

 than in other mountain counties farther north. At high 

 altitudes and on some of the stifi'er soils grass thrives, but 

 on the whole the soils are too light and too subject to 

 drought for either grazing or forage grasses. Orchards 

 have been planted, but are much neglected, and only a 

 few apples are produced for market. 



Much of the best valley land has been badly washed. Erosion, 

 especially on Tuckasegee River and Scott Creek. There 

 are also man}^ badly worn steep slopes on these streams 

 and elsewhere. 



In general, the mountain ranges and spurs, and also the Ttie forest 

 ridge lands of the valleys, are still principally wooded, 

 although many clearings are found in mountain coves and 

 on mountain slopes. 



The principal clearings, however, are on and about the 

 alluvial lands, which appear on the map like broken chains 

 along the larger tributaries. 



The largest unbroken forest areas lie on Oconalufty, 



*S. Doc. 84 6 



