82 



SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN REGION. 



Cheoah, and Tuckasegee rivers, in the northern, north- 

 western, and northeastern parts of the basin, tlioug-h there 

 are some areas of fine forest at the head of Nantahala and 

 Little Tennessee rivers, in the southern part of the basin. 



At lower elevations the forests are of oaks and hickories, 

 associated with black pine. On the thin soil of the slopes 

 along the Blue Ridg-e small scarlet and white oaks, with 

 occasional bodies of hemlock, form the forest, while else- 

 where in the mountains typical Appalachian hardwoods 

 prevail, with some few thousand acres of bhick spruce 

 capping the highest summits of the Smoky and Balsam 

 mountains. The best timbei- has heen mwh culled for 

 20 miles from the Southern Railwa3% which (crosses the 

 middle of the basin. Repeated forest fires, started with a 

 view to improve the pasturage, have destroyed much tim- 

 ber on dr}" south slopes, and b}^ continued suppression of 

 the young growth have greatly reduced the density. 

 Reproduction, however, is good, and if the open woods 

 were protected there would soon be a fine 3'oung growth 

 beneath the old trees. Proper distribution of species 

 could easilj^ be secured b}' judicious cutting while logging. 



HIWASSEE RIVER BASIN. 



[223,456 acres: 7] per cent wooded,] 



Topography. Xhis drainage is tributaxy to the Tennessee River, which 

 the Hiwassee joins above Chattanooga, and comprises the 

 eastern tributaries of Hiwassee River above Murphy, 

 equivalent to the western slope of the mountainous divide 

 between Little Tennessee and Hiwassee rivers, which 

 divide is a cross range between the Blue Ridge and the 

 Smok}-' Mountains. The altitude of this tract ranges be- 

 tween 1,500 and 5,000 feet. Spurs from 5 to 20 miles 

 long reach from the divide toward the river, while deep 

 valleys extend from the river far into the mountains. 



The mountain sides are steep and often rocky, while the 

 creek valleys, of which there are six prominent ones, have 

 considerable areas of alluvial flats and rolling foothills. 



Even the alluvial flats along the rivers and creeks have 

 a large proportion of clay, and the foothills are almost 

 entirely clay. The mountain sides are loamy, the coves 

 very fertile, and the soils of the ridges light, often stony. 



Agriculture. Corn is the principal grain crop. Gi'ass does well on 

 low alluvial lands and in mountain coves, but burns out 



