SOUTHEKN APPALACHIAN REGION. 



83 



on the foothills. There are some fine farms on Valley 

 River, Peach Tree, Tusquitee, Shooting-, Tiger, and High- 

 tower creeks, but large areas of hill land are worn out and 

 abandoned to broom grass. 



This basin, or part of it, seems unusually liable to floods, 

 as is shown by the cutting of banks and the washing of 

 fields. About the head of Peach Tree Creek, in 1900, 

 several ''waterspouts'' are said to have occurred at one 

 time, and the water from these joining formed a torrent 

 that swept across fields and roads, doing great damage. 

 Evidences of similar floods and of great erosion on old 

 fields are to be found in almost every mile of travel. 



The uselessness of clearing the ridge lands has been dis- 

 covered by the farmers, and no advances of cleared land 

 have recently been made toward the mountains, but many 

 old fields lie wasted and wearing away, scantily patched 

 with broom grass, persimmon, and sassafras. 



Distrihutiov . — The mountains and spurs are principally 

 forest -covered, although here and there clearings have 

 been made in coves and along the tributary creeks. The 

 larger creek valleys and the river valley are principally 

 cleared. 



Composition. — In this region is found a suggestion of 

 the difference between the forest of the cool highlands 

 and that of the southern slope of the Blue Ridge. In 

 passing from the highlands we are leaving the region 

 of most vigorous tree growth and approaching the piny 

 regions. Oaks and hickories are more numerous, but 

 shorter and smaller; hemlock and white pine are less 

 abundant; the birches and hard maples become rare, and 

 the southern red maple, pitch pine, and shortleaf pine 

 more abundant. 



Condition. — In condition, too, there is a noticeable con- 

 trast. Fires have been more prevalent and have kept 

 decajdng vegetation prettv thoroughly consumed. Fires 

 have killed less timber, but have done no less damage by 

 preventing that new growth which perpetuates the natural 

 forest. 



On isolated wood lots and near clearings are many tracts 

 of thrifty saplings, but the general forest condition, owing 

 to fire and grazing, is inferior to that of the plateau. 



Reproduction. — The first and essential step toward the 

 improvement of this forest would be the prevention of fire. 

 Much of the stand is now so thin that thinnings need not 

 be made at once. 



