FOREST CONDITIONS IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. 



27 



perhaps slightly more extended in its general range. The species are 

 not distinguished commercially, and, as there is practically no differ- 

 ence in the timber or the rate of growth, they can well be classed to- 

 gether. The timber is usually of good quality, but forms such a small 

 part of the cut of the local mills, that favorable prices are secured 

 only by the larger operators and dealers. After logging linn reproduces 

 chiefly by sprouts which grow rapidly, but are generally destroyed by 

 cattle, which should always be excluded from areas of young growth 

 till the shoots have grown out of their reach. Tire is not a serious 

 menace where linn flourishes. This is a valuable and important tree in 

 the situations to which it is best adapted. 



Hickory. 



Several species of hickory grow throughout the region; pignut on 

 the higher and poorer situations; mockernut, or white hickory in the 

 lower coves and richer slopes; bitternut, or red hickory, in the moister 

 situations along the streams ; other species are only occasional. Hickory 

 is nowhere abundant, but sometimes forms from 5 to 10 per cent of the 

 stand on restricted areas; taking the area as a whole, however, only 2 

 per cent of the forest is hickory. While more common on the lower 

 slopes, this tree ascends all through the chestnut ridge type, but is so 

 scattered that it has had mainly a local utilization for axe handles and 

 firewood. Reproduction of hickory is fairly good nearly everywhere, 

 and the insistent and increasing demand for second growth hickory 

 justifies its encouragement in every possible way. 



Yellow Pine. 



Four species are included under this blanket term, though shortleaf is 

 by far the most important and abundant. 



Shortleaf Pine. — Shortleaf pine occurs at the lower elevations and 

 through the plateau type, and along the dry ridges and south slopes of 

 the chestnut type, where it often forms a large proportion of the forest. 

 It comes in on abandoned fields in the plateau type, where it has its 

 greatest value, though with proper encouragement it may form an im- 

 portant part of second growth forests wherever it thrives. 



Pitch Pine. — Pitch pine grows on situations that favor shortleaf and 

 is usually mixed with it, but is decidedly inferior in rate of growth and 

 in quality, and shortleaf should always be favored. 



Scrub Pine, — Scrub pine occurs only at the lower elevations and is 

 so much inferior to shortleaf that it should not be encouraged. 



