FOREST CONDITIONS IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. 19 



The soil of this forest is a cold, black loam, usually with a sandy 

 subsoil which varies in depth from a few inches to two feet, but is 

 usually quite shallow. It always contains a large amount of humus 

 from the gradual decay of fallen trees, twigs, and leaves. This duff 

 supports a growth of moss and ferns, and in the open places a turf of 

 grass. The principal shrubs of the type are highbush huckleberry, 

 hobble bush, and, occasionally, the handsome fetter bush. Spruce and 

 balsam in varying proportions form the chief tree growth. Mixed Avith 

 these are usually a small percentage of yellow birch and scattered speci- 

 mens of mountain ash, service berry, fire cherry, and mountain maple. 

 These hardwoods, however, are rarely of merchantable size or quality. 

 The proportion of spruce varies greatly from as much as 80 per cent of 

 the stand in the southwestern counties to less than 50 per cent in the 

 more northern counties. 



The stand of spruce and balsam averages from 15 to 25 thousand feet 

 an acre over the whole area covered by this type, and many stands will 

 cut from 40 to 50 thousand feet to the acre. Where this timber is being 

 cut for pulp wood from 40 to 50 cords per acre is an average yield. 

 Spruce varies in height from 40 to 50 feet on the ridges to 80 or 90 feet 

 on the north slopes and in the heads of coves, where it attains a diam- 

 eter of three feet. Balsam is smaller and is rarely more than two feet 

 in diameter. 



In the mature forest reproduction is good, owing to the very favorable 

 moisture conditions and the freedom from fire. In dense stands there is 

 a larger percentage of balsam, but where the forest is more open spruce 

 reproduction is favored. On areas that have been cut over and not 

 burnt, the young growth which had started before cutting continues to 

 thrive, and on many areas seedlings of both species have started since cut- 

 ting. Unfortunately, no very heavy cuttings could be studied, since 

 logging for pulp wood has been carried on for only two or three years. 

 Both spruce and balsam need moist humus for successful reproduction, 

 and where fire recurs after cutting neither of these species will be per- 

 petuated. The abundant rainfall, which is heavier on these mountain 

 tops than anywhere else in the State, assisted by the dense shade of these 

 evergreen trees, affords an efficient fire protection for spruce forests while 

 they remain largely in their natural state. But when the trees are re- 

 moved, allowing the large amount of vegetable matter on the soil and the 

 tree tops left in logging to become dry, fires burn through the remaining 

 timber with disastrous results. The current belief is that it is impossible 

 to keep fires out of this type after logging, and that then these forests 

 will disappear. If fires can not be kept out, this will certainly be the 



