Professional Paper No, 37 Series H, Forestry, 12 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CHARLES D. WALCOTT, DIRECTOK THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN FORESTS BY H. B. AYRES and W. W. ASHE WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1905 Professional Paper No. 37 Series H, Forestry, 12 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR UNItED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CHARLES D. WALCOTT, DIKECTOR THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN FORESTS BY H. B. AYRES and W. W. ASHE WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1905 CONTENTS. Page. Introduction.............................................................................. '13 Location ............................................................................. 13 Relief................................................................................ 14 Drainage ............................................................................. 15 Settlement ........................................................................... 15 Natural resources..................................................................... 15 Climate ..................................................... ........................ 16 Scenery .............................................................................. 16 Water supply ........................................................................ 17 Agriculture........................................................................... 17 The forest............................................................................ 18 Injury to the forest............................................................... 18 Forest fires................................................................... 18 Lumbering................................................................... 19 Cleared land ................................................................. 19 Grazing ...................................................................... 21 The remaining forest............................................................. 23 Reforestation ..................................................................... 24 Future of the region ................................................................. 25 Tree species.............................................................................. 26 Shrubs................................................ .................................. 40 Rate of growth ........................................................................... 42 Description of drainage basins ............................................................ 51 New River basin ..................................................................... 57 Big Laurel Creek district ......................................................... 58 Horse Creek basin................................................................ 59 Helton Creek district............................................................. 60 Wilson Creek basin............................................................... 61 Fox Creek basin ................................................................. 62 Guffeys Creek basin .............................................................. 62 Middle Fox Creek basin.......................................................... 63 Dell district..----..-.......-...----..-.......-..---.--.....--...-..--.---.----..- 64 Knob Fork district......................................... ..................... 65 Elk Creek district................................................................ 66 Peach Bottom Creek district...................................................... 67 Bridle Creek district.............................................................. 68 Little Fox Creek basin ........................................................... 69 Piney and Potato Creek districts .................................................. 70 3 4 CONTENTS. Description of drainage basins Continued. New River basin Continued. Page. Grassy Creek basin............................................................... 70 Jefferson district.................................................................. 71 Boone district.................................................................... 72 Beverly district .............--...............-.....-----.-.-....---......-....... 73 Speedwell district ................................................................ 74 Kinser Creek district-...............-.....-..........--------.....-......-...-... 75 Cripple Creek district............................................................. 76 Brush Creek basin ..-...........................-...---..-..------.---........... 77 South Fork of Holston River basin (southern tributaries only) ........................ 78 Cressy Creek district ..--.-...-.......-.......-..-.-....-----------..-........--.. 80 Dickey Creek district............................................................. 81 Rye Valley district ................................................................ 82 Como Creek basin-..---....-.......................--.-........-..-.-...---...... 83 Holston district .............-.............-..........------..----.---.----....... 84 North side of Holston Mountain .................................................. 85 Shady Valley district..................'...................-.--....-.......--...... 86 Laurel Bloomery district.........................-.........----.-...------....-.-. 87 White Top Creek district.._..__...._............._..__...................._...... 88 Valley Creek district ............................................................. 89 Watauga River basin ................................................................. 90 North end of Buffalo Mountain................... 1............................... 92 Little and Stone Mountain districts..-............-...-.----.--..-.-.-..-----...... 93 Gap Creek Mountain ............................................................. 94 Little Doe River and Ripshin Creek districts ..................................... 95 White Rock Mountain (west side)................................................ 96 Laurel Fork district .............................................................. 97 Pond Mountain district........................................................... 98 Iron Mountain district............................................................ 98 Stony Creek district.............................................................. 99 Little Doe River basin............................................................ 100 Roane Creek district.............................................................. 101 Forge Creek district.............................................................. 102 Fish Spring district..---...-..-..........-....................--..----.-.-........ 104 Buck Mountain district .................. .. ....................'.................. 105 Hattie district..............-..........................-....--__..---............. 105 Key Station district-.,-.--..---..........................-.-..---------........... 106 Southern tributary basins of Watauga River....................................... 107 Western tributary basins of Doe River above Roan Mountain Station.............. 108 Elk Creek district................................................................ 109 Cove Creek district..-.--...-.-........-.-............---...--..-................. Ill Elizabethton district---...-......--.........-.-.....------....---...-----......... 112 Nolichucky River basin............................................................... 112 Cherokee and Buffalo Mountain districts ....--.--.-...----.-..--------.--.--..--.. 114 Limestone Cove district........................................................... 115 CONTENTS. 0 Description of drainage basins Continued. Nolichucky River basin Continued. Page. Erwin district..-.-......-.------.-.--.....-........--.........---....------------ 116 North Bald Creek basin .......................................................... 117 .Tacks Creek district .............................................................. 118 Caney River district.............................................................. 119 Spive Creek district...._.----._...-...-_......._-.-_........------..-.------.----- 120 Kocky Fork district ........................................................ ^..... 121 South Indian Creek district....................................................... 122 Embreville district................................................................ 123 Indian Creek district ............................................................. 124 South Toe River basin............................................................ 125 Hollow Poplar and Pigeon Roost Creek basins.................................... 127 Caney River basin above Burnsville ............................................... 128 Doebag Branch district ........................................................... 129 French Broad River basin, above Skyland............................................. 131 Puncheon Fork district........................................................... 132 Little Creek district............................................................... 133 Foster Creek and Roaring Fork districts ................ ......................... 134 Shelton Laurel Creek district ..................................................... 135 Spillcorn Creek district ....................................................^...... 136 Spring Creek basin below Bluff ................................................... 137 Spring Creek basin above