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Report of the Secretary of Agriculture in relation to the forests, rivers, and mountains of the southern Appalachian region

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  • 48 SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN REGION- and between the Iron and the Holston mountains. There are many farms on the southeastern slope of the Stone Mountain, and its northwestern slope is dotted with clearings. Extensive clearings cover the southern foot hills of both White Top and the Balsam mountains. There is, however, in this group an almost unbroken forest, at least 6 miles in width, extending along the mountains from Eliza- bethton east to Mount Ewing, a distance of more than 60 miles. Extensive The portion of this forest to the southwest of Damascus mountain for- r ests- covers the slopes of the Iron and Holston mountains and much of Shady Valley, between them. It is largely composed of hard wood, with which white pine and hemlock are associated. For 8 miles east of Damascus the forest covers both slopes of Iron Mountain. It has been slightly culled, but much burned. It is lightly timbered with oak. chestnut, hemlock, and some white pine. A large area lying east of White Top Mountain, on the upper slope of the Balsam Mountains, is heavily timbered with spruce (see PI. XL) on and near the summits, while hard woods, with some hemlock intermixed, occupy the lower elevations. From the eastern end of the Balsam Mountains the Iron Mountain extends almost eastward to Mount Ewing, a distance of 40 miles. Its summit is dotted with a few farms and pastures, but the forest on the slopes is almost unbroken. It is lightly timbered with small oaks, chestnut, hickories, and black pine. The forest has been severely burned over large areas. A railroad has been built from Damascus southwestward through Shady Valley, and some of the finest white-pine timber in the United States is now being cut there. (See PI. XXXVIII b.) South of this large belt of forest are a few isolated mountains in the midst of the agricultural valley of New River which have their slopes well timbered. The largest of these are Phoenix, Three Top, and Elk mountains, which lie between the north and south forks of New River. Nearly 40,000 acres of this forest is unculled. There are six holdings of 10,000 to 50,000 acres each; the remainder is held in small areas of a few hundred acres. The farming region of both the New and Holston river valleys is dotted with wood lots sufficient to supply the needs of the resident population.
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