Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1893-05-31
- TIrall.ia as Tlmber sac.

From de Parkesbiug Journal.
Major Jed Hotchkiss, of Staunton, Va,
widely known for for his great knowledge
Of the natural resources of the two Virgin
las has written an exhaustive review of the
timber interests of West Virginia, and to
him we are indebted for the facts in this
article. West Virginia is undoubtedly tie
hest timber State Of all the States east of
the Mississippi; in fact Of all the States on
the Atlantic slope of the continent. Fully
three-fourths of its 24645 square miles OF
area are still covered by virgin forests, and
in all the remainder of the State where the
forest maps indicate that the valuable tim
Der has been largely removed, there are still
large numbers of timber trees included in
the portions of farms that are held for for
est purposes.
It is probable that nowhere in the United
States are now existing denser forests than
those of black spruce in the belt Of country,
more than 100 miles in length and from ~
to % in breadth, that extends through
Greenbrier, PocahOntas, Randolph and
Tucker counties. Only the northern end
of this vast spruce forest has been penetra-
ted bv railways-the West Virginia Central
& Pittsburgh r. R. being the only one that
has vet really entered into it. In this same
elevated region there are extensive forests
of Wild cherry Of a luxuriant growth. One
white pine belt, with length Of 70 miles
and an average breadth Of 10 miles, border;
this spruce belt on the southeast, in the ba'
sin of the Greenbrier river. Another white
pine belt, some sixty miles in length and
having an average breadth of 10 miles, pen
etrates this spruce belt from the northeast
I'D aud along the basin of the Cheat river
while another white pine area, some 81
miles in length and 10 miles in breadth, Ii
found in the counties of Raleigh and Wyo
ming. On the crests and higher slopes o
the dozen or more mountain ranges of thu
Appalachian system that traverse the STATE
in northeast and southwest direction
from its eastern border to the westward, ar
found other species Of pine and several spe
eies Of birch, oak, naples and other tree
such as are peculiar to the higher altitude
Of the country.
The remainder of the State is covered
mainly with hardwood forests intersperse'
with percentage of the softwoods such a
poplars, ash, etc. AS an illustration of tn
kinds and distribution of these trees an ex
ample may be taken from the southwestern
portion of the State, from the basin of tn
West Fork Of Twelve Pole river, in Wayn'
and Logan counties, where the merchanta
bic timber on 1928 acres, or nearly 2
square miles, was actually measured ant
counted. The trees that were measured
were those that were Is inches in diamete
and upward four feet above the ground, will
the exception of lOcusts, hickories and blaci
walnuts. which were measured from di
ameter of 10 inches and upward.
There we're 1OS,S7S hardwood trees anC
I9. $50 softwood trees in this area.
An illustration of the distribution o
commercial trees for the intermediate cOun
try between the high plateau and the bell
above mentioned may be taken from the
counting Of thousand acres on the head
waters of Cherry River in Greenbrier coun'
ty, in a region having from $500 to S,O0(
feet Of altitude. The trees counted and
measured we're all from is inches and up
ward, except the hickOries and lOcusts.
There we're 1851 hardwood trees anC
1893 softwood trees.