38 PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY 



The agricultural resources of this portion of the state are 

 abundant; and the various schemes of internal communica- 

 tion that are being carried on by opening new avenues, fur- 

 nish additional facilities to its further improvement, as well as 

 to the more extensive distribution of its produce. Besides 

 the ordinary grain and root crops, as the country is well 

 watered, and that there are many advantageous situations for 

 the formation of artificial meadows, numerous favourable 

 positions are atforded for the creation of dairies and grazing 

 farms, whilst their proximity to a populous city renders every 

 product of rural industry upon them available. All the spe- 

 cies of European fruit bearing trees may here be cultivated ; 

 but the apple especially, which seems calculated for almost 

 every soil, climate or situation that this state affords, yielding 

 numerous varieties, some of which are highly flavoured and 

 much esteemed as dessert fruits, others are solely employed 

 for making cider. The fruit of the persimmon or American 

 date {Diosp'i/7'os Virginiana) is used for making a species of 

 beer ; and the domestic wine obtained from the currant has 

 not unfrequently been passed off even upon professed coimois- 

 seurs as tolerable Madeira. Among the forest trees that bear 

 edible nuts are the walnut, shell-bark hickory, the chestnut 

 and the chinquapin that bears a small, but sweet and agree- 

 able fruit. The flowering trees and shrubs, some of which 

 have already been mentioned, are the American poplar, with 

 its large tulip-shaped blossom, the Caialpa cordifolia with its 

 showy white flowers, the early blooming Cornus Jiorida^ the 

 Ccrcis canadensis whose red blossoms attached to the branches 

 have an agreeable pungency, are eaten in salads, and may be 

 made into delightful pickles, the Chionanthus Yirginica^ or Vir- 

 ginia snow-flower, most commonly known as the fringe tree, 

 from its pendulous branches of white flowers, the Gleditziatri- 

 acanthus or honey locust, several species of the Cratmgus or 

 hawthorn, and the Kalmia latifolia^ or calico-bush, the noxious 

 qualities of which lessen the esteem claimed by its beauty. 

 These adorn the Maryland woods in the spring, enlivened 

 moreover by the varied notes of the mocking-bird {Turdus 

 polyglottus) ; whilst the different hues assumed by the fading 

 leaves of the larger forest trees, the deep scarlet of the gum 

 {Nyssa villosa) contrasting with the bright yellow of the chest- 



