OF MARYLAND. 35 



ground squirrel (Scha'us striatus,) which together with proba- 

 bly two or three species of weasels (Mustelos,) and the polecat 

 (Mephitis Americana) are the principal wild quadrupeds that 

 frequent our woods at present. 



The next division of the tide- water country will embrace 

 the lower parts of Baltimore and Harford comities, of which 

 it forms, however, but a very small portion. That portion of 

 it lying between the main branch of the Patapsco, and the 

 one upon which Baltimore is located, consists of clay and 

 sand hills covered in many places with a tliick coat of gravel; 

 its soil is very indifferent; and as the best timber which it 

 originally bore has been long since removed, it is now covered 

 by stinted oaks (Q. chinquaphi ct Q. elicifolia) red maple, 

 chestnut, chinquapin and cedar ; the red ochrey clay that 

 occurs in tliis region being apparently very favourable to the 

 growth of the last mentioned tree. It is remarked of it that in a 

 narrow belt of land extending in a north-east and south-west 

 direction through the state, it presents great symmetry in its 

 form, being that of a double cone applied base to base, with 

 the upper cone elongated and perfect; but when removed from 

 this belt its branches soon become irregular and straggling. 

 The smaller growths that occur in this division are the whor- 

 tle berry ( Vacciniuni duiiiosum et frondosum) several species of 

 Riibus — the blackberry, dewberry and others, the calico-bush 

 {Kalmia latifolia) the sheep laurel (/v. angustifolia) the wild 

 honeysuckle {Asalea nudijlora) and along the river shores the 

 sweet-scented clethra (C. ahiifoUa). 



Baltimore situated on the upper limits of the great Adantic 

 arenaceous and argillaceous deposites resting upon the chain 

 of primary rocks, offers in its vicinity, soils, which in connec- 

 tion with their geographical position under the same parallel 

 as the most southern parts of Europe, permit the cultivation 

 of perhaps a greater variety of esculent plants and fruits than 

 are met with in the neighbourhood of any of the other large 

 cities of the union. Besides the ordinary vegetables and 

 roots that are found every where, with which the Baltimore 

 market is amply supplied, there have been introduced a variety 

 of exotics from warmer climates, that are now ranked among 

 the most wholesome and grateful of the summer vegetables. 

 The principal of these are the okra of the West Indies {Hibis- 



