378 



and now our corn is suffering for rain, because the roots are all so near 

 the top of the ground. All the corn-lands that were low have been 

 submerged, including some never known to be before; also much of the 

 wheat, oats, hay, and vegetables. Many thousands of acres of corn 

 have been lost by the overflow, and many more by the continuous rains. 

 Oats and hay were above average, but could not be saved. The county 

 •will not be near self sustaining. 



NOTES ON RESOURCES OF MARYLAND. 



Maryland is one of the smaller States, having an area, according to 

 Land-Office records, of 11,124 square miles, Vermont, New Hampshire, 

 and New Jersey being next in size on one side, and on the other Indiana 

 comes nearest, though three times as large, having 33,809 square miles. 

 Its advantages as an agricultural section are probably not well under- 

 stood, and therefore not sufficiently appreciated, at least by the people 

 of other States. Among these advantages are a medium temperature, 

 a healthful climate, a varied surface, soil of average productiveness, 

 I)roximity to great markets, good railroad facilities, and remarkable 

 abundance of water-communication. There are soils of great produc- 

 tiveness and durability, and the poorer lands are susceptible of improve- 

 ment by cheap and abundant local fertilizers, such as fish-chum, sea- 

 weed, and sea-ooze, oyster-shell and other lime, marl, and the fertilizing 

 refuse of neighboring cities brought cheaply by water-transportation. 

 Farms have been increased in value from five to ten fold by these inex- 

 pensive means, in connection with clovering, stock-feeding, etc., paying 

 all the time the expenses of such improvement in more remunerative 

 yields. Its shape is irregular, the Potomac and its north branch ccm- 

 stituting the southern and western boundaries, while its northern line 

 runs west through nearly four degrees of longitude, and its eastern 

 through nearly two degrees of latitude, this width decreasing to a few 

 miles between Pennsylvania and Virginia, at a point a little west of 

 Harper's Ferry, yet more than a hundred miles distant from the west- 

 ern boundary of the State. The range of elevation is about 3,000 feet, 

 giving additional variety to production and opportunity to its denizens 

 for choice of a sea-shore residence or a mountain retreat. The mean 

 temperature of the year is about 52° ; the mean for January varies 

 from 27° to 37°, and for July from 75° to 80°. Earely in winter does 

 the temperature fall to 10° above zero, though in the past ten years it 

 has a few times fallen a little below zero. Except in a few undrained 

 locations, in the tide-water region, there is exemption from malaria, and 

 the general healtlifulness of higher elevations surpasses that of New 

 England, and equals that of the most healthful districts of New York and 

 Pennsylvania. Indeed, the Blue Kidge and the Alleghany Eange, from 

 Maryland to North Carolina inclusive, are unsurpassed in salubrity by 

 any section of the United States east of the Eocky Mountains. In this 

 respect the tide-water region will compare favorably with a large por- 

 tion of New Jersey, and with the State of Delaware, nearly all of which 

 lies alongside of the Eastern Shore of Maryland, and both between the 

 bays of Delaware and Chesapeake. 



