MARYLAND GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 



133 



more extensively than at present upon this soil whenever transportation 

 facilities permit of marketing. The wild fruits like the blackberry, 

 which flourish so remarkably on this soil, should be replaced by the cul- 

 tivated varieties of the same fruits. 



The table on the preceding page gives the results of analyses of this 

 soil type. 



The Sassafras Loam. 

 This soil type occurs in St. Mary's County at an elevation of from 60 

 to 90 feet above tide in the form of flat-topped terraces. It is generally 



Mechanical Analyses of Sassafras Loam. 



completely cleared and well cultivated. It forms the best corn producing 

 soils of this and other areas and is well fitted for general farming pur- 

 poses. It is formed from a mixture of sand and clay derived from 

 much older strata and reworked and redeposited by stream action. 



The soil consists of a slightly sandy yellow or brown loam, having 

 a depth of from 8 to 13 inches. This is underlaid by a heavier yellow 

 loam to a depth of nearl\- 3 feet. This subsoil forms a good storage 

 reservoir to maintain a moisture supply during the growing season 

 without retaining enough water to interfere with cultivation or plant 

 growth. Wheat, corn, and the grasses do well on this soil, while a fair 

 tobacco crop can be raised on it; but it approaches more nearly to an 



