MARYLAND GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 145 



the Leonardtown loam, the Sassafras loam, and the meadow lands are 

 well adapted to dairying and to stock raising, Init the time distance from 

 markets and the actiial uncertainty of any communication during win- 

 ter months retard or prevent introduction of stock. 



The waterways for extensive steamboat communication exist, grades 

 well adapted for railway construction are to be found, and the con- 

 struction of the roadbed presents only the simple engineering problem 

 of cut and fill, with no consolidated rock formations to require blasting. 

 The soils, the climate, and the natural advantages of geographical loca- 

 tion all favor the upbuilding of the county. It is likely that outside 

 influences have combined with a well-defined conservatism in the native 

 population to retard the development not only of this but of other locali- 

 ties in the general region. 



The internal communications of the county consist of highly varied 

 wagon roads. The main roads follow the main divides, while public 

 and private roadways lead out along the secondary divides and down 

 to the lowland farms and to the wharves. Bridges are scarce, and the 

 small streams are crossed by fords. The tide-water indentations along 

 the coast and the marshes at their headward extremities separate the 

 farms along the forelands, and it is possible to go only from one foreland 

 to another by considerable detour inland, usually including a steep ascent 

 to the upland and an equally steep descent to the adjoining foreland. 

 Foot passengers can usually find a small boat to transfer them across 

 such obstacles, and many of the farmers own sailboats, but regular 

 ferries do not exist. There is no regular ferry or bridge across the 

 Patuxent terminating in St. Mary's County. 



The wagonroads consist of sand, loam, or clay, as they happen to 

 cross such materials, and the rain wash and the wear of travel have 

 cut the roads down for long distances far below the surface of the 

 country. In many places where the roadway has been washed to a state 

 of impassability teams have driven around the erully and established a 

 new highway, or an overturned tree is avoided similarly. One road 

 district in particular has secured fairly good roads partly through the 



