MARYLAND GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 161 



Though somewhat loainy, its water-holding capacity is not sufficient 

 to constitute it a desirable grass or grain soil. These crops are culti- 

 vated in the regular crop rotation, but without securing profitable 

 yields. Peaches, small fruits, strawberries, and melons could be 

 raised to advantage on this soil type, and its physical properties fit it 

 for the production of these and later truck crops. It could not com- 

 pete with the Norfolk sand in the production of early truck. 



The smaller areas of Westphalia sand, especially those lying on the 

 steeper slopes, are not well adapted to agricultural purposes. The 

 removal of the surface soil is so rapid that underlying material is not 

 prepared for crop production by weathering with enough rapidity to 

 maintain annual crops. Such areas should become orchard lands or 

 should be reforested. 



THE WINDSOR SAND. 



This type of soil, wdiich is found in many other localities along the 

 Atlantic Coast, occupies an area of about 58 square miles, chiefly in 

 the upland area of central and southern Prince George's County. 

 It is usually found along the gently sloping valleys of streams or 

 where the headwaters of two drainage systems approach each other. 

 The surface is thus gently sloping or more steeply inclined, with the 

 change of circumstances of stream erosion. 



This soil in its natural condition is the one most preferred by the 

 pitch pine, and the extensive forests of this tree found on the Windsor 

 sand have led to its being called "pine barrens" in some localities. 

 This name is misleading, for although unsuited to the production of 

 grain and grass crops, the Windsor sand constitutes a type of soil 

 adapted to early truck crops, to fine early peaches, and, under favor- 

 able climatic conditions, to fine grades of tobacco. 



The Windsor sand consists of a medium to coarse sandy soil that 

 contains about 10 per cent of fine gravel. The soil is loose and friable 

 and very unretentive of moisture. It reaches to the depth of about 

 8 or 10 inches and is underlain by a coarse sandy subsoil, which dif- 

 fers from the soil chiefly in its smaller content of organic matter. 

 The depth of the subsoil depends largely upon the location of the 

 area. The higher-lying, flatter areas have the deeper and sandier sub- 



