136 THE ECONOMIC RESOURCES OP CALVERT COUNTY 



character are well exposed in the Bay cliffs about one-half mile north 

 of Point of Eocks. 



The clays of the Wicomico formation closely resemble those of the 

 Sunderland both in general character and mode of occurrence. The 

 surface loams in many jolaces are suitable for the manufacture of a fair 

 quality of brick, although they have never been used for that purpose 

 in the county. Elsewhere in the State and in adjoining States extensive 

 brick plants obtain their material from the surface clay loam of the 

 Wicomico formation. In a general way the areas of Sassafras loam shown 

 on the soil map of the county approximately represent the development 

 of the Wicomico surface loams. It must be borne in mind, however, 

 that a soil map and a geological map are constructed on an entirely 

 different basis and seldom do the lines defining the areas of certain soils 

 coincide with the boundary lines of the geological formations. Some 

 small portions of the Sassafras loam are of Sunderland age and some 

 belong to the Miocene yet the greater part represents the Wicomico 

 surface loam. Further small portions of the Wicomico surface loam 

 are mapped as meadow soils on the soil map. The clay lenses of the 

 Wicomico which resemble those of the Sunderland are not extensive 

 enough to be of any particular importance. 



The Talbot is the only formation of the county which has ever fur- 

 nished material for brick. At Eousby on the mainland opposite Solo- 

 mon's Island, brick was formerly made from the Talbot clay loam, which 

 in this county is usually of superior value to that of the Wicomico and 

 Sunderland formations. These Talbot loam areas are most extensive 

 along the Patuxent Eiver where they cover the low fiat divides between 

 the tributary streams. With the exception of the valleys of 

 these streams the meadow soil areas of the soil map approximately coin- 

 cide with the distribution of the Talbot surface clay loam. As has been 

 demonstrated by the plant at Eousby, the Talbot loam produces a fair 

 quality of brick. 



Beside the surface loam of the Talbot, there are several other deposits 

 of clay present in this formation which doubtless have some value. They 

 consist of lenses of bluish-green to black plastic clay which have been 



