MARYLAND GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 273 



for one species. Together, they constitute an important element 

 in the forest cover of very exposed, bare, rocky, southern slopes. 



The Scrub Pine forms a dense cover in the poorest shaly soils on 

 the lower southern slopes of the high ridges, or more frequently on 

 the south side of low hills throughout the middle and southern sec- 

 tions of the county (Plate XXYII, Fig. 2). It is peculiarly adapted 

 to exposed, sterile soils, often taking possession of abandoned, worn- 

 out fields to the exclusion of all other species. In richer soils and less 

 exposed localities it gives way to patches of hardwoods. Most of the 

 Scrub Pine now standing is of small size, ranging from two< to six 

 inches, with occasional trees eight to fourteen inches in diameter. 

 The largest trees which grow on least exposed sites have straight 

 clear trunks twenty to thirty feet long. The growth found on the 

 most exposed, precipitous sites is usually low, crooked, and much 

 branched. 



At higher elevations, comprising the middle benches and summits 

 of the mountains, Pitch, and Table-mountain Pine occupy sterile, 

 rocky situations on southern, southeastern and southwestern ex- 

 posures. Scattered individuals also occur mingled with hardwoods 

 on the low shaly hilltops adjacent to the mountains (Plate XXIX, 

 Figs. 1, 2). Where these pines form the principal growth, the two 

 species are usually mingled in about equal numbers. Not infre- 

 quently, however, the Table-mountain Pine forms pure open stands 

 of ten to fifty acres on narrow, rocky benches high up on the moun- 

 tain sides. In exceptional instances also, stunted Shortleaf Pine is 

 to be seen among these mountain groves, notably on Town Hill. 

 Little merchantable timber is produced by the Pitch Pine and Table- 

 mountain Pine, as their principal growth is low and much branched 

 and the wood coarse-grained and knotty. 



The hardwoods of this group appear more or less scattered among 

 the deciduous species already mentioned as forming forests. One 

 of the most abundant of these is the Sugar Maple. It occurs in all 

 the moist rocky coves and in the vicinity of streams throughout the 

 county. Its ability to thrive in the seams of almost bare limestone 

 and quartzitic rock is remarkable. Well-formed large trees were 



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