113 RURAL NEW YORK 



maximum elevation of 400 to 600 feet at different 

 points. The rough surface of these interfere with 

 their utilization for agricultural purposes. The 

 north shore is generally quite precipitous and is in- 

 dented by many shallow bays. The sand plains that 

 in many places cut through the glacial formations 

 spread out to the south to seashore beyond which 

 are mud flats guarded by an irregular outlying line 

 of sand bars. Much of the material of this plain was 

 derived from the adjacent glacial formations which 

 in turn were brought down from New England by 

 the ice. 



Thousands of acres of land all through the middle 

 of the island are in a state of near-wilderness. It 

 is covered by scrubby timber, is unsettled and un- 

 fenced except as limited areas have been developed for 

 suburban residences, and the roads are poor except a 

 few main highways. It is open to the wild birds, the 

 rabbit and the deer, in spite of its proximity to the 

 greatest center of population on the continent. 



The western end of the island within twenty-five 

 miles of New York City has a good loam to sandy 

 or silty loam. It has the depth and body that make 

 most of it suited to the large development of the 

 market-garden industry of that region. 



The marine plain has been largely formed from 

 the destruction and distribution of the glacial 

 moraine. A peculiar development is the Hempstead 

 plains soils in the town of Hempstead, reaching in 

 several irregular areas from w^est of Mineola to near 

 Farmingdale. The soil has a dark to black color 



