MATCVI.AXn WEATHEB SERVICE 59 



physical texture and the nature of the subsoil. A total of 24 soil 

 types have been described in the counties mapped. The differences 

 between some of the types are inconsiderable and are without appar- 

 ent influence as differentia] factors in the distribution of vegetation. 



Coastal Zone, Eastern Shore District. — On the Eastern Shore on 

 the Talbot, terrace the predominant soils arc sands, sandy loams and 

 clays. Through Worcester and Wicomico counties the sands and 

 sandy-loams predominate over the (days while in Somerset, Dor- 

 chester, Talbot and Qtieen Anne's counties the reverse is the case. 

 The clay types are but two — Elkton clay and Galveston clay. The 

 latter occurs only in tidal swamps, the former in the upland in situa- 

 tions where it was laid down in Talbot time in the same manner in 

 which the Galveston clay is being laid clown today. The Meadow of 

 the Soil Survey is closelv similar to the Elkton clay and identical in 

 the character of its vegetation. The Wicomico formation predomi- 

 nates in sands, sandy loams and loams, with small areas of gravel 

 along the inner edge of the Talbot terrace in the southern and cen- 

 tral counties and extensive areas of it in portions of Cecil County. 

 Sassafras loam and Norfolk sand are the predominant soils of the 

 Wicomico terrace in Kent and Cecil counties. 



Coastal Zone, Weston Hliove District. — In this District the dis- 

 tribution of the soils is very complex, which is to be accounted for 

 by the fact that the geological history of the region has been the suc- 

 cessive laying down under water of strata of different character, the 

 elevation of the whole mass, and the subsequent carving of the raised 

 mass by erosion in such a manner as to expose the same soil forma- 

 tions at the same elevation in every drainage basin. This area has a 

 narrow strip of gravel along the ancient Talbot beach, as on the 

 Eastern Shore, while in a belt of country about 5 to 10 miles 

 broad along the "Fall-line" there are extensive areas of gravel con- 

 tinuous with those on Elk Xeck and the "Fall-line" portion of ( Ceil 

 County. Sands, sandy loams and loams are the chief soils of the 

 land lying away from the "Fall-line," the two former in several 

 types — Windsor sand, Norfolk sand, Collington sandy loam — being 

 characteristic of the level interior of Prince George's and Anne 

 Arundel counties. Susquehanna clay is closelv associated with Sus- 



