106 I II I PLANT LIFE OF MARYLAND 



Wicomico County to tliose that are entirely deciduous in Kent. 

 Pure stands of the Loblolly Pino are not wanting' on the Wicomico 

 terrace in Wicomico County, and the Scrub Pine is far more abun- 

 dant than on the Talbot terrace. The two pines occur together, some- 

 times forming purely coniferous forest or in other localities farther 

 north exhibiting an increasing percentage of deciduous trees. The 

 Scrub Pine is found in pure stands at many places in ( !aroline 

 County, due again to unusual conditions. it is only to the north 

 of Denton, Hillsborough and Queenstown that the deciduous clement 

 is dominant. 



The Ravine Slopes of the Wicomico terrace are distinguished in 

 their vegetation by relationship with the Midland Zone forests. 

 These slopes are either old beaches of the Talbot sea, in which case 

 they may lead down to Hood plains with meandering streams or to 

 estuaries, or they may lie at a greater elevation and be due to the 

 erosion of the Wicomico terrace. The soil is often gravel* forming 

 a congenial habitat for the Chestnut and Chestnut Oak, (lie forme!' 

 of which reaches its southern limit for the Eastern Shore near Agner, 

 Caroline County, and the latter at Watts Creek, Caroline County, 

 both stations being on Ravine Slopes. 



The narrow Flood Plains along the streams of the Wicomico ter- 

 race, which have been deposited since the initial stages of the erosion 

 of the terrace, possess deep rich soils I hi' water content of which is 

 constantly higher than that of the Upland, hut varies with the degree 



to which the Id I Plain has been built up. The arborescent flora 



of this habitat is related to that of similar habitats in the Midland 

 Zone rather than to any of the types of Swamp on the Pastern Shore. 



The Upland Swamps of the Wi lico terrace are most abundant 



in the northeastern part of Queen Anne's County, where they occupy 

 the uneroded surface of the terrace at elevations of 60 to 7<> feet, at 

 not more than five to eight miles from tide water. With the excep- 

 tion of the absence of pine these Swamps bear a (dose resemblance to 

 the (day Upland Swamps id' Dorchester County, both in their tree 

 species and in the luxuriance of the nndergrowth. Among the com- 

 monest trees are Black Gum, Swamp Oak, Red Maple and Sweet 

 Gum. 



*See the Soil map of Kent County; Division of Soils. Field Operations. 1900. 



