MARYLAND WEATHER SERVICE 337 



Maryland is not prominent as an oat or rye producing state, but 

 both of tbese are raised in every county. Much of the oat crop is 

 an adjunct of the wheat, and is grown in the bare belts left by the 

 rows of corn shocks at the time of wheat seeding. But in the higher 

 land of the Mountain Zone oats are grown in the field, not merely 

 as a filler in the shock rows. Eye is produced in varying amounts 

 through the State, but there is no definite relation between its yield 

 per county and other factors, as soils or climate. The leading county 

 in point of yield is Carroll, where the German love for rye bread 

 is an evident factor. 



Buckwheat is raised in small areas through the Midland and Mouu- 

 tain Zones. The total yield is less than half the rye crop, the lead- 

 ing county being Garrett, which in the census year 1899 produced 

 71,400 bushels, or more than half of the State's crop. 



Tobacco. 



The tobacco crop assumed so great an importance in the life of 

 early Maryland and its sister colony Virginia, that they are hardly 

 to be considered apart from it, especially if the out-of-doors side of 

 their work is in mind. It was not only the chief crop to be planted, 

 I mt the one which took most care in the handling and preparation 

 after gathering, and which also was on hand the longest before its 

 value became available for use. 



The last feature makes the tobacco crop somewhat, like a slow 

 selling stock of a merchant. His capital is tied up for a long time 

 before he can realize upon it through sales. Prices may be of such 

 character as to give good profit, but the risk is large and the idle 

 capital is earning nothing. On the contrary it is constantly requir- 

 ing more added to it in the way of further care and labor up to the 

 time of sale. While this is true of other crops to some extent, the 

 amount of care and of labor tobacco requires after it has been re- 

 moved from the field, and the length of time before it is usually 

 sold is greater than in most other cases. 



The soils preferred are sandy loams or slightly firmer lands, 

 which can retain the water of rainfall, and also release it to the 

 needs of the growing plants. 



