MARYLAND WEATHER SERVICE 365 



eupied by some of the light seeded species such as maple, red gum, 

 birch, pine, etc. These changes have come about gradually over the 

 entire state and have produced forests of quite different character 

 from those that originally existed. Not only do the forests vary 

 within themselves, but they are of very different character in the 

 various sections of the state because of the marked differences in 

 elevation and soil conditions. A detailed description of the forests 

 will therefore appropriately follow along the lines of natural 

 divisions. 



Forest Regions of Maryland. 



As regards its forests, the State may be divided into three princi- 

 pal divisions corresponding to the main physiographic regions — 

 namely the Coastal Plain, the Piedmont Plateau and Blue Ridge, 

 and the Alleghany Plateau; each presenting decided differences in 

 elevation and soil conditions, giving rise to corresponding variations 

 in the composition of the forests and its products. 



THE COASTAL PLAIN. 



The main features of the Coastal Plain section are its even topog- 

 raphy and slight variation in soil condition resulting in few forest 

 types. It is the only section of the state where pine is found abun- 

 dantly. The Coastal Plain section can be sub-divided into two divi- 

 sions, namely, Eastern Shore and Southern Maryland. 



The Eastern Shore. — The Eastern Shore forests consist of two 

 main types, pines and hardwoods. The pines, as a rule, occupy the 

 better drained soils, and especially those of a sandy character, while 

 the hardwood forests in the main are confined to the swampy anas, 

 and to the heavier clay soils. The principal pine found on the east- 

 ern shore is the lobolly pine which is particularly abundant in the 

 southern portion of the peninsula. In the northern counties of the 

 Eastern Shore the scrub pine is found in similar locations. The 

 pine stands are nearly always found coming in on old fields that 

 have been abandoned, and indeed this appears to be the history of 

 the present pine stands in all parts of Southern and Eastern Mary- 

 land. The loblolly pine forms pure stands, usually of even age, and 



