MARYLAND WEATHER SERVICE 371 



Ridge section is entirely of this type, and is the largest continuous 

 area represented. In addition there are some of the higher ridges 

 above stream beds, such as along Rock Creek, and the Gunpowder, 

 also numerous rocky ridges and knolls scattered over the farm lands. 

 The rate of growth under such unfavorable conditions is less rapid, 

 and because of the prevalence of forest fires during the dry seasons 

 of the year (spring and fall), the timber is generally more or less 

 scrubby and poor. This type of the forest is drawn upon largely for 

 fuel wood, and to some extent for railroad ties, as well as for fur- 

 nishing some of the poorer grades of saw timber. 



The slope type of forest is found on the lower slopes of ridges, the 

 alluvial soil of the benches adjacent to streams, and the isolated 

 slopes of easy gradient, everywhere. It embraces all forest land, not 

 of the ridge type, and hence includes a relatively small area of the 

 lowland type in Baltimore, Harford and Cecil counties adjacent to 

 the Chesapeake Bay, where the forests approach the swamp type. 

 Occupying, as it does, the rich, deep, soils of good drainage, it com- 

 prises the best timber of the Piedmont Section. The predominating 

 sjjecies are white oak, poplar, red maple, black gum, red oak, pin 

 oak and chestnut. 



The chestnut, a common species of this region, will not thrive on 

 the limestone soils and therefore it is absent from the forests of the 

 valleys of Washington and Frederick counties and parts of Carroll 

 < "imly, while on the granite and sandstone soils of the other counties 

 it is perhaps the most common species. The chestnut is a good illus- 

 tration of the way soil regulates the distribution of tree species. 



Very little timber is shipped out, as the local demand for building 

 material, fencing and fuel takes almost the entire supply. A small 

 quantity of telephone poles, railroad ties and some lumber is shipped, 

 but this is more than offset by the amount of lumber that is brought 

 in from elsewhere. The small per cent, of forest land will not enable 

 the section to much more than supply the local demand, even under 

 more careful management than that now practiced, so that timber 

 growing will be largely of local interest, and of a character calcu- 

 lated to supply home needs. 



From the forestry standpoint this section possesses the most prom- 

 ising indications of immediate progress. The main elements favor- 



