Report on the projected Survey of the State of Maryland. 7 



From these considerations it follows, that the prominent features 

 in a geological map of the Eastern shore of Maryland, will be an ex- 

 hibition of the various kinds of soil, circumscribed by accurate limits 

 for each county, and of the extent of the whole shell marl depositee, 

 so far as this can be ascertained ; and a designation of such special de- 

 posites, as from their more accessible position and the nature of their 

 contents, are adopted to afford the greatest advantage to the great- 

 est number. The utility of a representation, in this manner, of the 

 actual condition of the soil, and of the means of improvement which 

 it possesses within itself, must be apparent to every one : the appli- 

 cation of these resources is within the competency of every intelligent 

 farmer. 



Another geological feature of interest belonging to the Eastern' 

 shore of Maryland, and one which should be made of great promi- 

 nence, is its extensive deposiies of bog ore. — These are found to 

 embrace a portion of Caroline county, the eastern part of Dorches- 

 ter county, and a great part of Somerset and Worcester counties. 

 As this ore of iron is of daily formation, being deposited from stag- 

 nant waters containing the oxide of iron, its beds may be said to 

 be inexhaustible. It commonly yields from thirty to thirty five per 

 cent, of metal, which, although brittle, has nevertheless a great range 

 of application. 



The ore is extensively worked at the Nascongo furnace, in Wor- 

 cester county. On Barren creek, in Somerset county, it occurs in 

 great abundance ; and, as it has been found to be advantageously 

 used with other ores of iron, it is thence sent to Baltimore and other 

 places to be thus employed. The Barren creek springs, which yield 

 chalybeate waters are said to have been at one time much frequent- 

 ed. They are now quite neglected ; but a careful inquiry into all 

 the advantages which they may possess, might possibly lead to the 

 foundation of some establishments that would diffuse benefits over a 

 considerable vicinage. 



The great agricultural resources, which the beds of shell marl sup- 

 ply to the Eastern shore of Maryland, are, in a considerable degree, 

 possessed by the lower counties on the Western shore of the Chesa- 

 peake, and on the Potomac River. The fossiliferous deposites avail- 

 able in this way, for this section of country, occur principally at In- 

 dian point, in Prince George's county, at Maryland point, in Charles 

 county, and on the Saint Mary River, in Saint Mary's county. There 

 is also a deposite of fossil oyster shells at Hog point, on the Patux- 



