THE SOILS OF CECIL COUNTY 



BY 



CLARENCE W." DORSEY and JAY A. BONSTEEL 



Introductory. 



Cecil county is the most northern of the Eastern Shore counties of 

 Maryland. It lies between 75° 46' and 76° 14' west longitude and 

 39° 22' and 39° 44' north latitude. The greatest width is 25 miles, 

 while the length north and south is practically the same. On its 

 northern border and for a short distance along its eastern boundary 

 the county comes in contact with Pennsylvania. Delaware lies east 

 of the greater part of the county. The broad Susquehanna river 

 and Chesapeake Bay bound the county on the west, while the Sas- 

 safras river separates it from Kent county on the south. The area of 

 the county, exclusive of the broad waterways, is about 375 square 

 miles (240,000 acres). 



Agricultural Conditions. 



As might be expected from the diversified surface, the agricul- 

 tural conditions are quite distinct and characteristic in the respective 

 portions of the county. The great range in the character of the 

 soils, from those absolutely barren to the most productive, is probably 

 the greatest factor in the diversified agricultural conditions. "While 

 formerly there were many large farms in the county, these have 

 been divided and sub-divided until now the average sized farm 

 does not contain more than from 100 to 120 acres. These farms 

 vary greatly in value, according to the improvements and char- 

 acter of soil. In some of the poorer portions unimproved land 

 brings but a few dollars per acre, and there is no great demand for 

 it at any price. In the better sections good farm land brings from 



