MABYJLAND GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 243 



would succeed. Growing peaches for market would doubtless prove 

 much more profitable than the raising of wheat and corn with the 

 present low yields and low value. The lands between Elkton and 

 Chesapeake City are in a much poorer condition than might be ex- 

 pected, when the capabilities of these soils for growing special crops 

 are considered. 



SUSQUEHANNA GRAVEL. 



The Susquehanna gravel also ranks as one of the large soil forma- 

 tions of Cecil county, occupying large areas in the northeast district 

 and the greater part of Elk ]N"eck. In the central portion the forma- 

 tion occurs as a series of large hills, situated along the junction of the 

 Coastal Plain formations with the rolling uplands of the Piedmont 

 Plateau. Elk ^eck, or more properly speaking, that portion occu- 

 pied by the Susquehanna gravel, consists of a continuous chain of 

 steep, rounded gravel hills. The entire surface of the formation is 

 quite rough and hilly, with here and there a long slope, which breaks 

 the monotony of steep hills and narrow valleys. On Elk ^sTeck the 

 hills rise from 200 to 300 feet above the Bay. In the central portion 

 of the county the elevations are somewhat greater, some of the hills 

 rising considerably over 400 feet above mean tide-level. 



The soils are derived from the gravel beds of several different geo- 

 logic formations. These deposits were laid down by swift currents of 

 water during recent geological times and have undergone little subse- 

 quent alteration or change. The soil varies somewhat in its compo- 

 sition, but always contains a high percentage of large, well-rounded, 

 quartz gravel, which ranges from one-half to several inches in diame- 

 ter. To a depth of 8 inches the soil is a gravel loam, beneath which 

 the gravel content increases to such a great extent that it is almost 

 impossible to penetrate farther with a soil auger. Often the under- 

 lying gravel beds are very compact and partially cemented together 

 by a red ferruginous cement. In many places on Elk ~Neck the sur- 

 face is thickly strewn with great blocks or bowlders of these ferru- 

 ginous conglomerates, many of which are several feet in length. In 

 the central part of the county the gravels may be deeply stained with 



