MARYLAND GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 245 



mation without seeing any attempt at cultivation, and the general 

 appearance of the country is desolate in the extreme. 



In the northern part of the area, along its border, where the cover- 

 ing of the gravels is not so deep and where the underlying materials 

 form a combination more favorable for the agriculturist the country 

 assumes a more prosperous aspect, and many well-improved farms are 

 to be seen within the limits of this formation. Here it is possible for 

 the plow to mix with the gravel the residual products of the under- 

 lying granites and gneisses, and, although still containing a large 

 amount of gravel, the soil is stronger and more productive. A larger 

 timber growth is noticed, and crops that compare favorably with the 

 better class of soils of the county are harvested each year. It fre- 

 quently happens, even in the poorest, hilliest regions of this forma- 

 tion, that on the long slopes the gravel may overlie a clay which, when 

 mixed with the soil, is fairly productive. There is no doubt that 

 these soils will produce well by applying manure to them, but not 

 such fine crops will be secured as are grown on heavier soils. Crops 

 of wheat yielding 10 bushels per acre are sometimes obtained on 

 fields where the soils seem almost worthless gravel. In some places 

 good yields of corn are obtained, and tomatoes grow rapidly and 

 abundantly, being cultivated extensively in some parts of the area. 



ELKTON CLAY. 



There are several well-defined areas of this formation along the 

 eastern part of the central portion of the county, the principal ones 

 being located near Elkton and southwest of Chesapeake City. This 

 formation often occurs as well-marked terraces on portions of some 

 of the broad rolling river necks of the loAver part of the county. 

 These terraces vary in elevation above tide-level from 20 to 180 feet. 

 Elkton is situated along the southern margin of one of the broad, 

 flat terraces which rises only a few feet above mean tide-level. Often 

 these areas are low and poorly drained, and they are therefore wet 

 and swampy much of the year. 



The soil consists of from 8 to 10 inches of soft loam, which is often 

 grayish in color, sometimes whitish, but the most common colors are 



