GEOGRAPHICAL ANALYSIS OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, MARYLAND, AND ITS FRUIT INDUSTRY by Mohammad Alta’i Thesis submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of the University of Maryland in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy UMI Number: DP70058 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Dissertation Publishing UMI DP70058 Published by ProQuest LLC (2015). Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 4810 6 -1 3 4 6 PREFACE AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Washington County, Maryland, was chosen as the subject of this dissertation, in order to achieve an intensive geographic study of a comparatively small region. The principal aim of the study is to investigate the difference in the physical and economic conditions found within the County, and generally between the County and other counties, or the State. The disser­ tation, in brief, is a study of "regional differentiation". The problem posed by this study may be stated in form of a question: is areal differentiation brought about chiefly by man or by environmental factors? Research has been carried on, observations and analyses have been made in order to attempt to answer this question for Washington County. The author is of the opinion that, in general, environmental factors, both physical and cultural (social, economic, historical), are the principal influencing factors in any specific area, region, or locality. However, in the case of agricultural differentia­ tion the cultural factors often become secondary. Man plays his part in constructive and destructive ways through his constant attempts to modify the physical landscape and to create a cultural landscape. Regional differentiation is a result of differences in the environmental factors active in a region. The physical factors are frequently, though not always, very important in influenc­ ing the unique characteristics of a region, even though the region may have been profoundly altered by man. Besides, even though it may appear that man is exclusively responsible for the cultural factors, in many instances these cultural factors may have been, to some extent, conditioned by physical factors. A brief historical chapter has been added because the author is of the opinion that the present nature and arrange­ ment of things on the earth cannot be fully understood with­ out a comprehension of past economic and cultural processes. Preston E. James in his Geography of Man, p.v, states that in order "to understand the significance of what is observed on the earth today it is necessary to go back to origins and trace developments'’. The author has also taken the future into consideration, and has tried to formulate some pre­ dictions, because he believes that future consequences are closely related to present conditions. The past is important as a background for the present, and the present is important as a basis on which to predict and plan for ultimate aims which are of great concern to humanity everywhere. The following steps have been taken in the preparation of this dissertation. 1. Library research. This included many types of litera­ ture; geographical, historical, economic and sociological, although the major part of the literature was morphological, climatological, statistical, and historical. The author benefited from many publications which are exclusively or in part related to the County, concise reports and bulletins, mostly of a statistical nature. 2. Constant contact was maintained with agencies and individuals throughout the period of preparation. Direct contact was maintained, in particular with the County Agent, Mr. Mark Miller, the horticulturist, Mr. Charles Dunbar, the entomologist, Dr. C. Graham, the Hagerstown Chamber of Commerce, and the Extension Service, University of Maryland. Fruit growers and farmers from the different sections of the County provided much necessary information and aided the writer greatly in acquiring a better understanding of the problems from the producer's point of view. 3. In order to obtain reliable and specific information on a number of points, a comprehensive questionnaire was prepared. It consisted of sixty-six questions, in two parts. The first part was designed to provide general information about the background of the farmers, types of farming and farm activities. The second part pertained only to fruit growing. The questionnaire was filled out by the author dur­ ing his interview with various fruit growers and farmers. The persons interviewed were selected on a sampling basis. 4. During the preparation period much time was spent in the field by the author. The first few trips were made for general reconnaissance, which furnished a "feeling of the area". The trips that followed, and the weeks spent in residence, gathering material in the field or in the libraries, gave a clear picture of the various physical aspects of the area, and of the economic and social life of the people. V The time was a fruitful period of training and it is the author's hope that the results of his efforts may also prove useful to his fellow geographers, in general, and to Washington County in particular. In closing, the author would like to express his gratitude to Professor William Van Royen, Head of the Department of Geography,for his fruitful direct supervision. He is also grateful to Mrs. Margaret Battersby, Administrative Assistant, for editing the text. The author wishes to express his great appreciation for the help he has received from Mr. Arthur Karinen throughout the drafting work. Acknowledgement should be extended also to the other members of the staff of the Department for their helpful suggestions. The aid and cooper­ ation of the officials of the Extent ion Service of the University of Maryland in Washington County and on the campus are highly appreciated. The help extended by fruit growers and farmers of the County is also gratefully acknowledged. College park, Maryland April 12, 1S53 M.E.A. CONTENTS Page PREFACE AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.............................. ii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS...................................... viii LIST OF T A B L E S ........................................... ix CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION................................. 1 CHAPTER II THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND . , . ........... 3 CHAPTER III THE LAND..................................... 16 CHAPTER IV THE CLIMATE................................. 45 Temperature............................ 46 Humidity................................ 52 Precipitation............................ 52 Snowfall .............................. 54 Frost-Free Season........................ 55 CHAPTER V NATURE AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE PEOPLE . 57 CHAPTER VI ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES OF THE P E O P L E ......... 75 Agricultural Employment. ........ 76 Manufacturing Employment ............... 82 Service Employment ..................... 8S CHAPTER VII TEE AGRICULTURAL PATTERN.................... 94 Eastern Division ........................ 112 Central Division ........................ 120 Western Division ........................ 127 CHAPTER VIII FRUITS— KINDS, VARIETIES, DISTRIBUTION AND T R E N D ..................................... 134 CHAPTER IX THE PHYSICAL AND ECONOMIC FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE FRUIT INDUSTRY ................. 158 Physical Factors ........................ 159 Economic Factors ....................... 174 Orchard Management ..................... 178 CHAPTER X FRUIT MARKETING ............................ 187 Preparing Fruit For Marketing............. 187 Cold Storage.............................. 192 Transportation of Fruit to Market. 194 Marketing of F r u i t ........................ 155 CHAPTER XI FUTURE OF THE FRUIT INDUSTRY IN WASHINGTON COUNTY .......................... 199 vii CHAPTER XII HAGERSTOWN ................................... 202 SUMMARY AND GENERAL CONCLUSIONS .......................... 218 BIBLIOGRAPHY.................................................. 22£ APPENDIX A COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONNAIRE ................. 238 APPENDIX B CLIMATOLOGICAL DATA........ .................. 242 APPENDIX C COMPARATIVE DATA OF LEADING COUNTIES IN FRUIT IN MARYLAND...............................247 APPENDIX D HISTORICAL SITES ........................... 249 LIST 0? ILLUSTRATIONS PHOTOGRAPHS i age Photo 1 South Mountain .............................. 22 photo 2 Hagerstown Valley, Funkstown District. 26 Photo 3 Hagerstown Valley, Leitensburg District. 27 photo 4 Western Highlands Region ................... 38 Photo 5 A Young peach. Orchard........................ 114 Photo 6 A Large Dairy Farm .......................... 121 photo 7 Milch Cows .................................. 125 Photo 8 A Dairy Farm ................................ 126 Photo 9 Farming in a Valley in Western Division. 129 photo 10 Diversity of Land Use in Western Division. 130 Photo 11 A Commercial Raspberry Field ............... 168 Pdioto 12 An Orchard Worth of Hancock................. 169 Photo 13 A Young Orchard in the Hancock Area......... 180 Photo 14 An Old Orchard.............................. 181 Photo 15 Spraying in the Ringgold-Cavetown