Complex sentence: The town grew to a population of about 150, but by the mid- 18th century, upland farming in the Patuxent basin without erosion control led to massive silting of the river.
Split into simpler sentences: The town grew to a population of about 150, but by the mid- 18th century. Upland farming in the Patuxent basin without erosion control led to massive silting of the river.