PROFESSOR WHITNEY ON SOILS AND NATURAL GROWTH. 483 



barren oak [Quercus catesbaei Michx. ), and, less frequently, the high-ground wil- 

 low oak (Quercus cinerea Michx.). This oak is also a small tree and indicates the 

 most barren soil. Besides the pines just referred to, there are two others found with 

 them, the short-leaf [yellow] pine (P. echinata Mill.), an uncommon tree except 

 on dark loam or gravelly soil along the western and northern limits of this section, 

 and the savanna pine (P. serotina Michx.). a knotty, unsvmmetrical tree occur- 

 ring from Virginia southward along the margins of " pine barren " ponds or scat- 

 tered in small clumps over the open savannas and marsh lands. These few species 

 form the chief growth of the higher lands. 



The swamp lands, with a total area of about 3.500 square miles, have a very 

 characteristic and varied growth. Bordering these swamps are water and willow 

 oaks, with the evergreen loblolly bay and sweet bay. Farther in them are huge 

 swam]) chestnut oaks (Quercus micliait.vii Nutt. ). elms, maples, be3ch, holly, and 

 tall rosemary pines (P. taeda L.). These lands constitute the oak flats, areas 

 which are under water only during the wettest seasons of the year. They have 

 usually a good soil and can be easily drained. 



Where the water is deeper in the swamps and remains longer grow the cypress, 

 sweet gum. black gum, tupelo. and yellow poplar. 



In the mud swamps along the larger streams there are, besides cypress and gums, 

 ash. overcup oak. cottonwood. sycamore, and hackberry. Mixed with the other 

 swamps, but covering less area and occurring only on sandy or peaty soil, are 

 white cedar swamps, or "juniper bays." as they are usually called. The tree 

 growth in these is largely and often entirely juniper or white cedar (Chamaeeyparis 

 sphero idea Spach) and white bay (Magnolia glauca L. ). In the extreme eastern 

 part of this section, in the immediate vicinity of the seacoast, there is a character- 

 istic arborescent flora of red cedars and live oaks, while along its southern limits 

 the palmetto and American olive (Olea amerieana L.) give it a semitropical aspect. 

 On the other hand, as the clay and loam of the hill country is neared, the oaks and 

 hickories rapidly increase among the pines, making the transition to the hard-wood 

 uplands. 



Several well-marked soil types of peninsular Florida, with their 

 native growth, are thus described by Professor Whitney (A prelimi- 

 nary report on the soils of Florida, Bull. Div. Agric. Soils, TJ. S. Dept. 

 Agi\, vol. 13, pp. 8, 0, 1898): 



There is a marked difference in the character of the native vegetation on the 

 different types of soil in the State. The hammock land, considered the most valu- 

 able for most purposes, has a more or less heavy growth of white oak, live oak, 

 water oak, bay. hickory, magnolia, and dogwood, so dense at times as to form a 

 veritable jungle. The white oak is found only on the very best hammock lands, 

 while the red oak and the long-leaf pine grow together on what is called the 

 mixed lands. The high pine land and the pine flats, as the names imply, contain 

 a monotonous growth of long-leaf or spruce pine, the character of the land having 

 a great influence upon the forest growth. 



There is. as a rule, a more or less marked difference in the appearance of the 

 soils of these different types of land, but notwithstanding the very great differ- 

 ence in the character of the vegetation on the hammock and pine land soil no 

 appreciable difference has yet been found, either from a chemical analysis or from 

 an examination of the physical texture of the soils. * * * 



The second quality of high pine land covers vast areas in the peninsula. It is a 

 very light, rather coarse, sandy soil, less coherent than the hammock or first 

 quality of pine land. Still the roads through it are good. The characteristic 

 growth is the long-leaf pine. The trees are sparsely set and often of quite large 

 size. There is verv little undergrowth, and a wagon or carriage can be driven 



