GEOGRAPHY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA 2O3 



usually a good many additional, which make nearly as good pasture. 

 This type is commonest in the eastern division of the flatwoods, 

 e.g., around Lakes Harney and Tohopekaliga, but there are some 

 very interesting examples around Lake Tsala Apopka in Citrus 

 County. There are all gradations between this type and the shore 

 vegetation of smaller lakes already mentioned, and of course a con- 

 siderable variety of flora, depending on the soil and water. For ex- 

 ample, in the eastern part of Polk County one of the most conspic- 

 uous plants on the prairie-like margins of the smaller lakes is a 

 prickly pear {Opuntia ammophilal) , while in very similar, though 

 perhaps a trifle wetter, situations in northern Osceola County a 

 pitcher-plant {Sarracenia minor) is equally common. Around Lake 

 Harney the vegetation shows a little influence of lime or salt or 

 both. 



Sliallozv prairies. Small shallow depressions that dry up com- 

 pletely in the dry seasons usually have vegetation resembling the 

 two types last described. (See Seventh Annual Report, page 153 

 and fig. 57.) Such places are commonest in the lime-sink and 

 Gulf hammock regions, and they often have a few small outcrops 

 of flinty limestone in them. Those in the Gulf hammock region in 

 Sumter County seem to have more dog- fennel in them than the av- 

 erage. Those in the eastern division of the flatwoods, which ap- 

 proach the next type, are known locally as "sand soaks." 



Flat prairies (fig. 28). Scattered through the central portion 

 of Volusia County, and for several miles on either side of the upper 

 St. John's and lower Kissimmee Rivers are large areas resembling 

 the neighboring flatwoods in soil and topography, but devoid of 

 trees or nearly so, for no apparent reason, unless such areas are a 

 little more subject to inundation than the flatwoods, or a little 

 more marly. Saw-palmetto and other shrubs are often less abun- 

 dant in such places than in typical flatwoods, apparently indicating 

 more fertile soil. Going westward from Melbourne one first passes 

 through continuous pine forests for a few miles, and then small 

 prairies begin to appear, gradually becoming larger, and the pines 

 between them smaller and more scattered, until at- a distance of 

 about seven miles from the Indian River or four miles from the 

 St. John's River the trees are all left behind, and the prairie extends 

 beyond the horizon both north and south. The writer has not yet 

 seen the Kissimmee River prairies, on acount of their remoteness 



