7- WEST FLORIDA PINE HILLS. 229 



7. WEST FLORIDA PINE HILLS. 

 (figures 55-57) 



References. Harper i (218-219, 248-250, 252-254, 295-297), Matson & 

 Sanford (301-304, 401-403, 422-425), Sellards 3 (290 or 44), Sellards & Gun- 

 ter 3 (90-110, etc.). Smith 2 (199, 219, 223-224), and U. S- soil surveys of 

 Escambia and Gadsden Cos. Illustrated 'in 3d Ann. Rep. pi. 22, figs. 18 

 & 30; 4th Ann. Rep., ligs. 6 & 8. 



This region is in two parts, with the lake region between them. 

 The eastern part covers about 750 square miles in Florida, and 

 extends northeastward through Georgia (where it has been called 

 the Altamaha Grit region*) nearly to the Savannah River, and is 

 everywhere separated from the coast by flat pine lands of varying 

 width, as well as several other kinds of country. The western part 

 covers about 3,200 square miles in Florida and extends westward 

 across Alabamaf and Mississippi. Only a narrow strip of islands, 

 dunes, etc. (described next) lies between it and the coast. 



Geology and Soils — Toward its inland edge this region is un- 

 derlaid by various Upper Oligocene and Miocene formations, which 

 are exposed along some of the streams, but have little effect on soil 

 oi topography. Over the greater part of the area, however, the 

 material within 100 feet of the surface is Pleistocene (or perhaps 

 in part Pliocene) sand and clay, interstratified, cross-bedded, mot- 

 tled, or mixed in various proportions, but all essentially non-cal- 

 careous and devoid of fossils. Wells penetrating these strata, and 

 springs flowing from them, yield water that is scarcely surpassed 

 anywhere for purity. j Rock outcrops are limited to a few ledges 

 and boulders of sandstone formed by local induration, and are 

 found usually on hills. 



The soil is much like that of the lime-sink or cypress pond re- 

 gion already described, being prevailingly sandy at the surface, and 

 passing into reddish sandy clay at a depth of a few inches or feet. 

 Near the coast the subsoil seems to be more sandy than it is in the 

 interior. The surface sand may be derived from the underlying 

 loamy material (Lafayette?) by weathering, or it may be a later 



*For description of the Altamaha Grit region and its vegetation, see 

 Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. vol. 17, pari i. 1906. 



tSee Geol. Surv. Ala. Monog. 8:113-123. 1913. 



JThe city water of Pensacola, which comes from wells averaging 130 

 feet deep, is said to contain from 22 to 35 parts per million of dissolved 

 solids. (Sellards & Gunter 3, p. 99). The water of springs and shaliov! 

 wells in the same region is probably even purer. 



