l6. MIDDLE FLORIDA FLATWOODS. 3II 



MEcHANUAr, Analyses of "Portsmouth Fine Sand," Jefferson County. 



Soil. Subsoil. Lower subsoil. 



I'ine gravel (2-1 niiii-j 0.9 0.6 0.4 



Coarse sand (1-.5 mm.) 3.4 4.6 4.8 



Medium sand (.5-.2S mm.) 6.8 7.4 -j.T) 



Fine sand (.25-.1 mm.) 35.4 36.1 33.9 



Very fine sand (-i-.os mm.) 41.5 46.5 47.9 



Silt (.05-.005 mm.) 6.6 3.8 3.0 



Clay (.005-0 mm.) 5.2 1.6 2.6 



Total 99.8 100.6 99.9 



The distribution of "silt" and "clay" in the soil and subsoil 

 seems to indicate that these materials are mostly vegetable matter 

 rather than true silt and clay. This analysis differs somewhat from 

 tho.se of the soil similarly named in the East Florida flatwoods 

 (quoted farther on), but just what the differences indicate is not 

 clear. 



Topography and Hydrography — The surface is level or nearly 

 so, and dotted with many very shallow depressions which are per- 

 manently wet and contain peat, indicating that the ground-water is 

 near the surface and fluctuates very little. San Pedro Bay is said 

 by Gillmore to be 85 feet above sea-level, and perceptibly higher 

 than the country around it. As in other flatwoods regions, there are 

 many sluggish creeks and branches with coffee-colored water. 



Vegetakon Types — The prevailing vegetation on the drier areas 

 is open forests of long-leaf pine and a few other trees, bearing marks 

 of fire as usual. In the depressions there is much pond cypress, 

 sometimes in almost pure stands (cypress ponds), but more com- 

 monly mixed with evergreen vines and bushes (bays). The streams 

 are bordered by swamps of the non-alluvial type. 



Plants — The following list is based on observations made on 

 three days in January and one each in March, May and July, and 

 does not pretend to be at all complete. Percentage figures are there- 

 fore omitted. 



TREES 



— Pinus palustris Long-leaf pine Drier soils 

 +-|- Taxodium imbricarium (Pond) cypress Bays and ponds 



+ Pinus Elliottii (Slash pine) Bays and ponds 



-t-+ Pinus serotina (Black pine) Low pine land 



— Quercus cinerea Turkey oak High pine land 



— Magnolia glauca • Bay Swamps 



-|- Acer rubrum Maple Swamps • 



— Nyssa biflora Black gum Swamps 



