1890.] NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIEN"CES. 91 



times the clay is entirely absent, the sand being the only thing 

 between the surface and the valuable mineral. "When wet they 

 are dark or light yellow, but usually a dazzling white when dry. 

 The thickness of the beds is very variable, and there is nothing 

 to indicate it on the surface; it may be a few inches, or it may 

 be 10, 12, or 16 feet of solid phosphate. A surface indication 

 that is considered of value by some^ experts is the presence of 

 masses of flint or silicious rock protruding from the soil, which 

 seem to have segregated when the influences were at work which 

 changed the carbonate of lime into phosphate, as has undoubt- 

 edly been the case. The area of some of the phosphate-beds is 

 sometimes also defined by curious boulders and masses of a hard 

 phosphate-rock, white or yellowish white, which has withstood 

 weathering remarkably, and which is quite rich in phosphate. 



As said, the phosphate proper varies in color from a dazzling 

 white (when dried) to cream color. Professor W. P. Frost, of 

 Savannah, to wliose publication I am indebted for a description 

 of the Dunellen field, which I did not visit, states in regard to 

 the quantity: '*' I myself saw an auger bored 16 feet into this stuff 

 without going through it. It remained of the same consistence 

 tliroughout, — perfectly smooth and free from grit. It was a 

 solid bank of i)hosphate 16 feet thick to my certain knowledge, 

 how much thicker I do not know, but the natives, who are 

 ignorant men, not knowing the value of the material, testified 

 that they had seen wells dug 60 feet through this material to 

 reach water-bearing strata."' Professor Frost, in speaking of the 

 area at Dunellen, estimates that over 3,000 (out of 13.000) acres 

 are underlaid with the mineral, which occurs in ridges and 

 pockets, running, by his analyses, from 50 to 65 per cent, and 

 averaging between 55 and 60 per cent. Much of this new phos- 

 phate has reached the more northern mills, and is being exper- 

 imented with, — several tons having been shipped to Atlanta and 

 elsewhere. 



It is the policy of those who are securing land, — and everybody 

 in Florida seems to be of this class, — not to prospect too much or 

 commence shipments until they have gotten all that could be 

 obtained. Dr. C. U. Shepherd, of Charleston, the leading ex- 

 pert on phosphates in this country, has established a laboratory 

 at Ocala, and with guides, tents, and horses is swinging round 

 my imaginary circle, with headquarters near Floral City when I 

 was there. 



In what was said above, I have depended largely on reliable 

 information, especially as to the more southern and northern 

 sections of the phosphate area. My own observation was made 

 in the area lying between the Withlacoochee Eiver and two large 

 lakes upon which are situated the towns of Thompkinsville and 



