oe 
Notices of the Floridas, &c. a 
these basins were probably at a remote alti beds of | . 
lakes, and have been ‘gradually filled up by clay, sand, and 
vegetable mould washed from the hills. » * 
The soil of the pine barrens, situated in the interior is 
almost uniformly fine sand with a thin — of vegeta- 
rth, and sufficiently compact for roads. In som 
aces itrests on clay, but generally ata considgnalll depth. 
ost of the hammocks of the rolling region are dry, the 
Gaieeecl sand, blended with various portions of mould 
id clay, with a sub-soil of compact earth or clay, situated 
from one and a half to three ‘feet from the surface. On 
some of the hills, the earth has a limestone basis. The 
dry hammocks of Florida have less vegetable mould on the 
surface than the northern forests—this probably arises from 
the rapid decomposition of vegetable deposites in warm 
moist climates, and the porous nature of the soil. A large 
growth of timber, particularly where there is much ash, 
gum, and magnolia, is regarded as a sign of good land ; but 
it is sometimes deceptive. lL have found by boring in ap- 
tly good penned pure sand to the depth of four 
feet rest ion on a compact basis, to which the roots of trees 
could penetrate ea find ample support from the vegeta~ 
ble mould ros water there arrested, but lies too deep for 
lanters cro 
It is piobable that most of the hammocks, hickory and 
_ oak elevations, have a retentive soil sufficiently near the 
surface to encourage the planter in manuring to form rich. 
sugar grounds. 
uch of the good dry pine land having a basis of clay 
may produce profitable crops of sugar and cotton, if the 
soil is saclinete by mineral, vegetable, or animal manure-— 
a dressing of clay, or any compact earth, would be benefi- 
cial. Good marl is found in many places. Rich mould 
and grass can often be procured from adjacent savannas or 
the ground enriched by penning cattle 
The sugar crop will be of sufficient value to éuthoriaa’ ex- 
traexpense in manuring. The heavy duty on foreign 
sugar operates as a bounty on its domestic production. 
The Big mene near the Indian reservation, containing 
about cres, from its ae and soil, will support 
the best sugar solantatisns in Florid 
