1 86 IN LOWER FLORIDA WILDS 



is loosened the further the roots penetrate. So in 

 time the tree becomes elevated on a sort of rocky 

 mound and as it grows old its foothold becomes 

 more and more insecure. The prevailing winds 

 in this region are from the southeast and as a con- 

 sequence a majority of the trees, especially near 

 the sea, lean more or less in a northwesterly direc- 

 tion and the greater part of them fall in the same 

 way. In time of hurricanes they may of course 

 fall towards any point of the compass. 



Whenever a tree falls its roots pry up a quan- 

 tity of rock and some soil, setting the mass on 

 edge. Sometimes the bole is lifted as much as ten 

 feet or more and a hole is left where the roots grew. 

 By and by the tree decays or is consumed by fire 

 and nothing remains but an irregular mound and 

 a corresponding depression beside it. Other trees 

 grow up to repeat at last the mound building and 

 excavating process. Thus in time the floor be- 

 comes indescribably rough and uneven. 



The trees and the storms are thus acting as a 

 great plow to break up the rock and turn it over 

 in these rough and irregular furrows ; the rains dis- 

 solve it, and year by year a small amount of de- 

 cayed wood and humus collects in the depressions. 



