NATURAL AREAS AND REGIONS 



419 



10 to 15 ft., sometimes of 30 ft. above 

 high tide. 



The Lower Pine Belt or Savanna 

 Region. This region lying parallel with 

 the coast region has a width of about 50 

 mi. and attains a maximum elevation 

 of about 130 ft. It may be divided into 

 two sections, a region below tide water, 

 formerly including the rice fields of 

 the state and a region above tide water, 

 formerly characterized by terpentine 

 farms and cattle ranges. 



The soil of this region is composed of 

 a sandy loam with either a white shady, 

 yellow or clay subsoil. Deposits of 

 accessible marl are found. The drainage 

 is poor. The luxuriant growth of 

 vegetation clogs up the channels scarcely 

 permitting any current to pass. Many 

 swamps and bays are formed in this way. 



As to the flora: The most elevated of 

 the swamp lands were cypress ponds 

 containing dense growths of cypress. 

 The bays, contained dense growths of 

 bay, gum, tulip, and undergrowth of 

 vines and bushes. The open savannas 

 of the river bottoms have been the rice 

 lands of the state. The sandy plains 

 were clothed with pines, chiefly longleaf 

 pine, which give to the region its name. 



The climate is similar to that of the 

 Coastal Region. 



b. The Upper Pine Belt. This region 

 which is sometimes also called the 

 middle country and central cotton belt 

 of Carolina consists of that portion of 

 the state lying between elevations of 

 130 and 250 ft. above sea level. The 

 region is characterized by its large 

 inland bays and rolling pine lands. 

 The drainage is good. The soil is a 

 light sandy loam with a red and yellow 

 clay subsoil. The climate is cooler 

 than that of the Lower Pine Belt. The 

 winters are often dry and cold and the 

 summers hot. 



As to the flora: The uplands formerly 

 were covered with longleaf pine and 

 contained a thick undergrowth of 

 hickory and oaks. They are still found 

 in this region but not as abundant as 

 formerly. The evergreen oak does not 



appear unless planted. This is the 

 northern limit of the gray moss. The 

 swamps contained cypress, white oak, 

 ash, hickory and gum. Cultivated 

 fruits such as plums, pecan nuts, grapes, 

 etc., are successfully grown. 



c. The Red Hill Region. The ''Red 

 Hills" as they are termed by some 

 geographers may also be called a region 

 although in outline the section is not as 

 distinctive as the others. They give 

 way in some places to the Sand Hills 

 immediately above. They rise 200 to 

 300 ft. above the plain of the Upper 

 Pine Belt in a distance of several miles, 

 this elevation sometimes being attained 

 in traversing several hundred yards. 

 The soil is made up of red clay and sand. 

 Along the Santee River they attain the 

 highest elevation and are known as the 

 "High Hills of the Santee." As this 

 region has an elevation of from 400 to 

 500 ft. above the level of the sea it enjoys 

 a climate that is much drier and more 

 bracing than the region to the south. 

 The nights are cool, with refreshing 

 breezes. 



As to the flora: Longleaf pine was 

 formerly quite abundant. The charac- 

 teristic growth however was oak and 

 hickory of large size. Of the oaks, the 

 southern red oak, appeared to thrive 

 the best. The evergreen oak, wherever 

 planted, does well. 



d. The Sand Hill Region. This region 

 is composed of a remarkable chain of 

 sand hills that stretch across the state 

 and has an average width of 10 mi. 

 and a maximum width of 30 mi. They 

 attain an elevation above sea level 

 of from 600 to 700 ft. 



The chief constituent of the soil is 

 loose sand. The soil is very poor, 

 lacking in humus but responds readily 

 when properly fertilized. The climate 

 is sunny and dry, and therefore very 

 healthful. Snow does not often occur; 

 sleet is more common but seldom re- 

 mains long when exposed to the sun for 

 several hours. 



As to the flora: This region is charac- 

 terized by the pine barrens of the state, 



