322 CITRUS FRUITS AND THEIR CULTURE. 



As pointed out in Chapter XXVIII, the soils of 

 Florida are light, sandy and porous. Compared with Cali- 

 fornia soils, their water holding capacity is considerably 

 less. Hence, under similar climatic conditions, at equal alti- 

 tudes, Florida soils would prove greatly inferior to those 

 of California, if the irrigation problem alone were con- 

 sidered. 



On the other hand, it must be noted that were it 

 necessary to irrigate to the same extent! as it is necessary 

 both in California and Arizona, under present existing 

 conditions, it could be done much more economically in 

 Florida than in the above mentioned sections. The in- 

 numerable lakes, streams and springs afford an ample 

 water supply, one which might be drawn on at a small 

 cost, while the underground waters are in close prox- 

 imity to the surface and quite accessible. A glance at 

 Fig. 70 will give an idea of the number of lakes scattered 

 throughout Florida. In the lake region of Polk County, 

 for instance, they are so thickly scattered that large num- 

 bers are in view from a single elevated point, and within 

 a radius of five miles from Winter Haven, there are one 

 hundred and fifteen lakes. 



ARTESIAN WELLS.* 



The Florida artesian basin is an important feature. 

 Commencing at Jacksonville, Fig. 70 the area follows the 

 St. Johns River and somewhere south of Sanford swings 

 across to Bartow, Myers and the Manatee section. Flow- 

 ing wells have been obtained at St. Augustine (Fig. 70, 2), 

 Palatka (10), Sanford (3), Titusville (4), Palmetto (7), 



* It is probably best to secure water from lakes, rivers or shallow 

 wells in Florida. In this State, artesian water has frequentlly 

 proved injurious to citrus trees. 



