PINE LAKDS AND HASIMOCKS. 91 



accustomed to dark, loamy soils, and have a dread of 

 "hungry, leachy sands." 



While it is true that in the surface soil sand predomi- 

 nates, yet in many parts of the State the soil is a firm, 

 sticky, clay-like loam; sometimes of that rich dark red, 

 which, as every one knows, is an indication of exceeding 

 fertility. 



Such, to a great extent, are the lands of Middle Flor- 

 ida, as we shall see in the future. 



Before going further let us dive below the surface and 

 bring to light some of the (literally) bottom facts that 

 underlie the State. 



In the older geographies, gazetteers, encyclopedias, 

 every where, in short, where the subject is mentioned at 

 all, you will read that Florida is of a comparatively recent 

 formation, and upraised from the ocean on a coralline 

 formation. 



This statement, however, like so many others, as we 

 have seen, has been proved to be a complete mistake, the 

 result of judging merely by surface indication, Florida 

 having been one of the few States that has never had the 

 advantage of a regular geological survey. 



At this present writing, however, this important work 

 is at last going forward and a preliminary survey is being 

 made by the new State Geologist, which has already re- 

 vealed the truth above stated, although yet in its earliest 

 stages and very far from complete in any respect. 



The rocks that underlie Florida are of the same geolog- 

 ical formation as those of the territories that rest on the 

 heights of the Eocky Mountains, and the observations so 

 far made render it not at all improbable that the same 

 upheaval which raised the Kocky Mountains also lifted 

 Florida from the depths of the ocean to become one of 

 the most sparkling gems of our sisterhood of States. 



