72 ECONOMIC BOTANY OF ALABAMA. 



THE COASTAL PLAIN (Regions 6-15). 



6. The Central Pine Belt. 



Extending in a gentle curve from a little south of the 

 middle of the eastern border of the state to the north- 

 western corner, and widening out considerably to the 

 northwestward, is what may be appropriately designated 

 the central pine belt. Its underlying strata, as well as 

 much of the surface material, are Cretaceous, mostly 

 fresh-water deposits, judging from the absence of ma- 

 rine fossils. Three divisions of it are recognizable, 

 though not very sharply defined, namely, the short-leaf 

 and long-leaf pine and Eutaw belts. 



A. Short-leaf Pine Belt. 



(Figures 25-27.) 



This covers about 5,100 square miles in Alabama, and 

 extends northwestward into Mississippi. Eastward it 

 narrows rapidly, but there are indications of the same 

 sort of country bordering the fall-line in Georgia and 

 Maryland. 



References.— Harper 5, McCalley 2 (19-22, 40-51, 75- 

 80, 102-109, 125-127), Mohr 3 (529), Mohr 6 (95-96), 

 Mohr 8 (90, 96-97), Smith 6 (47-51, 118-127), Smith 7 

 (243-252, 433-459), Smith 8 (67, 307-344, 349, 529-532, 

 536, 540-542, 545-546, 559-560), Smith 9 (113-123). 



Geology and soils. — The strata of this belt are of the 

 Tuscaloosa formation, and present quite a variety of ap- 

 pearances in cuts and gullies, including regularly strati- 

 fied gray clays, cross-bedded pink and yellow sands, and 

 clay mottled in various colors and patterns, some red and 

 white, some liver-colored, and some mouse-colored. The 

 clay on exposure often becomes intersected by a network 

 of fine cracks a fraction of an inch apart, giving an ap- 



