5° BOTANICAL GAZETTE [JULY 
when one considers the paucity of such natural formations in the 
upland portions of the state. 
From a study of the peat deposits of Florida it is evident that 
lacustrine formations are much more numerous and much more 
abundant than those that have been laid down in situ, that is, in 
bogs, a situation apparently due to two causes. In the first place, 
there are many large lakes in the central portion of the state which 
contain much allocthonous material, and perhaps cover a much 
more extensive territory than that represented by the low marshy 
areas. Moreover, in addition to the relative differences in area, 
climatic conditions favor rapid decay of all the fallen vegetation 
unless it is protected by a constant water covering, as is the case 
of the lacustrine formations, in contrast to the less constant, and 
consequently more exposed, marshy areas. 
It seems to be quite universal that the large or rather the deep 
lakes contain peat deposits, consisting of drifted, sedimentary, and 
wind-blown material. Moreover, although their deposition is due 
to the same agents, and has taken place under similar conditions, 
the individual accumulations of peat may present considerable 
variation in respect to color and texture. The variation in color 
is due to the relative amounts of organic and inorganic material 
present in the strata, for those which are mostly composed of 
plant débris present a uniformly deep brown coloration; but, on 
the other hand, where there is a large admixture of an inorganic 
nature, the samples may show a gray, pink, or red hue, depending 
upon the characteristic shade of the included silt, shells, etc. The 
texture is generally fine and plastic, with an absence of coarse 
material, except near the shore, where there is an addition of 
sediment resulting from water plants. The consistency may vary, 
however, depending entirely upon its position in the stratum. 
When these lake-formed deposits have been built up to a point 
about 10 feet below the average water level, species of the Nym- 
phaeaceae; Cladium, Sagittaria, etc., appear and gradually lay 
down a coarse, light brown fibrous peat of an allocthonous nature. 
In this type there is little evidence of decay until the deposit has 
reached such a level that the upper portion is above water for a 
part of the year, when the destructive action of the air and fungi 
