200 IN LOWER FLORIDA iVILDS 



sionally one does see fine pines within a hammock 

 but it may be taken as an indication that the 

 hammock is spreading rapidly. Once it is estab- 

 lished it relentlessly chokes out the young pines, 

 even if their seeds do germinate in it, for of all 

 trees they must have abundant room and direct 

 sunlight in order to flourish. 



After the pioneers are well fixed and strong and 

 the ground has become more shaded and a thin 

 soil of leaf mold is forming, then new types of 

 hammock trees enter. The gumbo limbo (Bur- 

 sera) is one of these second migrants and so are 

 some of the Eugenias or "stopper" trees and a 

 number of others. The saw palmetto in the way 

 of advance is soon killed and the curious dwarf 

 Sabal already described as so common in the pine 

 woods, now captured and surrounded by the ad- 

 vancing hammock, develops into the true cabbage 

 palm and in its congenial station reaches a height 

 of forty or fifty feet. It is a royal good fire fighter 

 too and a valuable ally — although a traitor. Here 

 is a case of a soldier who fought bravely with the 

 enemy but who, now a prisoner, turns about and 

 fights as valiantly against his former comrades. 

 Ferns and Bormeliads next establish themselves 



