

INTRODUCTION. 



Volusia County in Florida has a surface of 1281 square 

 miles, that is about 30 sq. m. more than the State of Rhode 

 Island. The parallel of 29 degrees, running a little south 

 of New Smyrna and DeLand, is equidistant from the north- 

 ern boundary line and the most southern point of the county; 

 the two distances are about twenty-three and a half min- 

 utes north and south of the parallel. 



Along its western and southwestern boundaries runs 

 the St. John's river, while the eastern boundary is on the 

 Atlantic Ocean. Parallel with the coast-line and separated 

 by a narrow strip of land from the ocean are the "Halifax 

 River" and "Mosquito Lagoon," which communicate with 

 the ocean and with one another through Mosquito-inlet. 

 Another arm of the ocean "Indian River" makes part of 

 the southern boundary of the county. In connection with 

 the St. John's are the lakes Harney and Monroe in the 

 southwest; Beresford, Woodruff, Dexter and George in 

 the west; the southern part of lake Crescent on the northern 

 boundary line. Lakes Disston, Ashby, and a number of 

 lakes of lesser size are scattered over the county. Many 

 surface streams and the artesian wells (containing sulphur- 

 etted hydrogen) along the border of the Atlantic on the 

 east, and along the St. John's river on the west provide 

 for sufficient natural drainage. Some of these artesian 

 wells and also several springs supply water that is more 

 ■^pr less salty, and when this water is allowed to run into small 

 streams or lakes (Harney, Monroe, and Crescent for in- 

 stance) their water- and shore- vegetation becomes affected. 

 22 Close to the sea-coast are salt marshes and sand dunes 

 of recent and earlier formation; Mount Ararat for instance, 

 two miles west of Daytona is an ancient sand-dune. Along 

 the western bank of the Halifax river and Mosquito lagoon 



