44 
IOWA ACADEMY OP SCIENCES. 
IV. SWAMP. 
On either side of the Sabine, Neches and Angelina rivers, 
and extending back from one to six miles are dense Cy- 
press swamps. Usually, the line dividing the swamp area 
from the Pine Flats, or Pine Upland, is extremely well 
marked. The dense underbrush of the swamp does not 
gradually thin out, as we approach the upland, the soil 
does not become noticeably dryer, nor do we see any scat- 
tered pines to indicate that we are approaching the Long- 
leaf country. At a single step we pass from mud to grassy 
ground, from dense brush to much less obstructed view, 
from a forest of deciduous trees to a forest of conifers. In 
rare instances there is a shading off from one to the other, 
and an intermediate type of forest is formed, containing 
deciduous trees, Longleaf and Loblolly. For the most 
part the only conifers found within the swamp limits are 
Cypress and Loblolly. 
During most of the year the swamps are overflowed and 
water stands in them to a depth of from a few inches to 
four or five feet. They are traversed by many small 
streams, and broken by some open bayous into which the 
water of the river backs during flood time. 
V. LOW HAMMOCK. 
The swamps are broken by low ridges of dry land vary- 
ing in width from a few rods to half or three quarters of a 
mile. These ridges are known locally as ‘Low Hammock.” 
They bear a type of forest peculiar to themselves, but 
have many species in common with the surrounding 
swamp. 
VI. HARDWOOD BOTTOM. 
Along portions of the Sabine, the Neches, and the Ange- 
lina (more especially the latter) the swamp gives place to 
broad stretches of flat, dry land of slightly higher elevation. 
This is described as “Hardwood Bottom,” because of the 
prevalence upon it of deciduous-leaved trees, or “hard- 
wood.” Frequently a broad Hardwood Bottom is found 
