38 FLORIDA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY—FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT. 
scarcely be penetrated by the soil auger, and interferes with the 
movement of water by capillarity. During the rainy season when 
the water table rises above the average level, the hardpan stratum 
becomes saturated with water and tends to disintegrate. Although 
many details of the formation of hardpan remain to be explained, it 
is evident that organic matter from the surface stratum is carried 
downward in some form by the water and is reaccumulated in the 
hardpan stratum. 
TRANSLOCATION OF CLAY PARTICLES. 
Another important feature of the drainage conditions is the 
translocation of clay particles. By this term is meant the removal 
of the finely divided clay particles from the soil near the surface and 
their reaccumulation at a lower level. This process is of special 
importance under the conditions which exist over large areas in the 
interior of Florida. The soils over large areas in central Florida are 
derived from a clayey sand rock. The clay in this formation’ which 
acts chiefly as the cementing material is in a very finely divided con¬ 
dition. Upon the disintegration of the formation, the clay particles 
are loosened, and are carried by the percolating waters to a lower 
level, and are there reaccumulated. Under conditions of good sur¬ 
face drainage and heavy rainfall this process long continued results 
in washing the sand free of clay to a considerable depth, and in the 
accumulation of an increased amount of clay in the stratum beneath. 
The dividing line between the sand washed free of clay and the 
stratum beneath in which the clay occurs in excess is often a well- 
defined line. The clay stratum accumulated in this way is some 
times referred to as hardpan, although it is different in character 
from the hardpan of the flatwoods. 
