THE SOILS OF FLORIDA. 
63 
SOIL TYPES IN FLORIDA. 
While the soils in Florida are extremely varied, yet for the 
purposes of a general survey, representative sections of country may 
be recognized in which particular types of soil predominate. The 
divisions that are here recognized are based upon the vegetation 
and upon such other characters as may be easily observed, including 
the drainage conditions, the amount of organic matter in the soil, 
and the character of the soil and sub-soil. 
The terms used for the different sections are descriptive merely 
and are not used as technical names for soils. The actual naming 
and mapping of soils can proceed only as detailed soil surveys are 
made. 
Among the varied types of land are the pine lands, alluvial, 
prairie, swamp, marsh, muck and hammock lands of several kinds. 
PINE LANDS. 
About 70 to 75 per cent of the total land area of Florida was 
covered originally by pine forests. In northern, central and western 
Florida the long leaf, or yellow pine, Pinus palustris, is the prevail 
ing forest tree, while in southern Florida, the Cuban pine, Pinus 
caribaea, predominates. The short leaf pine, Pinus echinata, grows 
in the hammock types of country in association with deciduous trees. 
The same is true of the spruce pine, Pinus clausa, which grows ex¬ 
tensively on quiescent dunes bordering the coast. A few other pine 
species are found, but they occupy less extensive areas. The pine 
lands are varied and several more or less distinct types may be 
recognized. 
ROLLING PINE LANDS. 
The rolling pine lands include well drained areas, also known 
as high or upland pine. This is an extensive type of country and 
is itself varied in soils and topography. The prevailing forest tree 
is the long leaf pine. As a rule there is little or no undergrowth, 
although in the more sandy localities, small oaks are found. Saw 
palmetto occurs rarely and only to a limited extent. 
The top soil in the rolling pine lands is light colored or gray, or 
dark from admixture of organic matter. The depth to the clay is 
variable and several grades of soil in this type of country are recog 
nized, depending chiefly upon the texture of the soil, drainage condi- 
