PRELIMINARY REPORT ON PEAT. 
259 
several miles, and the swamps in question mostly lie between them), 
at intervals of half a mile or less, a number of non-alluvial swamps 
approximately circular in shape and a few hundred feet in diameter. 
They appear to be correlated with small seepage springs, perhaps 
caused by some impervious stratum which comes to the surface on 
this gentle slope. There may even be more than one such stratum, 
Fig. 21.—Interior of dense non-alluvial swamp just west of Nocatee 
DeSoto County), showing Magnolia glauca (bay), Nyssa biflora (black 
gum), Acer rubrum (maple), Tillandsia (air-plant), etc. Feb. 17, 1909. 
(Locality No. 21). 
for a few instances were noticed where there were two of these 
circular swamps a short distance apart, one a little higher up the 
slope than the other and connected by a small stream. 
These swamps are too shallow to be of any special importance 
for peat, the greatest depth found only being three feet; but they 
are so unique and well-defined that a description will not be out of 
place here. The dominant trees are black gums and bays, about 
60 feet tall, and between the swamp and the surrounding nearly 
flat pine lands there is usually a narrow strip of sandy bog. The 
following list is compiled from notes taken in several such swamps 
between Arcadia and Nocatee on Feb. 17, 1909. 
TREES 
Nyssa biflora (black gum) 
Magnolia glauca (bay) 
Acer rubrum (maple) 
Ilex Cassine (swamp holly) 
Per sea pubescens (red bay) 
Gordonia Lasiantkus (bay) 
Pinus Elliottii (,slash pine) 
Ulmus sp. (elm) 
