GEOLOGIC SECTIONS ACROSS THE EVERGLADES OF 
FLORIDA. 
E. H. SELLARDS. 
The Everglades of Florida include an area extending from 
Lake Okeechobee nearly to the southern end of the Florida Penin¬ 
sula, and from within a few miles of the Atlantic coast to the 
head waters of the Caloosahatchee River, or approximately 90 miles 
north and south and 45 or 50- miles east and west. Although the 
borders are somwhat indefinite, particularly to the south and south¬ 
west, the Everglades include in all 4,000 or 5,000 square miles. 
The greater part of this area is covered with an accumulation of 
muck or peat to a depth of several feet, and with the exception of 
occasional wooded islands supports a dense growth of saw grass 
(Cladium eflu-sum ). The muck being soft and partly submerged, 
and the grass not easily penetrated, travel through the Everglades 
has heretofore been difficult. Moreover, on account of the presence 
of this muck there was almost no opportunity to examine the un¬ 
derlying formation, and such geological observations as were made 
previous to the drainage operations in this section, were confined 
largely to the borders, the interior being practically unknown to 
the geologist. At the present time, however, owing to the ex¬ 
tensive excavations that have been made by the State of Florida in 
connection with the drainage operations, this area is not only acces¬ 
sible, but affords exceptionally favorable opportunity for geologic 
studies. The canals now extend directly across the area forming a 
complete section in which the formations may be seen, either in 
place along the canal, or as thrown out on the bank by the dredge. 
The deposits are highly fossiliferous and afford a new and extremely 
interesting collecting ground. Moreover, owing to the lowering 
of the water, the rock forming the basin of Lake Okeechobee now 
projects above water in one or two places, thus affording the first 
opportunity of examining the substructure of this large area of 
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