SOIL SURVEY OF PINELLAS COUNTY, FLORIDA. 327 
portions of the section shell fragments occur, and in places an under¬ 
lying shell limestone comes within the 3-foot profile. Between the 
orange sand and the darker colored surface soil there is frequently 
a layer of almost white fine sand. 
The Fellowship fine sandy .loam is found iji quite extensive areas 
through the “flatwoods” region north of Sawgrass Lake and ex¬ 
tending in a southwesterly direction through Pinellas Park. It 
seems to occur where the water and grass ponds are most numerous. 
The areas are flat and represent bodies of the unconsolidated sandy, 
deposits so thin that the underlying country rock lies within or not 
far below the 3-foot limit of the soil profile. Where the sand cover¬ 
ing is deeper the Portsmouth fine sand is developed, and as a result 
these two types are closely associated. The color and texture of the 
subsoil of the Fellowship fine sandy loam are due to the proximity 
of this underlying rock, and in some instances the subsoil may be 
composed entirely of residual material resulting from the weather¬ 
ing of the rock. The difference between the subsoils of the Park- 
wood types and the Fellowship fine sandy loam lies in the fact that 
the material underlying the former has been more thoroughly de¬ 
composed and has reached the marl stage and is typically of a lighter 
color. 
Owing to the character of the underlying material, which greatly 
retards percolation, the Fellowship fine sandy loam is very poorly 
drained, the surface being covered with water for some time after 
heavy rains. 
The characteristic natural vegetation on the Fellowship fine 
sandy loam is wire grass, saw palmetto, and longleaf pine. 
No portion of this type was seen under cultivation. It would, 
in all likelihood, prove a strong soil were good drainage established. 
On account of the nature of the substratum and the extreme flatness 
of the country, however, drainage would be in all cases costly and 
in some instances next to impossible, owing to the lack of fall and 
suitable outlets. 
MISCELLANEOUS MATERIAL. 
MUCK. 
Muck is derived from decayed plant remains which have accu¬ 
mulated in low-lying positions under poor drainage conditions. 
During the process of decomposition the vegetable material assumes 
first a loose, fibrous character, in which stage it is known as Peat. 
