The Florida agriculturist., 1909-10-01
FLORIDA LANDS.
Brief Description of the Different Kinds of Land found
this State
this State.

their accessibility and prOductiveness
the facility Of fertilizing with cattle
penning and the impression of their
greater healthfulness than hammock
lands have induced their inclosure and
tillage, when the richer hammock lands
were near by, but more difficult to pre-
pare for cultivation.
Some of these lands have no regular
compact clay under them, or at least,
not in reach of plant roots. This fact
is taken frequently as an evidence
against them, since the popular preju-
dice is decidedly in favor of a clay SUBJ
soil. This objection, if it really be one,
is taken for more than it is worth, for
clay proper, or aluminium, as the chem
lists call it, is not food for plants. It's
uses to the plant are purely mechanical.
1t serves Is a reservoir for the storage
Of moisture in times of drOuth as we'll
as to hold fimly the roots of the grow
ing trunk, but not to feed the hungry
or thirsty plant.
But light, sandy soils, though they
may produce freely at first, soon give
way, and this fact, for frequently it is
a fact, is regarded as conclusive as
against loose and porous subsoils,
whereas it only proves that these light
soils were not sufficiently supplied
with humus and the limited supply soon
became exhausted. Such lands can
easily be restored to their original fer
tility by the use of leguminous plants,
rotation of crops and careful cultiva-
ton; in fact by such means they can
be vastly improved over their original
condition.
Third Glass Pine Lands.
Even the lands of the "third rate" or
most inferior class, are, by no means,
worthless under the climate of Florida.
This class of lands may be divided into
PiCiY h oh
rolling sandy districts, which are
sparsely covered with a stunted growth
Of "black jack and pine, and near the
lower east coast, scrub hickory and
gaulberry shrubs. 1t is also on much
similar soils along the east coast that
the finest pineappleS are produced. Tho
other embraces low, fiat, swamp re-
gions, which are frequently studded
with 'bay gauls,' and are occasionally
inundated, but which are covered with
luXuriant vegetation, and very general
ly with considerable quantities of val
liable timber. The former of these, it
is now ascertained, is also well adapted
to the growth of sisal hemp which is
valuable tropical production. rms
plant (the AgaVe Sisaliana), and the
Agave MeXicana also known as Ma
guey, the Pulque Plant the Century
Plant, etc, have both been introduced
into Florida, and they have both grown
in great perfection on the poorest lands
of the country. AS these plants derive
their chief support from the atmos-
phere. they WILL like the. common air
plant, preserve their vitality for many
months when left out of the ground.
The second order of the third rate pine
lands are not entirely worthless, as
these lands afford fine cattle ranges,
and in some localities large tracts of
timber adapted to the manufacture OF
naval stores and milling purposes.
Low HammOckS.
Low hammocks, which are practically
swamp lands, are not inferior to swamp
lands proper in fertility, but are con-
sidered not quite so desirable They
are mostly level or nearly so, and have
soil of greater tenacity than that of
the big hammOcks. Some ditching is
necessary in many of them. The soil
in them is always deep. These lands