The St. Lucie County tribune. (Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County, Fla.) 1905-1920, 1911-03-03
FLORIDA SOIL
REPRODUCTIVE
OnIy Small Ratio of Land Which
Will Not Yield Big Returns
ALL SECTIONS FERTILE
Swamp Lands When Drained Will Nourish
a Continuous Succession OF Exhaust
ing Crops Without Damage

"What is the nature of the soil?"
This question is inevitable whenever
Florida is mentioned and it is one that
almost invariably brings ont a differ
ence of opinion, One reason for the
differences Is that the soil often is
"spotty;" the fact that certain tract
is good not always beng certain in
dication that the adjoining land is of
enual merit. Friends of the state con-
ten /. however, that Florida is the same
as other commonwealth in this regard.
In order to give the public accurate
information regarding this subject, B.
+. McIin, commissioner of agriculture
of Florida, has furnished the following
outline of the nature of the soils to be
found in the localities where settlers
are locating:
The average soil of Florida is sandy,
mixed with more or less clay. lime and
organic matter The greater portion
NAV be designated as pine lands be-
cause of the timber that predomlnates.
There are lands where the timber is a
mixture of pine, white oak, red oak,
water oak, gum, bay, hickory. magnol-
Ia, canDage, pdli1ellO, elC' hSoC al Z
termed mixed hammock lands.
The general classification OF soils is in
the following order: first, second, and
third rate pine lands, high hammock,
low hammock, and swamp lands. Pine
lands cover much the larger portion of
the state and the soil is apparently all
sand, but such is not the case. Over a
greater portion OF the state this sand
is thoroughly mixed with small parti-
cles of shells, which contain carbonate
of lime. other minerals. and decOmposed
finely graduated vegetable matter.
1t is true that Florida has her pro-
portion of poor lands, just as have
other states and countries, but COM
pared with some other states the ratio
is small. With the exception of a small
area of supposedly irreclamable swamp
lands, there is scarcely an acre in the
entire state which cannot be made, un-
der the influence of the warm climate
to pay tribute to mans energy. Some
of the soils which would be valueless
in a cold climate can be made produc.
tive in Florida, according to the state
commissioner of agriculture.
First class pine land has soil which
is peculiar to Florida. The surface is
usually covered to depth of several
inches with dark vegetable mold, be-
meath which to a depth of several feet
is chocolate colored sandy loan, usu--
ally mixed with limestone pebbles and
resting on substratum of mari, clay;
or limestone.
This soil has been proved to be both
fertile and durable and in some OF the
older districts has yielded well for
many years without the use of fertilizer.
Both garden truck and fruit can be
grown successfully on this soil, which
also produces fine qualify of sea is
land cotton. By the proper use or le-
guminous plants it is claimed by experts
that this soil can be kept continually at
high degree Of fertility. The same
treatment is beneficial in all the other
classes of pine lands.
Second class pine lands form the
largest classification. These lands are
almost all productive. They are not
hilly, bur for the most part are undula-
ting. Some Of these lands have no
regular, compact clay under them and
this fact occasionally is taken as evil
dence against them The state offlcials,
however, contend that this objection,
if it is to be considered as one IS likely
to he the result If mere prejudice, as
they claim clay in the subsoil is of little
use for plant food. The main value or
the clay, it is urged, is that 1t acts as
a reservoir by preventing the escape
Of water.
Light, SANDY soils of this class some
times lose their fertility after yielding
we'll at first. The scientists contend
that this is due to a lack of humus and
not to the fact that the subsOil Is por'
US. By the use of leguminOus crops
and by proper cultivation it is asserted
that these soils often can be rendered
better than when first put under the
plow.
Even the third rate pine lands are
not held to be worthless. These are OF
two types. One occurs in the ,hlgh'
rolling, sandy districts which carry 9
scanty growth of black Jack and
pine. The other type is found in the
lower parts Of the east coast and usu,
ally is covered with scrub hickory an0
shrubs Some of the finest pineapp!ies
produced in Florida are grown on SOTO
this character and it is well adapted
for sisa hemp. The cheaper pine lands
are good for cattle ranges.
The swamp lands are held to be the
richest in the state. They are alluvla
h in character and occupy natural de.
pressions or basins. which have gradu
ally filled up with deposits of vegetable
debris, ETC., washed in from adjacent
and higher lands. Drainage Is lndls
pensihla with ali the sNAmn lands u