200 FLORIDA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT.
the swamps of Florida are. probably far more diversified than those of any other state or country the schemes of classification employed by northern and European writers have been of very little service in this connection., The present tentative classification is based on over a year's work in Florida, and a still longer time spent in neighboring territory, but it is doubtless still far from perfect. It is altogether likely that many important peat deposits, and perhaps even whole types of peat deposits, have been overlooked, or very inadequately treated.
The language used in'the following pages may not be quite scientific enough to suit some scientists, but they should bear in mind that this report is designed primarily for the use of the citizens of the State, the great majority of whom cannot be expected to be familiar with scientific terms. On the other hand, the citizens should, be reminded that the use of some technicalities is unavoidable, especially in the' names of plants. For a great many plants have to be mentioned which are unknown to the average citizen, and it would not be possible to describe them so that he could recognize them, or to eliminate all the other technicalities, without increasing the bulk of the report many times. A technical term is in most cases nothing but a device for expressing a complex idea in a single word, or else a name f or an idea which does not exist outside of a certain science, profession, or trade. Not only the scientist, but the engineer, the printer, the carpenter, the sailor, and even the farmer, all use many words which are meaningless to the uninitiated.
In my travels over the State I have received valuable inform 'ation and assistance from many of the best citizens, and at the same time have formed numerous friendships which I hope will be lasting. I am under special obligations first to Dr. E. H'. Sellards, State Geologist, for giving me my first opportunity to explore this m-ost interesting state. Among those who have taken pains to assist me, or shown an, intelligent interest in my work, the following deserve to be specially mentioned:
Prof P. H. Rolfs, Director of the State Experiment Station: Prof. A. W. Blair, Chemist of the same institution; Mr. Robert Ranson of St. Augustine, the pioneer peat man of F9lorida; Capt. R. E.. Rose, State Chemist; Mr. A. M. Henry, one of his assistants,