88 FLORIDA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT.

In 1907-8 this peat was exploited by the Florida Peat Fuel & Construction Co., of Jacksonville, of which Mr. Robert Ranson was the leading spirit. Canals were dug through the marsh from the creek to the dry land, where the necessary buildings and machinery for the manufacture of peat fuel and fertilizer filler were erected. The creek being navigable, the product was shipped by water to Jacksonville. Operations were suspended when the main building was partly destroyed by fire in August, 19o8.
CRESCENT LAKE.
(PLATE 28)
Crescent Lake (formerly known as Dunn's Lake), which forms part of the boundary between Putnam and St. Johns Counties, is about 12 miles long and 3 or 4 wide, and connected by Dunn's Creek, a navigable stream, with the St. Johns River a few miles above (south of) Palatka. Its also forms part of the boundary between the lake region and the East Florida flatwoods. The east side of the lake is bordered by a flat, damp, sandy region, uninhabited for miles, while on the west side, at least at Crescent City, the typical high pine land of the lake region rises abruptly from its shores. (The small lake just west of Crescent City is said to be about 50 feet higher than Crescent Lake, though scarcely half a mile from it.)
Just about opposite Crescent City, on the St. Johhns County side, there begins a marsh a few hundred feet wide, which is said to extend southward along the lake for several miles. The vegetation is mostly herbaceous, and the trees and shrubs are not abundant enough to seriously interfere with dredging operations (as can be seen from the accompanying illustration). The following plants were observed there on May 15, 1909.
TREES
Taxodiumr imbricarium (pond cy- Pinus E!liottii (slash pine) (near
press) lake)
SHRUBS
Myrica cerifera (myrtle) Cephalantizus occidentalis (button
bush)