44 



soil, it is patent that they be expected to do far better when placed 

 in a soil of good quality. Compared with the soil existing in the 

 Botanic Garden, Grenada, our soil is practically barren. There, a 

 surface soil exists which is highly fertile to a depth of three feet 

 or more ; while with us the surface soil is fertile only some four or five 

 inches in depth, and below this we have nothing but an iron clay 

 almost destitute of ordinary plant food. I have lately obtained the 

 opinion of an eminent geologist on the latter, and the substance of his 

 Report is as follows : — 



This is a dark red of chocolate-coloured powder, among which are dissemi- 

 nated pebbles of slaty rock often of very fine gram with the materials disposed in 

 thin laminte. This soil consists of the debris of micaceous and slaty rocks. It i3 

 composed chiefly of silicates and iron. Silicate of alumina is abundant, and iron 

 exists in various forms, e.g., silicate, carbonate, etc. Mica abounds in minute 

 scales. Lime only exists as a silicate. Graphite is distinguishable in the pebbles, 

 and there are some angular grains of quartz. 



This soil is an extremely poor one, and it is only in a climate like that of 

 Trinidad that anything but the scantiest vegetation would grow on it. 



As it has not been possible to ascertain that the characters of the 

 soil have ever been determined by chemical analysis, permission has 

 been obtained from the Government for an examination to be made by 

 the Government Analyst, which, will probably afford further infor- 

 mation and thus enable the Department to initiate an improved 

 course of culture for the various sections. 



Success has in many cases it is true, attended the efforts made 

 to render the soil more fertile, but such results cannot be obtained 

 except by the expenditure of a larger amount of labour and 

 manure than would be requisite Avere the soil a fairly good one ; 

 and it must be confessed that in some few instances the staff is too 

 heavily handicapped, and cultivation has not reached a standard 

 such as the modern cultivator is ambitious to arrive at. 



In a former number I mentioned the unproductive or unfruitful 

 character of the Mango trees of the Gardens, but that was only a 

 single instance, and might be easily multiplied many times over ; and 

 we might also mention the fact of the deaths which often occur among 

 our cultivated and introduced trees as another instance of the unfer- 

 tile character of our soil, as it is clear such deaths are in the main 

 to be attributed to its barren character. 



With such difficulties before us, in the form of a poor and unpro- 

 ductive soil, it is not to be wondered at that failures will sometimes 

 occur, and we owe it to ourselves and to the community by whom the 

 Garden is supported, that the reasons for such results should be 

 fairly and fully stated. 



