154 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



9-10 EDWARD VII., A. 1910 



benches and * bottom ' lands are more productive than the higher benches, due very 

 largely, we believe, in the first place to their higher humus and nitrogen-content and, 

 secondly, to their being richer in lime. 



No. 4314 was collected for a specific purpose. It was taken from what may be 

 described as a high bottom land, that is a depression, probably the site of a pond or 

 small lake on a plateau in one of the higher valleys. It was of a light-grey colour and 

 of a marly appearance. The crops had repeatedly failed and alkali was suspected. 

 The analysis proved the absence of all deleterious alkali, and showed in fact a marl 

 mixed with a considerable proportion of vegetable matter or muck, evidently the 

 deposition of years during which the soil was under water. 



No. 4323, representative of the first four inches of sage-brush land on the Golden- 

 Windernjere road, between Vermilion and Macauley creeks. No marked differencea 

 were to be observed in colour or texture between this soil and the other samples we 

 have spoken of as ' sage-brush ' land. As regards composition its lime-content is much 

 lower than those of similar origin in the series ; it is also below the average in phos- 

 phoric acid. The percentage of nitrogen is extremely satisfactory, as indeed are the 

 proportions of ' available ' lime and potash. 



To s\mi up these considerations, we may say that our knowledge of these soils of 

 the sage-brush areas, both in situ and in the laboratory, permits the following conclu- 

 sions and deductions : — 



1. That they are for the most part light chocolate, or brownish, sandy loams of a 

 loose, almost ash-like character. The sand grains are chiefly very fine and the propor- 

 tion of clay is quite small. They are soils that are extremely easy to work, but careful 

 management is necessary when irrigating to prevent the cutting of deep channels and 

 the washing. away of the surface soil. There is no strong colour line of demarcation 

 between the surface and the subsoil, the former merging almost imperceptibly into 

 the latter. As might be expected, however, there is more humus, and consequently 

 the soil is somewhat darker, nearer the surface. 



2. While the results of analysis do not show that uniformity in composition that 

 characterizes many tracts of northwestern prairie soil, the evidences from the chemical 

 standpoint are strongly indicative of a common origin. 



Their nitrogen-content is exceedingly good and much higher than might be con- 

 jectured from their physical appearance. They are characterized by a large per- 

 centage of lime, a further feature betokening fertility. The amounts of potash present 

 are also very satisfactory. 



The proportion of the mineral plant food constituents in available form is worthy 

 of special attention. Although the soils are not rich in total phosphoric acid, the 

 amount present that is more or less immediately assimilable is in all cases, save one, 

 far above the average. As already noted, the potash content of the soils is excellent 

 and the data denote a very large proportion of this store to be immediately available. 

 The figures for the available lime also are very good, indicating undoubtedly a high 

 degree of productiveness. 



No. 4352. — A coarse sandy or gravelly loam, containing pebbles and small rock 

 fragments, collected at Proctor, on the Kootenay river, and characteristic of much of 

 the soil on both sides of the river as far as Nelson. A considerable amount of root 

 fibre is present, but the humus-content, judging from the indications, would be low. 

 The area from which the sample was collected had been recently burnt over in the 

 clearing of the land. 



Compared with the typical sage-brush land this soil is, from the chemical and 

 physical standpoint, distinctly inferior. Experience has shown that this and similar 

 soils in East Kootenay have so far proved fairly satisfactory for fruit growing. But 

 it must be remembered that, as yet, there has been practically no demand upon their 

 fertility. Most of the areas so far cleared and planted have been brought under culti- 

 vation during the past five years — many of them more recently — and a very young or- 

 chards requirements as regards plant food are not excessive. Later, as these orchards 



