RE pour OF THE CHEMIST. 151 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



Potash. — Unfortunately, it appears that wood ashes — a most valuable source of 

 this element — are not purchasable in British Columbia. 



To those in proximity to the coast, sea-weed will prove a cheap and valuable 

 manure, since it contains considerable amounts of potash and nitrogen. Unless well 

 dried, it would scarcely pay to freight sea-weed any distance inland, and in any case 

 it is advisable to allow the sea-weed to lose a portion of its water before hauling to 

 the farm. 



Kainit, muriate of potash and sulphate of potash are potassic manures imported 

 from Germany. Kainit contains about 12 per cent actual potash ; muriate and sul- 

 phate about 50 per cent actual potash. These fertilizers should always be bought on 

 guaranteed analysis. 



. The average application of the muriate and sulphate is 100 pounds per acre ; of 

 the kainit, about 400 pounds per acre. As the winter season in this district is always 

 more or less open and rainy, the writer is of ttie opinion that spring application of 

 these fertilizers would prove the most profitable. 



Most poor and exhausted soils usually respond best to a complete fertilizer ; that 

 is, one that contains all three of the elements of plant food — nitrogen, phosphoric acid 

 and potash. The proportion of each of these most economical to use must, however,. 

 be largely determined by the character of the crop to be grown, the nature of the past 

 manuring and the results of careful experimenting on the soil with the crop under 

 consideration. The amounts we have given in this report are those commonly era- 

 ployed ; more specific instructions require a knowledge of the circumstances. Those 

 desiring further information on this subject are invited to place themselves in corres- 

 pondence with this division. 



NORTH-WKST TERRITORIES. 



In August, 1899, samples of soil from the north-west quarter, section 21, township 

 23, range I, west of the fifth meridian, were received from the Commissioner of Agri- 

 culture for the North-west Territories, with a request for their analyses. Upon this 

 tract of land the agricultural experimental station of the Xorth-west Territories is 

 situated (Calgary), and the location from which the samples were collected is the bench 

 land of a valley falling away from the banks of the Elbow. Mr. Chas. W. Peterson. 

 Deputy Commissioner of Agriculture, North-west Territories, writing of the soils, says 

 that the valley at this point is about one mile in width, that a few poplars are appearing 

 on the bench, and that cotton-woods and spruces are growing well on the river bottom. 

 The soil from Plot 1 (see table of analyses) ' has been cultivated for a long time and 

 is full of weeds.' The soil of plot 2 is ' virgin prairie, and well fitted for either culti- 

 vation or grazing.' Plots 1 and 2 are closely adjacent areas. 



Two further ssmples from the North-west government, and collected on south- 

 west quarter section 15, township 2<3, range 1, west of fifth meridian, were forwarded 

 in December, 1S99. Writing of these soils, Mr. Peterson says that : ' One (plot 3 in 

 table) is taken from dry, unirrigated land, fifty feet from upper side of irrigation 

 ditch, while the other (plot 4 in table) is taken from irrigated land, 50 feet from lower 

 side of irrigation ditch and 100 feet from the foregoing sample. The surface soil on 

 this area is from 2 to 6 inches deep, and .the general character of the locality may 

 be described as rolling prairie. Stunted poplars grow on south side of the valley, 

 which is an old water course, 1,000 feet wide. Under irrigation it would make very 

 good grazing land and produce fair crops of grain.' 



All the foregoing surface soils were acco;npaniofl by their sub-soils, but, unfor- 

 tunately, time did not permit the examination of the latter. 



