REl'ORT OF THE CHEMIHT. 153 



•SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



dently the lime is not altogether in what might be termed a locked up condition, 

 the percentage available being large. The ratio of the available to the total lime is 

 the same for both soils. 



Irrigated and Non-irrigated Soils. 



The chief object in examining soils from Plots 3 and 4 was to ascertain what 

 effect irrigation might have had upon the plant food present, sample No, 3 being from 

 an unirrigated and No. 4 from an irrigated area. 



In general appearance these samples are similar to Nos. 1 and 2 — black loams of 

 loose texture in which sand predominates. They both show a fair amount of fibre. 

 No. 3 (not irrigated), is neutral to test paper ; No. 4 (irrigated), is very slightly 

 alkaline. 



The following deductions may be made from the chemical data : In ' total ' 

 potash the soils are alike ; in ' available ' potash No. 4 is slightly the richer. In 

 * total ' phosphoric acid. No. 3 is higher than No. 4, but the amount of this element 

 immediately available in the latter is four times that in No. 3. Whether the greater 

 proportion of available potash and phosphoric acid in No. 4 soil may be due 

 to irrigation is not by any means clear, but the fact is worthy of note and deserving 

 of further investigation. In nitrogen the percentages are almost identical. The irri- 

 gated soil (No. 4) shows a somewhat larger amount of lime, which may be due to the 

 deposition of lime from the irrigation water, or more possibly brought up from the 

 lower soil by capillarity induced by increased surface evaporation consequent upon 

 irrigation. It will be noticed that the ratio of the ' available ' lime to the ' total ' lime 

 is practically the same foi" both soils. 



These, like Nos. 1 and 2, are soils of more than average fertility. Though not so 

 heavy as the wheat lands of the prairie further east, they will undoubtedly give 

 excellent yields, providing the climatic conditions, under which term we may include 

 the water supply, are propitious. 



NOVA SCOTIA. 



From Annapolis county. — A sample of soil representative of much in the vicinity 

 of Annapolis was submitted to us for examination and report. Messrs. T. S. and R. 

 R. Bohaker, of Granville Ferry, N.S., in forwarding the soil say : ' We have several 

 orchards planted on soil similar to the sample sent arwi they have not given us entire 

 satisfaction for several years past. We are desirous of knowing what element is lack- 

 ing, so that we may supply the deficiency and get the trees into better bearing. Would 

 salt or lime be of value to this soil, and if so, in what quantity should they be applied ? 

 What other manures or fertilizers would you recornmend ? Information on these 

 points should be useful to a number of people in our neighbourhood.' This soil in 

 the air-dried condition presents the appearance of a brownish-red, sandy loam. Its 

 analysis shows it to be of much better quality than might be supposed from a casual 

 inspection. The data are as follows : — 



Analysis of Soil (air-dried). 



Moisture 2-97 



Organic and volatile matter 15 "22 



Mineral matter insoluble in acid 68 •28 



Lime -26 



Magnesia "50 



Oxide of iron and alumina 12 '44 



Silica (soluble) -09 



Phosphoric acid -25 



Potash -37 



100 -00 



Nitrogen, in organic matter '491 



