REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR 71 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



shore awaiting our arrival. We had, on the whole, favourable weather. The tem- 

 perature had varied during the week spent on the island from 38 to 57 — the latter being 

 our hottest day. We bade our hospitable friends farewell with much regret as our 

 stay had been most enjoyable. The surf boat was got out, but the sea was heavy, and 

 it was no easy matter forcing it thi*ough the breakers. Many attempts were made and 

 the boat thrown back repeatedly on its side before the resistance of the water could be 

 overcome. Eventually it was pushed through and started on its first trip with the 

 baggage and part of the passengers. In the course of 30 or 40 minutes the boat re- 

 turned. 



THE DEPARTURE. 



After much struggling with the breakers the boat was finally got into position 

 again, and on the word of command being given the passengers and boatmen jumped 

 quickly in and with a united effort on the part of the crew and their assistants on 

 shore the boat was started. With a hearty pull she mounted the first breaking line of 

 surf and was fairly afloat. At first she dipped high and low as we passed through the 

 several lines of breakers, but in a few moments more she was fairly clear of these, and 

 we were then rocked in the swell of the ocean. The getting off was exciting and we 

 were tossed about considerably before we reached the side of the steamer where the 

 passengers climbed up in turn the companion gangway and were soon safe on board. 



We now bade our host, the excellent and capable Superintendent of the Island, 

 farewell, giving our parting injunctions concerning the trees, the surf boat went off 

 and we started for Halifax. The sea was very rough, and the steamer pitched and 

 rolled continuously during the afternoon and through the night, but we landed safely 

 at Halifax on Friday morning at 6.30. 



SAMPLES OF SOIL FOR ANALYSIS. 



I brought with me a sample of the almost pure sand forming the soil on the top 

 of the sandy bluff on which the first plantation was made in which the sand binding 

 grass was growing, also two samples of the black peaty layer which covers the sand to 

 a depth of 3 to 4 inches over a large portion of the central part of the island, probably 

 to the extent of 1,800 to 2,000 acres. One of these was taken from the large area 

 chosen for the plantation to be known as Gourdeau Park, and the other was from sim- 

 ilar soil some miles further east. I also brought a sample of similar material picked 

 up on the beach on the south shore where it was being washed by the sea. A fifth 

 sample consisted of a bunch of the sand-binding grass Ammophila arenarla. These 

 were submitted to the Chemist of the Experimental Farms, Mr. F. T. Shutt, for analy- 

 sis, who reports on them as follows : — 



' ANALYSIS AND REPORT ON SAMPLES FROM SABLE ISLAND. 



By Frank T. Shutt, Chemist, Dominion Experimental Farms, 



1 No. 1. Sample of the sand from field on top of the bluff, north-east of the look-out, 

 where first forest clump was planted. It contains roots of grass Ammophila 

 arenaria. Weight of sand, 2 pounds 13 ounces, containing J ounces of grass roots. 

 ■ Analysis of this sand after separation of the greater part of the fibre showed '0018 

 per cent of nitrogen. 



Digestion of this sand with hydrochloric acid (sp. gr. 1*115) at the temperature 

 of boiling water for 5 hours, showed that *412 per cent had passed into solution. 



The examination of this acid solution gave the following data : — 



Oxide of iron and alumina -328 



Lime -0G2 



Phosphoric acid *012 



