REPORT OF THE CHEMIST. 163 



In nitrogen the soil is particularly rich, possessing about 34,000 poiinds per acre, 

 estimating the weight of an acre of soil to the depth of 1 foot to be 3,500,000 pounds. The 

 physical condition of this soil being such that nitrification would proceed satisfactorily, 

 the value of this large amount of organic nitrogen becomes obvious. 



SoU No. 10. — Is the sub-soil of the above, and is a grayish-yellow sandy loam. From 

 its texture we should expect it to offer a very fair drainage to the surface soil. 



Soils Nos. 11, 12, IS and 14- — Are surface soils from the Experimental Farm at 

 Agassiz. They are all of medium quality ; in tilth rather light, and, though possessing 

 a fair amount of clay, sand predominates. Though not presenting any marked differ- 

 ences, that of the first bench approaches closely in composition to that of the valley soil 

 No. 14. The valley soils are, as a rule, distinctly richer than those occurring at higher 

 elevations. 



Soils Nos. 15 and 16. — Are from Chilliwack, on the Fraser River. They are valley 

 soils, alluvial in origin. While not so rich as the delta soils of the Fraser and Pitt 

 Rivers already discussed, they are by no means poor, possessing a good supply of potash 

 and fair amounts of phosphoric acid and potash. They probably represent more or less 

 truly the character of those soils of medium fertiUty found in British Columbia in many 

 of her river valleys. 



Soils Nos. 17 and 18. — A surface and sub-soil, respectively, from Mission, onOkanagan 

 Lake, Yale district. Both are excellent as regards potash and phosphoric acid, but of poor 

 tilth, caking on being dried into hard masses. The surface soil is somewhat deficient in 

 organic matter, and might be much improved by drainage, judicious culture, and the 

 turning under of a green crop — technically known as green manuring. 



Soils Nos. 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23. — Are surface soils from the ranch of His 

 Excellency the Governor General at Guisachan. They are sandy loams of varying 

 shades of gray, and, with the exception of Nos. 19 and 23, might be termed, as far as 

 composition is concerned, soils of more than average fertility. These latter are, how- 

 ever, somewhat deficient in humus and nitrogen. 



Soils Nos. 24 to 29. — Are from plateaux and upper benches on the Fraser in the 

 Cariboo district, a practically as yet unsettled area. Clover and indigenous grasses 

 of good quality, it is stated, grow well upon them, and the probabilities are that much of 

 the area here represented will be found suited for grazing purposes. Surface soils Nos. 

 24 and 28 are particularly rich, judging from the chemical analysis, and should prove 

 vei'y fertile if climatic conditions are favourable. 



NORTH-WEST TERRITORIES AND MANITOBA. 



The prairie soils of the North-west Territories and Manitoba are justly noted for 

 their productiveness. They contain, as a rule, large percentages of all the essential 

 constituents, and are characterized by percentages of humus and nitrogen far above the 

 average. The prevailing surface soil, speaking generally, is a black or grayish black 

 loam in which the vegetable matter is well decomposed and thoroughly incorporated 

 with the inorganic compounds of the soil. It varies in depth from a few inches to one, 

 two, or even more feet, and over large areas is underlaid with a heavy clay sub-soil. 



Occasionally we have had sent to us soils from certain districts in the North-west 

 Territories, in which it is stated that poor yields are obtained. On examination, these 

 soils have been found to possess plant food in adequate quantities for crop requirements. 

 Further, they have usually been found to be free from alkali. Investigation has shown that 

 the trouble was, not in the lack of plant food, but rather in the meteorologic conditions ; 

 a scanty rainfall being really the cause of the poverty of growth. In districts subject to 

 drought irrigation, if feasible, would render such soils most fertile. An illustration of 

 this is afforded by the late irrigation trials at Calgary, which have proved so successful 

 from an agricultural point of view. In this connection we have to add that unfortuna- 

 8a— llj 



