166 



EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 



fires have swept through — with stretches of fairly good, though as a rule, light soils along 

 the river valleys and on the lower levels. Our data respecting virgin soils in other parts 

 of the province of Ontario are too fragmentary to warrant their insertion in this paper. 



TABLE IV. 



ANALYSES OF SOILS, (wATER-FREE) — ONTARIO. 



Locality. 



Surface 



or 

 Subsoil. 



Surface. 

 11 . 

 Subsoil . 

 Surface. 

 SubsoiL 

 Surface . 

 SubsoiL 

 Surface , 

 Subsoil. 



Character of SoiL 



Sandy loam. 



Sand 



L. grey loam . 



Sandy loam. 

 Clay loam.. 



o 



Ph 



•11 

 •08 

 •08 

 •61 

 •02 

 •04 

 •06 

 •46 

 •29 



a 



03 



o 



•27 



•12 

 •18 

 •18 

 •08 

 •18 

 •18 

 ■17 

 •09 



n 



•186 

 •139 

 •074 

 •103 

 Trace. 

 •296 

 •119 

 •084 

 •064 



& 



m O 



•74 

 •79 

 •53 

 •31 

 •70 

 ■40 

 ■10 

 ■94 

 ■39 



SoU No. S8. — From Sinclair township. A shallow, very loose, sandy soil ; the sub- 

 soil of hard-pan is found at a depth of from 6 to 12 inches. Though moderately rich in 

 phosphoric acid, nitrogen and humus, it is below the average in potash and lime. 



Soils Nos. S9 and Jfi. — Surface and subsoil from township of Chaffey. A shallow 

 sandy loam, running into a subsoil of sand. Hard-pan exists at a depth of 15 inches. 

 The surface soil is deficient in potash, but is otherwise of medium quality as regards plant 

 food. 



Soils Nos. Jfl and Jfi. — From Franklin township. The surface soil is a light gray 

 clay loam, high in potash, fair in phosphoric acid and low in nitrogen ; lime is present in 

 an amount that might be considered large for Muskoka soils. 



So^s Nos. JfS and 44- — Ferry township, Parry Sound district. Soil and subsoil. The 

 country is described as level or gently sloping, with no rocky blufis, as well as timbered 

 with excellent hardwood. 



Both samples are light and sandy in character, and exceedingly low in potash and 

 lime. Regarding the surface soil, we may say that the percentage of phosphoric acid is 

 fair, and that in nitrogen it is above the average soils of this district. 



Soils Nos. Jf5 and 46. — Surface and subsoil from Brunei township. The surface soil is 

 a clay loam of a light gray colour, from 8 to 12 inches in depth. It is a fairly strong and 

 retentive soil, and in this respect differs from the preceding members in this series. The 

 features in its favour are the comparatively high percentages of potash and lime. In 

 nitrogen and humus, however, the soil is poor. 



It is thus seen that the soils of this northern part of Ontario are characterized by a 

 preponderance of sand, the larger number being such as would be classed as light or very 

 light loams. It is further of importance to note that in lime these soils are, generally 

 speaking, poor. They are loose in texture and very apt to dry out in season of drought. 

 Though not heavy enough to make good wheat soils, they grow good crops of oats and 

 potatoes. Being responsive to manures, large yields of root and fodder crops can, under 

 good system of culture, readily be obtained in favourable seasons. The district is better 

 adapted for grazing and dairying than for the growth of cereals. 



