16 



V. VERE. 



"When the irrigation canal system is establishpd in Vera, it may 

 prove desirable for some of the estates to grow bananas as well as cane. 

 The analysis of the soil from Hillside estate, here given, is indicative 

 of the type of soil in this district which is s litable for the purpose, 

 provided the irrigation is well managed All grades of soil from tiis 

 light, fine silt to stiff clay are foun I in Vere and the lighter soils will 

 undoubtedly be f'und the best, adopted for bunana cultivation with ir- 

 rigation. The soils hitherto analysed from this district (14 samples of 

 soils and 12 subsoils) indicate a remarkably high standard of fertility. 

 We do not expect to j:et marked results from fertilisers on these soils; 



SOIL ANALYSIS. 

 Beference Number— 62 

 Source Details — Hillside Estate, Vere. 

 Depth of Sample — 9 inches. 



Physical Analysis. 



Per Cent. 



Stones • ••• Nil 



Gravel ... 1121 



Sand ... 0.60 I 



Fine Sand ... 32.32 | xp' 



Silt ... 54.72 Yl'^^^^ 



Agrciultural f Fine Silt ... BOsI*"^'^ 



Clay \ Clay ... • \ 1.41 



Moisture ... 5.36_ 



Total 10 J. (10 



Per Cent. 

 Retentive Power for water ... 54.0 



Chemical Analysis. 



(Soil passed through 3 m. m. Si ve dried at 100*^ C.) 



Insoluble Matter ... 68.931 



Soluble in Hydrochloric Acid 31 . 069 



fPotash ... 0.573 



I Liiue ... 0.951 



-{ Phosphoric Acid 0.168 



I Carbonic Acid as \ q oqa 



[^Carbonate of Lime J 



Combined Water and organic matter 9 . 950 



Hamus (suluble in Ammonia) 2.810 



Nitrogen ... 0.165 



Hygroscopic Moisture 5.66 



Fertility Analysis. 



Per Cent. 



Available Potash ... 0.021 



Available Phosphoric Acid 0.044 



Observations. 



This is a light soil consisting chiefly of fine sand and silt. Itsjfer- 

 tility is unimpeachable. This is a soil of 'very high quality. Irriga- 

 tion, well managed, should enable this soil to produce very laige crops- 

 for a series of years without manure. The carbonate of lime is low 

 and as a good grade of marl is obtainable in the locality, it would be 

 desirable to spread some from time to time, otherwise this soil is above 

 reproach. 



