79 



Albion Estate. 

 By utilising the waters of the Yallahs river for irrigation, this estate 

 is enabled to grow excellent crops of cane on land that would otherwise 

 be almost valueless for any agricultural purpose. The owner, J. 

 Grinan, Esqr., has found that the use of fertilisers is profitable and he 

 recently demonstrated the possibilities of D. 95 on this soil by obtaining 

 32 tons of first sugar from 8 acres of thi^i seedling variety. 



The analysis of the soil from the field selected for manurial 

 experiments gave the following results : — 



SOIL ANALYSIS, 

 Reference Number — 81. Source Details — Surface Soil. Experi- 

 mental Plots. Albion Estate, St. Thomas. 

 Depth of Sample — 9 inches. 

 Retentive Power for water — 47.0 per cent. 



Chemical Analysis. 

 (Soil passing through '6 m.m. Si ve dried at 100® C.) 



Insolable Matter ... 71.120 



Soluble in Hydrochloric Acid 28.880 



r Potash ... 0.339 



I Lime ... 0.567 



-{ Phosphoric Acid 0.387 



arbonic Acid as 1 Trace 



Carbonate of Lime j 



Combined Water and organic matter 6 . 750 



Humus (soluble in Ammonia) 1 . 430 



Nitrogen ... 0.148 



Hygroscopic Moisture 2.849 



Fertility Analysis. 

 Available Potash ... .0013 



Available Phosphoric Acid .043'J 



This soil is of a very light nature and has little drougbt-resisting 

 power. On the other hand it is admirably fitted for irrigation. 



The carbonate of lime is so small in amount as to be incapable of 

 exact estimation. This must undoubtedly affect the fertility of the 

 soil and limit the rate of nitrification that obtains. 



The available potash is very low, while an appreciable reserve of this 

 material exists in the soil. The analysis indicates that phosphates — 

 qua phosphates — are superfluous additions ; that owing to the absence 

 of carbonate of lime the soil lacks available nitrogen and that nitro- 

 genous manures should therefore be operative ; further, that potash is 

 needed. 



The results of the manurial experiments will be obtained shortly 

 and will be of interest as bearing on the interpretation of the analysis. 

 It is very likely that the addition of lime to this soil will yield marked 

 benefits by its indirect effect on the availability of nitrogen and potash, 

 and, as has often been proved in similar instances, that a dressing of 

 lime may prove the most profitable addition it is possible to provide. 

 Mr. Grinan reports remarkable effects from the manures and has de- 

 cided to model the treatment of the fields of the estate upon the results 

 of the experiments. 



The details of the experiments are as follows : — 



Canes- " Albion" St. Thomas--J. Orinan, Esq. 

 Applied to (1) D 96 Canes. 



(2) Mont Blanc Canes. 

 Plots Tb of an acre. 



