85 



Fertility Analysis. 



Per Cent. 

 Available Potash ... 0.0268 



Available Phosphoric Acid ... 0.0579 



The close similarity in the mechanical composition of this soil with 

 those from Hillside is at once apparent. 



The chemical analysis indicates a fertility beyond reproach and no 

 results from commercial fertilisers should be obtainable under present 

 conditions of crop- production. 



It may be possible that the greatly increased returns under irriga- 

 tion may make possible the profitable use of manures, but in my 

 opinion their application would not be justified for a long time to come. 

 The agricultural management of Amity Hall is excellent : deep and 

 thorough tillage have enabled the production of 33 tons of cane per 

 acre on this land in a year in which the rainfall was only 33 inches 

 with 18 inches of it in the month of June. 



The results of the manurial experiments have now been obtained and 

 they bear out the deductions drawn from the analysis. I stated in a 

 note published in the Bulletin of the Botanical Department, April, 

 1902, p. 57, with reference to an estimate as to the cost of cane 

 cultivation in Vere, as follows : — 



"The item of £500 for manuring canes (300 acres), is not in my 

 opinion justified. That it is not a prevalent agricultural practice is 

 proved by the fact that it represents ^ of the total value of fertilisers 

 at present being imported into Jamaica. That it is unnecessary, is 

 brought home to my conviction by recent analyses of Vere soils show- 

 ing an extraordinary standard of fertility. At present crops are 

 limited solely by the water supply. If fertilisers were used, the yield 

 per acre should be increased to such an extent as still further to re- 

 duce the cost of cane per acre. Ehminating this factor (fertilisers) the 

 cost of canes comes out at 5/2 per ton instead of 6/8, a figure in accord 

 with other data from this district which have have been submitted to 



me. 



The plan of the experiments is as follows: — 



Canes — " Amity Rail Estate," Vere — E. W. Muirhead, Esqr. 



10 Plots each ^ . g. Nitrate of Muriate of 



iV Acre. . ^^'^ ^' Soda. Potash. 



1 



Plot 1 No Manure - - 



„ 2 Complete Manure 3 cwt. 1| cwt. \ cwt. 



„ 3 No Nitrogen 3 „ - | „ 



,, 4 Double Nitrogen 3 „ 3 cwt. | „ 



„ 5 No Phosphate - ^\ „ I ,, 



„ 6 Double Phosphate 6 cwt. 1^ „ | „ 



„ 7 No Potash 3 „ 11 „ 



„ 8 Double Potash 3 „ l| „ 1 cwt. 



,, 9 ., Complete 6 „ 3 „ 1 „ 



,, 10 Lime, 10 cwt. - - - 

 The Rainfall during the growth of the experimental crop of plant 

 cs"ipe8 was as follows : — 



