JAMAICA. 



NEW VOR''^ 



B XT L. T J E T 1 1^ eoTANicAb 



GARDEN. 

 OF THE 



DEPARTMENT OF A(iRICULTURE. 



Vol. IV. FEBRUARY, 1906. Part 2. 



SOME BANANA SOILS OF ST. MARY AND 

 UPPER ST CATHERINE. 



By H. H. Cousins, M.A., Government Chemist. 



At the suggestion of the writer, the Board of Agriculture ar- 

 ranged that Mr. Cradwick should take a number of soil samples 

 from typical cultivations of the smaller planters in St. Mary for 

 partial Analysis in the Laboratory, so that advice might be given 

 as to the need of drainage, humus, or lime in each case ; our pre- 

 vious Analyses and experiments having indicated that the banana 

 soils of St. Mary are not in present need of commercial fertilizers, 

 but require special attention to drainage and humus and in some 

 cases lime, it appeared desirable that a good number of typical 

 soils should be examined to this end. 



Mr. Cradwick made a special visit to St. Mary * and early in 

 1905 sent in 51 examples of soil to the Laboratory, with observa- 

 tions as to the conditions he noticed in each case. 



Unfortunately several of the samples were labelled with perish- 

 able labels and only 39 samples were capable of being identified. 



These have been examined as to 



A. Mechanical condition. 



B. Percentage of Lime as Carbonate. 



C. Percentage of Humus, soluble in Ammonia, and the results 

 cr. are here given. Mr. Cradwick's original observations being quoted 

 '— in each case. 



C<1 » Mr. Cradwick's Keport will be found in Bulletia Oct, 19C5, page 220. Editor, BuUctin. 



