196 



Observations. 



This soil contains a high proportion of stones, the fine soil upon 

 which the roots of plants would mainly feed contains much coarse 

 gravel and a preponderance of fine sand and silt with a fair pro- 

 portion of agricultural clay. This soil is specially adapted for 

 steep lands as the fine soil is held in pockets by the coarser grades 

 and stones and is thereby protected from severe washing and 

 denudation. 



The chemical analysis of the fine soil indicates a fertility above 

 par in every respect. The nitrogen, humus and phosphoric acid 

 are all very high and the potash and carbonate of lime up to a 

 good standard. A soil of very high quality for coffee cultivation 

 at a high elevation. I am of opinion that commercial fertilisers 

 are not needed on this land. 



SUMATRA TOBACCO. 

 {under shade.) 



A small area (| acre) of land having been devoted at the Hope 

 Experiment Station to the cultivation of Sumatra Tobacco under 

 artificial shade, samples of the soil were taken for analysis. 



The leaf developed in a very favourable manner and a crop of a 

 promising quality of Sumatra leaf was successfully grown. Owing 

 to the excessive rapidity of drying under the arid conditions of 

 the Liguanea Plain and in the absence of special means for con- 

 trolling moisture in the drying house, the leaf was not successfully 

 cured and a repetition of the experiment is now in hand with a 

 view to a better control of the processes of curing and drying. 



The soil upon the experimental area showed some appreciable 

 variation in texture and two samples representing the ' stiff' and 

 * light' portions of the land were taken for analysis. The results 

 show that there is not much difference between the two samples 

 except in the grading of the alluvial material of which the soil is 

 composed. For purposes of comparison the physical analysis of 

 a typical wrapper tobacco soil from the Connecticut Valley is set 

 forth. 



Physical Analysis. 



