198 

 Physical Analysis. 



Agricultural 

 Clay. 



Stones 



Gravel 



Sand 



Fine Sand 



Silt 

 f Fine Silt 

 jClay 



Moisture 



Retentive Power for water 



Total 



Chemical Analysis. 



Soil passed through 3 m m Sieve dried at 100° C.) 

 Insoluble Matter 

 Soluble in Hydrochloric Acid 

 f Potash 

 I Lime 



-{ Phosphoric Acid 

 I Carbonic Acid as 

 (^Carbonate of Lime 

 Combined Water and orgasic matter 



Humus (soluble in Ammonia) 



Nitrogen 



Hygroscopic Moisture 



Fertility Analysis. 



Available Potash 

 Available Phosphoric Acid 



{ 



Per Cent. 



- 1 



2 

 2 



92 ! 



59 Fine 

 20- 50 '.Earth. 

 62 47 f 

 8-52 I 

 0-30 ' 

 2 -70 J 

 lOOOn 

 Ter Cent. 

 53 5 



70-17 



29-83 

 0-713 

 0-539 

 0-105 



0-0397 



8 03 

 1.55 

 0-144 



2-77 



0.0110 

 0408 



BANANAS. 



St. Mary's. 



Trinity, Port Maria— Hon. Dr. J. Pringle, CM. G. 



This soil represents the flat low-lying area of this well-known 

 property adjacent to the town of Port Maria and very little above 

 the sea-level. Such a soil is often spoken of as a " clay" by local 

 planters. The physical analysis shows it to be mainly "silt" 

 with only a small proportion of actual " clay." Given an effective 

 drainage system, this is a soil admirably suited for Bananas. It 

 is obviously retentive but is by no means impervious and the 

 Banana roots should readily permeate such a soil provided good 

 aeration is ensured. The practical difficulty lies in the small fall 

 to the sea-level and the necessity for a deep drainage system to 

 secure conditions favourable to the free growth of the Bananas. 



The chemical analysis shows a high standard of fertility. 

 There is abundance of carbonate of lime ; potash, phosphoric 

 acid and nitrogen are all of a good standard. 



Manurial experiments are being carried out to test the effect of 

 commercial fertilisers. Four plots of ll acres each are under 

 treatment. On general lines, I am of opinion that humus and drain- 

 age are the only problems to be faced in the field management of 

 this splendid stretch of land. 



