SOILS FERTTLTZERS. 



13 



Soil analysis and agricultural charts in Italy, (}. Fascktti (Mis. in Zlschr. 

 Aiigcir.Clicni.. J!) [V.ior,). A o. .id. jiji. HI-!. !H'i). — The need of systfinutic soil 

 examiuiitioii iuul chartiiif; is poiiilcd (Hit. It is claiiiied that tliis work should be 

 done with the aid and under the supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture in 

 order to secure unifornnty of methods and results. 



The soils of Victoria, T. ('iiiian i )'<(ir llool,- .\<ir. \icloritt. IHii.'i. pp. 

 2!l-'i-'i). — 'I'lie iihysical features of \'ictoria with especial reference to soils are 

 iirieliy desci-ihcil. and analyses of l!t(i samples of. typical soils are reported 

 and discussed. The average results of the analyses are iriven in the following 

 table in comiiaiison with tNpical EuLjIisii and .Vuiericau soils: 



Avcr(i</c ciniiponition of \ ict'iridii (ind other .voZ/.v. 



The characteristics of the soils of the different classes are quite fully 

 de.scribed. In general it was found that judged by European standards the 

 amount of fertilizing matter in Victorian soils is often small, but " the mar- 

 velous growth that occurs everywhere when the rain comes after a dry sjjell 

 shows that there are forces at work during the months of bright sunshine 

 which are very friendly to the husbandman." Small applications of super- 

 lihosphate sometimes prove beneficial, but applications of nitrogen in many 

 cases actually reduce the yield. 



Some preliminary notes on the physical properties of the soils of the 

 Ganges Valley, more especially in their I'elation to soil moisture, II. M. 

 Lkakk {-four. A(jr. ticL, 1 (1906). A><. '/. pp. Jfo-'f-'iOD). — This article reports a 

 series of observations extending over about one year with reference to the 

 temperature, moisture, and other conditions under which indigo is grown on 

 these soils, with the ultimate object of finding means of rendering these as 

 favorable as possible. Observations on rainfall, temperature, humidity, methods 

 of cultivation. gen(>ral ])hysical ])i-opertics of the soils, and studies of specific 

 gravity and soil moisture (to a depth of S inches) and its movement are 

 reported, and bring out the following jioints: 



"(1) A large dail.v evaporation is taking place from the surface of the soil. 



"(2) This evaporation is entirely, or in greater part, counteracted by a large 

 upward flow of moisture from a lower level and ultimately from the ground 

 w;iter." 



Some banana soils of St. Mary and Upper St. Catherine | Jamaica], II. II. 

 Cousixs (/.'///. Drpt. Ai/r. \./inii(ilcii\. ) {lUtiC). So. i. pp. 2^-33). — The results 

 of examinations with reference to mechanical condition and percentages of 

 lime as carbonate and humus soluble in ammonia of o'J samples of typical 



