846 SOIL I'liOTOZOA IX SOUTH AKllICA. 



George District. — Three samples of soil were obtained from 

 the district of George on September 19. Each soil gave an acid 

 reaction to litmus. 



(i) Soil from farm Gwaayang, about six miles south-west oi 

 George. This was a common type of soil from the so-called 

 intermediate belt, and is used for growing potatoes, wdieat, sweet 

 potatoes, etc. It overlies granite, but does not appear to have 

 been derived from it. The rainfall of the district is about 30 

 inches per annum. The altitude is about 600 feet above sea 

 level. The soil as received was light brown, sand}-, finely divided, 

 and contained a few plant roots. It was a mixed sample from 

 the surface to five inches deep (plough depth). No Protozoa were 

 found on direct examination. 



In water culture the following organisms were observed: — 



Rhizopoda. — Amceha proteus, A. Umax, A. veivucosa , A> 

 guttula, Euglypha sp. 



Heliozoa. — Actinophrys soJ. 



Mastigophora. — Pcranerna tricltoplionnn , Oikomonas icrmo, 

 Bodo (P.) paroa, Cercomonas ciassicauda, Entosiplion 

 sulcatuin , Plcuronionaa jaciiIaiiH. 



Infusoria. — CycUdinm glaucoDia. 



Ciliates were very rare in this culture. 



(ii) Sample of soil from the lower slopes of the Jonkersberg. 

 The Union Forestiy Department is planting Pinus insignis exten- 

 sively on these slopes. The pines here have made hardly any 

 growth. The altitude is about 1,200 feet above sea level. There 

 is no dry season, the rainfall is about 40 inches per annum, and 

 heavy rain had fallen a few daj^s before the sample was taken. 

 The specimen was a dark, crumbly, loamy soil, and was damp 

 when received. It was a mixed sample froixi the surface" to eight 

 inches deep. No Protozoa were observed on direct examination. 



The following Protozoa, however, were found in water 

 cultures : — 



Ehizopoda. — Amoeba proteus, A. guttula, Difjiugia glubu- 

 losa, Euglypha alvcolata, Eughjidia- sp. 



Heliozoa. — Actinophrys sol. 



Mastigophora. — Oiliomonas termo, Bodo (P.) pan-ii, 

 Euglcna oxyuris, Entosiphou sulcatu)u . 



Infusoria. — Aniphileptus cygnus. 

 The Protozoa were present in small numbers only. 



(iii) Sample of soil from the lower slopes of the Jonkei-sberg, 

 where the Union Forestry Department is planting Pinus insignis 

 extensively, but where the growth of the pines is good. The 

 rainfall and general conditions are like those of the previous soil. 

 The soil itself was a dark, loamy, crumbl^^ soil, slightly damp, but 

 not so damp as specimen (ii) when received. The sample was 

 a mixed one, from the surface to eight inches deep. No motile 

 Protozoa were detected on direct examination, but thecae of 



