T. RiGa 397 



lowered by this percentage. The calcium carbonate content varies 

 from -06 to -70 per cent., the higher figure representing the area to the 

 south of CTirtford. The area north of Sandy is low in calcium carbonate. 

 The available plant food determinations show a sufficiency of potash 

 but rather a low percentage of phosphoric acid, particularly in the area 

 to the north of Sandy. 



This formation is commonly manured with a light dressing of dung 

 and a fairly large dressing of soot. Supplementary phosphatic manures 

 such as basic slag or basic superphosphate should be valuable under 

 these circumstances. 



2. Greensand Series. 



The greensand soils have been grouped into two soil formations. 



(a) The dark sand formation. 



This formation occurs on the escarpment of greensand between 

 Sandy and Everton. The dark sands always seem to overlie the brown 

 sand formation, for the dark sands are seldom more than a foot deep 

 except on the slopes where the depth may be nearly 2 feet. 



A pit on the escarpment between Sandy and Everton showed : 



Grey sands 9 inches. 



Carstone 1 foot. 



Bright yellow sands. 



The dart sand formation is extensively covered with fir and larch 

 plantations, but these are gradually being removed to give room for more 

 profitable market-gardening. 



Batchelor^ describes the greensand soils as being too hilly for 

 cultivation, and comments upon the two types of sand to be seen in the 

 district. He says that the grey sands are invariably poorer than the 

 brown sands and that they grow common heath {Erica vulgaris) and poor 

 grasses. The present writer has also noticed this, but while Batchelor 

 ascribes the poverty of the dark sands to a lower percentage of iron, the 

 real reason seems to he in a very much lower percentage of plant food. 



The following figures are averages for brown and dark sands showing 

 the percentage of iron and alumina, potash and phosphoric acid. 



' Batclulur, .S'm/ic// vJ Biil ford shire. 



