;J48 Journal of the Department of Agriculture. 



which has ouly to be applied iu order to enable the farmer to take a 

 short ciil to prosperity. The necessity for experiment and trial on 

 the part of the farmer still remains, though a knowledge of the 

 chemical comijosition of the soil may prevent haphazard experiments 

 on wrong- lines and indicate the direction which experiments should 

 take. 



A quotation from a leading authority on soils may not»be out of 

 l»lace : — * 



III some cases it will be possible by a chemical analysis to 

 pronounce a g-iven soil to be unsuited to a particular crop : 

 as a rule, however, it is not its chemical composition which 

 fits the land for a particular crop, l)ut its mechanical 

 texture, water-bearing- power, drainage, etc. In most cases 

 the soil can be adjusted to the crop by manure, though the 

 process may be unsound from an economic standpoint, but 

 no expenditure can rectify unsatisfactory texture, e.g. 

 convert a iiglit sand into a good wlieat land. 



It is interesting to note, however, tliat the conversion of a light 

 soil into a loam or of a clay into a soil of lighter texture by the 

 addition of clay or of sand has actually been proposed in this country. 



Farmers who wash to have soil samples analysed should remember 

 the limitations i)()inted out above. 



Those desirous of having soil samples analysed should first com- 

 municate with the officer concerned in order to obtain particulars li 

 methods of taking samples, quantities to send, and the iniorniation to 

 supply regarding the samples, before sendino such samples, in ord"7- 

 (" avoid the disappointment and delay which is inevitable if small or 

 jnipjoperly taken samples are forwarded. 



It is highly desirable that samjjles should be subiritted a 

 reasonable time before the advice asked is to be acted on. It is 

 naturally impossible for the laboratories of the Department of Agricul- 

 ture to maintain stafts large enough to permit of all samples bein<>' 

 dealt with immediately on receipt. The greater proportion of the son 

 samples received by the Division of Chemistry an-ive at the beginning 

 of the planting- season, frequently accompanied by the request that a 

 repoit 1)6 furnished at once as the sender wishes to plant next week. 

 This IS in any case quite impossible since even a partial soil analysis 

 takes about a week to carry out. Farmers are, therefore, requested to 

 submit samples of soil for analysis as early as possible in oider lo 

 avoid disappointment. After all there is no reason why .■Mimid rs 

 should not be taken and submitted immediately after a crop has I eeji 

 harvested instead of just prior to planting a new one. 



Plant Nurseries in Quarantine for Pests. 



The nurseries published in hist month's issue of the Jouniai (page 

 287) were still in quarantine on the 1st June, 1920. To their number 

 ,niust be added the Silverdale Xursery, Maritzburg, on which quaran- 

 tine has been imposed for White Peach Scale and Red Scale on 

 peaches. 



Hall, A. D., "The Soil." 2ii(l Edition. \k KIT. 



