Agriculture and Soils of the Cape Province. 441 



(viz., lime and magnesia carbonates) as nil in the case of No. 612, 

 and a mere trace in the other two cases. 



Potash. — The figures for potash are similar in all cases and 

 appear to indicate sufficiency; but they represent "capital" and 

 not "available." The "available" potash is ample only in No. 

 613 and No. 614 ; No. 612 contains only about one-fifth of the 

 " available " potash contained by the other two soils, and is doubt- 

 less deficient in that respect. 



Phosphoiic Oxide. — No. 614 is well provided with this plant-food 

 substance, and a fair proportion of it is available. The amounts of 

 phosphoric oxide in Nos. 612 and 613 are low, but it should be noted 

 that No. 613 contains much more "available" phosphoric oxide 

 than No. 612 and nearly as much as No. 614. No. 613 contains a 

 fair quantity of " available " phosphoric oxide, while No. 612 is 

 deficient. 



It is evident from the foregoing discussion that whether judged 

 by the chemical or by the mechanical analysis, soil No. 612 is 

 decidedly inferior to either No. 613 or No. 614. 



Recommendations. 



No. 612. — This soil is deficient in carbonates, in "available" 

 potash and in " available " phosphoric oxide. The soil is also of 

 low retentiveness. The first-mentioned deficiency can be corrected 

 by the application of finely ground limestone. The deficiencies in 

 plant food would be best met by the application of a suitable manure, 

 as, for instance, a mixture of 250 lb. bone dust and 2000 lb. kraal 

 manure (dry sifted material), these quantities being sufficient for a 

 morgen for ordinary crops. 



Green manuring is recommended for the purpose of increasing 

 the amount of humus in the soil, as this would make the soil more 

 retentive, thereby improving the moisture factor. 



The mechanical composition of this soil would indicate that it is 

 more suitable for potatoes than No. 613 on which that crop is grown. 

 This would doubtless be the case were the seasons such that the crop 

 did not suffer from want of moisture, and provided the farmer would 

 supply the deficient plant food. Should it be attempted to grow 

 potatoes on this land, the alx)ve-mentioned mixture should be applied 

 to half a morgen, and the kraal manure could be doubled in quantity 

 with advantage. 



No. 613 would benefit by green manuring, the application of 

 bone dust, and of agricultural lime. Good tillage would also prove 

 of greatest benefit. The soil is, perhaps, rather fine in texture for 

 potatoes. No. 612 being the more desirable type; but what it loses 

 in that respect it more than gains over No. 612 by its other 

 superiorities. 



No. 614 requires good tillage more than anything else, and it 

 would probably benefit from a dressing of agricultural lime. It is a 

 rather heavy soil, and would appear to be well suited to wheat. Light 

 dressings of superphosphate or dissolved bones at seeding time would 

 doubtless improve the root development of crops and through that 

 the yields. 



[Further instalments will be published in subsequent issues of the 

 , Journal. ] 



