REPRliSEi^TATiVE ^RAifSVAAL SOILS. l2l 



This leads us to the question of treatment which is the one of 

 most interest to the farmer. It is surprising-, liowever, to find how 

 few farmers work on any system as far as manures are concerned; 

 we have apparently not got as far as schemes for huildino- up fertility. 

 A rotation is desirable on all soils, and the manures should be adjusted 

 to the crop grown. The Koedoespoort loam is suited to most crops; in 

 spite of its clayey nature good if not extraordinary crops of potatoes 

 may be grown. It is unfortunate tliat rooibloem is jjrevalent and at 

 times ruinous to the maize crop. A proper lotation should include a 

 leguminous crop, ploughed under if necessary, or cropped by cattle, 

 or even cut for fodder. The scheme suggested is, therefore: — 



1. Basic slag' 300-500 lb. every other year; or bone-meal 



300-500 lb. every other year ; or superphosphate 150-300 lb. 

 every vear. 



2. 500-1000 lb.' slaked or quicklime or 1000-2000 lb. " agricul- 



tural lime " (ground limestone) every two or three years. 



3. A leguminous crop (cowpeas will probably be best) ploughed 



under every third or fourth year, or ten tons dung every 

 third year. 

 The treatment should be so arranged that one stage be carried 

 out each year somewhat after the following scheme for maize alone : — 



Or, 

 a rotation adopted at the experiment stations of the Tobacco and 

 Cotton Division (4), and for which the manurial treatment suggested 

 is : — 



Crop. Treatment. 



1st year ... ... Tobacco ... ... Phosphatic manure. 



2nd year... ... Cotton ... ... ... Lime. 



3rd year ... ... Legume ploughed under Phosphatic manure. 



4th year ... ... Maize ... ... ... None. 



If necessary a light dressing of sulphate of potash may be applied 

 to the tobacco crop or a dressing of nitrate of soda to the cotton crop, 

 though in most cases such additional manuring will hardly pay. 



Rkferences. 



(1) Watt, R. D., Transvaal Agricultural Jourruil, VII, 27th April. 



1909. 



(2) Yipond, H. J., Annual Reports, Division of Chemistry, 1910, 



pp. 409-410; 1910-11, p. 376; 1913-14, pp. 225-226. 



(3) Yipond, H. J., Union Agricultural Journal, II, 5, p. 618; lY, 4, 



p. 529; and YI, 3, p. 493. 



(4) Scherfiius, W. H., Union Agrirvlfvral Jouriuil, YIT. 6, p. 825. 



