160 



SOILS AND AGRICULTURAL CONDITIONS 



holes for the trees are blasted and filled in with soil. The use of thick cover 

 crops, grown in the latter part of the wet season, and cut and left on the ground 

 for a mulch, is recommended, as tending to conserve the moisture through the 

 dry season. The use of seaweed or any other refuse would be Ijeneficial to this 

 soil, particularly as a mulch. Very little fertilizer of any kind is used in the 

 growing of cultivated crops on this soil. The greater part of this type is 

 allowed to remain in the native coppice growth. 



The mechanical analyses of three samples of this soil are given in the 

 table below : 



MECHANICAL ANALYSES OF BAHAMA BLACK LOAM. 



The above analyses show the soil to be composed of about two-thirds sand, 

 with the remainder consisting of a little more silt than clay particles. The 

 organic matter content is extremely high, as would be expected. 



The chemical analysis of a composite sample of this soil type is given in 

 the following table : 



PRINCIPAL PLANT FOOD CONSTITUENTS IN BAHAMA BLACK LOAM. 

 By acid digestion (HCl sp. gr. 1.11.5.). 

 Constituent. Per cent. 



Phosphoric acid (P0O5) 085 



Lime ( CaO) 790 



Potash ( K2O ) 725 



Nitrogen (N) 341 



This soil would seem to be amply supplied with phosphoric acid, and to 

 contain unusually abundant amounts of the other desirable constituents as 

 compared with continental soils. 



