THE SOILS OF THE CANE-GROWING REGIONS ti 



The soil was a tenacious grey clay underlying a layer of " pegass " from 

 three to six inches deep, and was sampled to a depth of one foot. 



British India Soils. — The annexed note on the soils of British India, 

 abridged from an account b}^ Leather^*, treats of the soils generally and not 

 specifically with reference to the cane. ]\Iainly four types are recognised : — 

 (i) the Indo-Gangetic and other alluvial deposits ; (2) the black cotton or 

 " regur " soils ; (3) the red soils of Madras overlying metamorphic rocks ; 

 (4) laterite soils. Generally all the soils contain large quantities of iron 

 and alumina, with ample supplies of potash and magnesia. The lime, 

 phosphoric acid and nitrogen are usually low, being in the order named 

 on an average less than o-i per cent., o-i per cent., and 0-05 per cent. 

 The quantity of phosphoric acid indicated as available by Dyer's method is 

 not however, unusually deficient. 



Cuban Soils. — The soils of Cuba upon which-the cane is grown are divided 

 by F. S. Earle^^ into three classes, and are thus described by him : — 



The Red Lands. — These are found mainly in Havana and JMantanzas provinces, 

 but they occur also in eastern Pinai del Rio and in certain areas near the coast in 

 the three eastern provinces. This red soil has man}' peculiar qualities. It is very 

 sticky when wet and is heavy and difficult to cultivate, and yet it allows water to 

 pass through it as readily as through the lightest sand. Within a few hours after 

 a heav-y^ shower, if the sun shines, the surface will begin to dry, and it will be 

 possible to run ploughs and cultivators. There is no subsoil, as the red surface soil 

 extends down practically unchanged to the bed rock, which is always a cavernous 

 limestone pierced with numerous subterranean passages which provide a perfect 

 natural under-drainage. There are very few streams or rivers in the red lands, as 

 the rain water sinks so readily into the soil and is carried oif by these underground 

 passages, finally iinding a vent in great springs, many of which come out in the 

 bottom of the sea, forming the spots of fiesh water which are knoAvn to occur along 

 certam parts of the Cuban coast. This remarkable natural diainage makes these 

 soils easy to cultivate during the rainj^ season, but for the same reason they become 

 too dry for m^ost crops during the winter, except where artificially watered. 

 Irrigation on a large scale will always be difficult on these lands, on account of lack 

 of available streams, and because so much water will soak away in the canals and 

 ditches that a large head will be required in order to cover a comparatively small 

 area. 



Taking everything into consideration, these lands are probably the most satis- 

 factorj' on the island for sugar production. With good management and with 

 favourable seasons the best black lands will yield somewhat heavier crops ; and it is 

 claimed by some that the cane from black lands is somewhat richer in sucrose ; but 

 the crop on the red lands is always certain, never being injured by excessive rains, 

 and it is always possible to give sufficiently frequent tillage to keep down the weeds. 

 The cultivation is cheaper also, as no expensive drainage ditches are needed, and no 

 ridging up of the rows is required, level culture being best for these lands. The 

 red soil is well supplied with the mineral elements of fertility, and, on account of 

 its depth, it stands successive cropping for many years. No soils respond better to 

 the use of fertilizers, and none can be built up more quickly by the growth of 

 leguminous crops for green manuring. 



Black Soils with a White Calcareous Subsoil.- — These occupy large areas in the 

 hill regions in the northern and central parts of Havana and Matanzas provinces. 

 Similar soils occur also in the eastern provinces, usually where the country is more 

 or less rolling. When first cleared such lands are very feitile, but their hilly 

 character subjects them to constant loss from washing during heavy rains. Their 

 durability depends upon the original thickness of the top soil, and on the steepness 

 of the hiils and the consequent degree of loss from washing. These soils are fairly 

 permeable to water, but not nearly so much so as the red soils. On account of their 

 more retentive character they cannot be cultivated so quickly after rains, nor, on 

 the other hand, do they suffer so quickly from drought during the diy season. 

 Ditching is seldom necessary except sometimes on the lower portions ; the uneven 

 surface usually affords drainage, and it can be aided by slightly ridging up the rows 

 during cultivation. On the steeper and more broken of these lands, much of the 



