also slope slightly toward the river bed. The underground drainage 

 strata vary in depth; in some of the lower lands, seepage water is 

 found within a few feet of the surface. 



Chemical composition of the soi/s. The soils are of the alkali type, 

 some of them containing a considerable amount of water-soluble chlo- 

 rides, sulphates, and carbonates which are found accumulated in the 

 finely powdered surface layer. This is especially true of the soils 

 along the coast. 



These soils of the cane growing district are, as a whole, well sup- 

 plied with the elements essential to plant growth. Lime is often very 

 high as compared with some other cane growing countries. Phos- 

 phoric acid (total) is good, as is the amount of potash. Nitrogen is 

 good, but is a variable quantity, depending for any given soil on the 

 time it has been under cultivation, water supply, class of weeds or 

 plants that have grown on it, and the amount of flood waters that 

 have been allowed to cover it. (Adjoining the cultivated areas are 

 large tracts of land formerly cultivated by I he natives of the country 

 centuries ago. Today the soil appears lifeless for want of organic 

 matter and nitrogen. Long periods of rest from cultivation and irri- 

 gation have diminished the supply. With proper care this soil could 

 be made remunerative though to an observer it appears hopeless.) 



Organic matter is variable. The soils of most arid regions usually 

 contain an excess of insoluble material and little organic matter. These 

 soils digress somewhat from this rule, and are found to contain a fair 

 amount of insoluble residue and organic matter although they are 

 essentially mineral soils. This can probably be accounted for in the 

 manner of their formation; humus is also higher than would be ex- 

 pected for the same reason. 



Much of the lime in the soil is in the form of carbonate. In some 

 places along the immediate coast, nitrates are found. 



The mode of formation from the composition of the mother soil 

 accounts for the natural richness of these valley soils under cultiva- 

 tion. Irrigation, cultivation and fertilization have modified them to a 

 great extent and have occasioned many local differences that deserve 

 special mention. In a word, they are naturally rich in plant food, 

 retentive of moisture, easy of cultivation, and capable under proper 

 treatment of great productiveness; they are generally deep soils, well 

 -drained, and approach as nearly the conditions of an ideal soil as can 

 be found. 



