commenced from below, and had worked its way upwards to the surface of 

 the soil. It was thought that brackishness of the irrigation water had con- 

 tributed to the affection, but analysis of the water did not confirm this 

 view : it appeared, however, that excessive irrigation was the chief cause, 

 and imperviousness of the soil to air owing to its compact nature and defi- 

 cient drainage. In any case, the affected vines were invariably associated 

 with the free practice of irrigation : the soils were usually irrigated once 

 very month. 



The chemical analyses* resulted as follows : 



No. 



1. 



2. 

 3. 



The first of these samples was taken at the surface, No. 2 at a depth 

 of 10 inches, and No*. 3 at from 18 to 24 inches from the surface. The soil 

 is of far finer texture than those generally associated with the cultivation 

 of the vine in the Western Province : the three samples are all rich in lime, 

 well supplied with nitrogen and potash, and have a fair reserve of phos- 

 phoric oxide: apparently, therefore, it was not deficient storage of plant 

 food that was the cause of vine-failure. The amount of chlorine in the soil 

 was no higher than has been found to be the case in several soils of the 

 Paarl and Worcester Divisions. Hence it seemed to be a just inference 

 ^that the causes were physical rather than chemical. This was evidently an 

 instance where the weak link of the chain was not lack of plant food.f 



;No. 

 1. 

 2. 

 3. 

 4. 

 5. 

 6. 



Field Cornetcy. 

 Hanover. 



HANOVER. 



(Privately collected.) 



Farm or place. 

 Hanover. 



Collector. 

 Forest Officer. 



These soils were taken from the Government Forest Plantation at 

 Hanover. The plantation forms part of Hanover Commonage, and is about 

 ten miles distant from Hanover Road Railway Station. Nos. 1, 2, and 3 

 represent surface soils, and Nos. 5 and 6 clay subsoils. No. 4 was % speci- 

 men of the limestone which underlies the soil at this locality. 



*For mechanical analysis see under "Physical composition of soils" (Part VII.). 

 t Vide remarks in this connection on pp. 17 and 18. 



