CULTIVATION. 77 



areas. The following adjoining soils and subsoils (see 

 page 38) show this: 



Soil No. 1 contains 39 % "clay" and is a Loam soil. 



2 29 % Sandy-loam soil. 



3 39 % Loam soil. 



Subsoil 2 44 % Clayey-loam "soil. 



3 51 % Clay soil. 



Sandy soils pass gradually into loam, and loam into 

 clay, and between these three great classes of soil there 

 are, loamy-sand or heavy sand, sandy-loam or light loam, 

 clayey-loam or heavy loam, and loamy-clay or light clay. 



Sandy soils usually consist of hard un weathered particles, 

 and contain little plant food, either mineral or nitrogenous. 



They are very permeable, have a small water capacity, 

 and hence require much or rather frequent irrigation. 

 Heavy waterings drain rapidly through sandy soils. Con- 

 taining little water, sandy soils are subject to rapid changes 

 of temperature and are the warmest soils and therefore 

 produce early ripening crops. Owing to the absence of 

 "clay" sandy soils are very easily tilled. Manures act 

 rapidly in them but have little lasting effect. Organic, 

 insoluble manures are best suited to sandy soil as they 

 supply the soil with humus, help to pack it more closely, 

 increase its power of holding water, and are less liable to 

 be carried away in the drainage water. Farmyard manure, 

 sewage, abattoir, bone and green manures are best ; soluble 

 manures like coufri, tafla, nitrate of soda, and super- 

 phosphate, must be carefully applied in small, frequently 

 repeated doses. The crops and fruits grown on sandy 

 soil give smallish yields, but on account of the dryness 



