424 



THE FERTILITY OF SOILS IN THE TROPICS 



Calculated on the dry soil. 



while it is desirable, it is not absolutely essential, because 

 most of the soils producing bananas in Jamaica contain 

 but little humus. The typical banana soils of Annatto 

 Bay and Port Antonio districts, on the north coast, are 

 rather heavy clays, but the most profitable plantations 

 are on soils of a loamy consistency. That described 

 by the Government Chemist, Mr. H. H. Cousins (Bulletin 

 of the Department of Agriculture, Jamaica, October, 

 1901), as the most ideal soil for bananas at Portland, 

 contains such an enormous amount of humus and other 

 plant foods, that it resembles a rich compost more than 

 an ordinary soil, as shown by the following percentage 

 analysis : 



Humus... 



Moisture 



Organic matter and combined wate 



Nitrogen 



Potash ... 



Lime ... 



Phosphoric acid ... 



" Available" potash 



,, phosphoric acid 



Other soils from St. Catherine, Jamaica, growing 

 bananas successfully, are reported by the same authority 

 to contain, per cent.: 



Humus 



Nitrogen 



Potash 



Lime ... 



Phosphoric acid 



"Available" potash 



,, phosphoric acid 



The analyses quoted [5] represent pretty well the ex- 

 tremes of banana soils, and good results obtained on 

 the two last-mentioned soils, containing rather small 

 amounts of humus, must be due to exceptionally favour- 

 able climatic conditions. 



There can be no doubt, from all the evidence obtain- 

 able, that bananas require a well-drained, loamy soil, 

 containing a fair amount of humus, and good amounts of 

 potash, lime and phosphoric acid in readily available 

 form. 



With regard to the manuring of bananas the following 

 remarks may be of interest. 



