and chemical action has been working at a minimum. In order to bring 

 the food materials into a soluble form, or in a form in which the plants 

 can make use of them, chemical and bacterial action is required, and this 

 is facilitated principally by a warm, moist soil, good air-circulation, and 

 sufficient organic matter. Some of these conditions are often lacking in the 

 new soils from evergreen forests, and these will require correction to insure 

 the desired results in crops. 



The statement above that these soils are probably lacking in organic 

 matter (humus content) might be the better of further comment. In soils 

 on which deciduous trees have been growing the annual leaf-fall keeps the 

 soil well supplied with organic matter. With evergreen trees we do not have 

 this annual leaf-fall except for a few needles, and these make the very 



Picture 4. Section of old orchard in Lakelse Valley. 



poorest form of humus. Soils might contain the maximum amount of 

 mineral plant-food, but without humus they would be unproductive. There 

 are several reasons why it is necessary for plant-growth, some of the most 

 important of which are: (1.) Humus during decay forms acids that bring 



