SELECTING AND CLASSIFYING LAND. 25 



Organic matter 5.510 



Alumina and iron 4.000 



Lime 0.630 



Magnesia 0.012 



Potash 0.020 



Chloride sodium 0.063 



Phosphoric acid 0.014 



Sulphuric acid 0.031 



Moisture 1.870 



Silica and loss 87.730 



Nitrogen = ammonia, 0.112. 

 Capacity for absorbing and retaining moisture, 9. 



A Soil Capable of Immense Improvement. From 

 portion of the Government lands at Rookwood, some 10 

 miles from Sydney, the formation is of the Wianamatta 

 shales series. Until cleared, there was very little grass 

 upon the land : 



Organic matter ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 14.70 



Alumina and iron ... ... ... .. .. ... 9.10 



Lime 0.01 



Magnesia Faint traces 



Phosphates Traces 



Potash ... Traces 



Chloride sodium ... ... ... ... ... ... 0.02 



Sulphuric acid ... ... ... ... None 



Silica and loss 76.00 



Nitrogen = ammonia, 0.15. 

 Capacity for absorbing and retaining moisture, 5. 



The subsoil is stiff clay, the first six inches red, and 

 bearing oxidised iron ; under that, white clay in a bad 

 state, from the presence of unoxidised iron ; but analysis 

 shows considerable traces of alkalies, magnesian earth, &c. 

 Draining should improve this soil very much ; without 

 drainage, but little can be expected from it. As an 

 experiment, a portion of the land under grass, is drained to 

 a depth of 3 feet, witli 2-inch and 1^-inch pipes. 



Peculiarities of Our Soils. There is now opportunity 

 for seeing what is the real character of some hundreds of 

 our soils fairly representative soils from all parts of the 

 country. Main features of our soil are wonderfully alike 

 in many respects, soils taken from locations hundreds of 

 miles apart. There is also, and it is said with decided 

 regret, marked uniformity in a deficiency of necessary 



