Cultivation in Ceylon 43 



other constituents as compared with Cochrane's 

 and one-third of phosphoric acid. In the 

 Philippine Agricultural Journal analysis the 

 amount of nitrogen is slightly in excess of 

 that of Cochrane's. The potash is practically 

 the same as in Bachofen's. The phosphoric 

 acid is a mean between Cochrane's and Bacho- 

 fen's. The manure I have used, and with 

 encouraging results, is based on Cochrane's 

 analysis. I attribute the good results to the 

 quantity of potash in the mixture, which is 

 deficient in the soil to which I have applied it. 

 " Cattle manure renders valuable assistance 

 in coco-nut cultivation, whether on hard or 

 sandy soils. In its decay it adds humus to 

 the land, and the quantity of humus in a soil 

 is the measure of its fertility. Hard soils are 

 rendered friable with the addition of cattle 

 manure, and it gives body and retenti'veness 

 of moisture to a light sandy soil. Where there 

 is sufficient pasturage to maintain a herd of 

 cattle, these, when tied to the coco-nut trees, 

 give very encouraging results, as the solid 

 contents of their droppings add to the humus, 

 and the valuable liquid contained therein drains 

 into, and is absorbed by the soil if it is porous. 

 Evaporation can be arrested by the use of 

 fibre dust or any vegetable matter spread 

 round the trees to which , cattle are being 

 tethered. Wherever cattle manure or cattle 

 droppings are applied, half the quantity of 

 artificial manure is usually sufficient. Where 



