BANANA SOILS IN JAMAICA 63 



fine crops of bananas can be grown on such soils. It 

 would appear that the practice of mulching would enable 

 a large extension of banana cultivation on the red soils to 

 be successfully brought about. It is noticeable that 

 although derived from the limestone, the red soil has a 

 very moderate content of this material now remaining. 

 The process of weathering frequently removes almost the 

 last traces of lime from these soils, and in some cases the 

 addition of lime has a marked effect on its productive 

 powers. 



44 No. 10. This is a sample of the soil from that magnifi- 

 cent alluvial flat at the eastern end of St. Thomas that was 

 formerly of enormous value for the growing of cane, and 

 is now in bananas. These soils are excellent banana lands, 

 and magnificent crops are obtainable if the exposed 

 situation of the lands does not result in the loss of the 

 crop by breeze as has too frequently been the case during 

 the past ten years. It would appear to the writer that 

 the wisest policy would be to utilize the bananas for 

 establishing cocoa and coco -nuts on these lands, and 

 eventually to abandon the banana in favour of these crops 

 that are not so subject to damage from wind. The fertility 

 of these soils and their adaptability to cultivation are even 

 greater than the bare figures of the analysis would indicate, 

 while the rainfall is liberal and the climate hot and humid 

 and favourable to the growing of large crops. 



44 No. 11. This is a soil that has been found to grow 

 bananas well in Vere. The recent developments in the 

 modernization of the sugar industry in that parish have, 

 however, encouraged the planters to grow more canes, 

 and this would appear to be a more suitable and satis- 

 factory crop for this, the most fertile alluvial tract in the 

 island. 



44 No. 12. This is a good specimen of some of the 

 abandoned cane lands of St. James, which are rich but 

 rather retentive soils requiring only thorough tillage and 

 ample drainage to yield fine crops of bananas. There are 

 great possibilities for the extension of the banana as a 



