FERTILIZERS 79 



manure, and the ground between the rows to be well 

 scuffled and cultivated afterwards. 



" The early maturing of bunches in the rows, on which 

 a heavy crop of pigeon-pea was grown and ploughed in, 

 has already been noticed, and this must be due to the 

 large amount of humus enabling the ground to hold the 

 moisture better. 



" The leguminous crops on Mr. Guy's blocks are not 

 doing so well, and this is undoubtedly due to a greater 

 want of lime in this soil. This fact was borne out by the 

 analysis of soils taken from the limed and unlimed portion 

 of the second series, when we found that the limed soil 

 contained only 0'22 per cent, total and 0-054 per cent, 

 available (citric and soluble) lime, whereas the unlimed 

 soil gave a little higher results ; but both soils had a strong 

 acid reaction. 



" When planting green manure crops between the rows 

 of bananas, it is very important to keep the stools them- 

 selves clear, as in dry seasons the green crop would rob 

 the ground of too much moisture. It is advisable to have 

 the ground covered during the season of heavy rainfalls ; 

 the crop should afterwards be cut down, and the soil 

 cultivated during the dry months. 



"It is quite evident that only soils with a fairly large 

 amount of humus will grow bananas successfully, and the 

 humus can easily be supplied by suitable green-manure 

 crops. 



" Our experiments should show how long bananas can 

 be grown profitably on old exhausted banana lands by the 

 aid of heavy applications of artificial fertilizers, costing, 

 with two dressings with the double standard amounts, 

 about Is. 3d. per stool annually. The advantages of 

 utilizing old lands are many, and should amply pay fo? 

 the heavy cost of fertilizers." 



The following translation of an article on manures for 

 the banana by M. A. Couturier of Paris is by Dr. James 

 Neish,* who has added notes in brackets : 



* Journ. Agric. Soc, Jamaica, vii. 175 (1903). 



