I04 The Ot .,aturalist. [August 



Table I presents data from 29 samples, collected in Van- 

 couver Island and the districts of New Westminster, Yale and 

 Cariboo. The amounts of plant food, and the chief physical char- - 

 acters of these soils receive consideration and deductions are made 

 therefrom as to their relative fertility. The soils formed by the 

 accumulation of detritus at the mouths of the Fraser, Pitt and 

 other rivers are shown to be particularly rich in plant food. 



North-west Territories and Manitoba. 



The prairie soils of these regions present considerable uni- 

 formity in character. They are justly noted for their ))roductive- 

 ness, for analysis has shown them to contain, as a rule, large 

 percentages of the essential constituents of plant food. Especially 

 are they rich in humus and nitrogen. The prevailing prairie 

 soil is a black or greyish-black loam in which nitrification pro- 

 ceeds rapidly when the soil is tilled. 



Attention -is drawn to the fact that alkali soils are almost 

 invariably found to contain an abundant suj)ijly of plant food. 

 The application of gypsum, drainage and irrigation are the 

 means suggested for converting them into fertile soils. Such 

 methods, unfortunately, are not always feasible. 



Table 11 gives analytical data of eight typical surface soils 

 from these provinces ; those of a sam, le from the prairie soil of 

 the Red River Valley being discussed in detail. The results 

 demonstrate clearly that it may be classed among the richest of 

 known soils. 



Ontario. 



Data are presented in Table III obtained from soils col- 

 lected in the district of Muskoka only. These soils are char- 

 acterized by a preponderance of sand, being such as would be 

 classed as light loams. Clay loams, however, are occasionally 

 met with. The chief deficiencies are in humus and nitrogen — 

 frequently resulting from destructive forest fires- -and in lime. 

 Speaking of them as a class, the Muskoka soils are scarcely 



