1897] F. T. SnUTT.— COMPOSITICN OF CaN. VIRGIN SOILS. I05 



heavy enough for wheat. Good yields of oats, potatoes and 

 root and fodder crops, generally, are under good systems of 

 culture readily obtained in favourable seasons. 



Quebec. 



The analytical results of clays and loams obtained from 

 widely different areas in this province are contained in Table IV. 

 Much variation in composition is to be observed, as might be ex- 

 pected, but, although some show inadequate quantities of certain 

 elements for best results, all the surface samples come well 

 within the limits of fertility we have discussed, and many of the 

 soils are seen tocomj^are most favourably with those of recog- 

 nized productiveness. 



The Maritime Provinces. 



The analyses of several typical soils in the Maritime Pro- 

 vinces are given in Table V. Prominent among these is one 

 from the Sackville Marsh, N.B., at the head of the Bay of Fundy 

 The tides of this bay are phenomenally high, carrying vvith them 

 vast amounts of detritus. Large deposits of this so-called marsh 

 mud consequently form, and this material is highly prized by 

 many farmers as an amendment, frequently being applied at the 

 rate of 100 to 200 loads per acre. Reclaimed marsh lands are 

 found to be exceedingly fertile. 



Particulars are presented of a typical soil from Prince 

 Edward Island. It is seen to be inferior in several particulars 

 to many of our Western soils and it would seem, therefore, that 

 this province, justly known as a fertile one, owes its reputation 

 rather to good soil texture and favourable climatic conditions 

 than .to large percentages of soil -food constituents. 



Table VI shows the averages of the results from the soils 

 examined, taken province by province. The data, however, are 

 only to be interpreted as representing the composition bf soils 

 of large areas in the respective provinces. 



