32 The Ottawa Naturalist. 



It is thus apparent that the knowledge afforded by a 

 chemical analysis, when properly interpreted, is of great value as 

 an indication of a soil's productiveness and for suggesting its 

 economical treatment with fertilizers. A complete soil analysis 

 comprises a series of most careful and accurate chemical 

 operations, the determining of the amounts of plant food and 

 more especially of the nitrogen, potash and phosphoric 

 acid. Since such work- necessitates a considerable expendi- 

 ture of time, only typical soils, representative of large areas that 

 have never been cropped or manured, are submitted to complete 

 analysis. 



As might be expected, the soils in Canada are exceedingly 

 varied as regards their origin, their nature and composition. We 

 have not yet the data that would enable us to speak of all 

 classes of Canadian soils, for considering the area of the arable 

 land in the Dominion, the worK accomplished can scarcel}^ be 

 said to do more than give us information regarding the soils of 

 widely isolated districts. Our endeavour will be, as opportunity 

 offers, to continue this chemical survey and thus gradually 

 accumulate data that will be of service, directly to our own 

 farmers and of interest and value to those of other countries 

 who may be meditating emigration to the Dominion by bring- 

 ing before them a knowledge of the character of Canadian soils. 



To mention a few of the more typical soils of the various 

 provinces, I might, beginning in the West, tell you of the rich 

 and fertile soils from the valleys of the Fraserand Pitt Rivers 

 in British Columbia. 



These alluvials deposits, composed of detritus, cover many 

 thousands of acres, and rank, both as regards mechanical condition 

 and richness of composition, with the best soils of any country 

 in the world. Of nitrogen, potash and phosphoric acid, as well 

 as of the minor elements of plant food, analysis has proved them 

 to contain large,, stores. Undoubtedly, the soils formed by the 

 deposits of other rivers in the province would show themselves 

 on examination to be equally rich in plant food. 



