1903] VEGETATION OF THE BAY OF FUNDY MARSHES 287 
most virgin soils, existing probably as double silicates likely to be gradu- 
ally liberated in available form by good culture and favorable climatic con- 
ditions; phosphoric acid somewhat lower than in virgin soils of average 
fertility, but a large amount of it is in available form; oxide of iron large in 
amount, a favorable feature for fertility under proper cultivation; immediately 
available potash not abundant in this sample, probably because removed for 
so many years by the hay crop, but available phosphoric acid fairly abundant. 
o. Il. Shows nearly double the organic matter and nitrogen of no. I; 
also much richer in potash, total and available, but has less phosphoric acid. 
If properly drained should give results as good as no. I. 
No. III. Of special interest as showing the composition of the original 
soil as brought in by the tide. Shows nearly three times the lime of nos. [ 
and II, no doubt because so much lime has been removed from the former 
with the crops. 
o. IV. Not positively deficient in substances needful for fertility but 
mechanically eeoraree (Compare remarks on these blue soils on the 
next page.) 
No. V. Not appreciably different from the others except in its smaller 
proportion of nitrogen and humus, which is explained by its deeper position. 
o. VI. Not richer in mineral matters than many soils of average pro- 
ductiveness. But a discrimination between the total amounts of the important 
substances, and the amounts immediately available, shows a remarkably 
large proportion of the latter, as compared with other fertile soils, and prob- 
ably in this feature consists a large part of its richness. 
With these it is of interest to compare an earlier, and appar- 
ently careful, analysis given by Dawson, in his Acadian Geology 
(third edition p. 23) of a ‘Red soil from Truro, recently 
deposited”’: 
Moisture . - - = 4G Organic matter - . 1.5 
Soluble in water Carbonate of lime - + 3.60 
Chlorine .0o95 Oxideofiron - : : 2.74 
eae ig common salt ER > Keine ; 3 a «eae 
Potash - +. ,o13. Magnesia 4 x 
cee huric acid Re} Soda and potash - = ipa 
a ’ el aes pr ota acid - -09 
nae - - " - 005  Siliceous sand (very fine) 88.00 
Magnesia - - i = 208 
Trueman gives some analyses, very imperfect, however, of 
these soils in his paper (page 104),” and some others are found 
9 Eaton, in his most excellent account of the marshes, points out what ne thinks 
a chemical difference between the marshes of Minas Basin and those of Chignecto 
Bay in that the former contain larger quantities of salts of potash, lime and alumina. 
