TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION B. 617 



ment Station, are stated, and deductions made from Canadian data given. The 

 latter show that good agricultural soils possess usually between '25 per cent, and 

 •5 per cent, of potash — less than 'IS indicating the need of potassic fertilisers: 

 phosphoric acid is usually between "15 per cent, and "25 per cent., but the adequacy 

 of the element depends largely on the amount of lime associated with it. In lime, 

 less than 1 per cent, in clay soils indicates that their productiveness will be in- 

 creased by an application of a calcareous fertiliser. Peaty soils have always 

 responded well to a dressing of lime. Richness in nitrogen invariably indicates, 

 in Canada, loams of excellent productiveness. The larger number of our good 

 soils contain between •125 per cent, and '225 per cent, of nitrogen ; many, however, 

 reach "5 per cent., and some exceed 1-0 per cent. From the standpoint of chemical 

 composition the richest soils of the samples examined comprise those collected on 

 the prairies of the North- West and those of alluvial origin. 



British Columbia. 



As far as our investigations have carried us, the soils of this province fall into 

 three well-marked groups : (a) Deltaic, as at the mouth of the Fraser and Pitt Rivers, 

 very rich in plant food ; (b) Valley soils, of alluvial origin and of more than average 

 fertility ; and (c) Bench and plateau soils at varying altitudes, frequently light and 

 sandy, ranging from very poor soils to those of medium fertility. 



Table I. presents data from twenty-nine samples, collected in the districts of 

 Vancouver Island, New Westminister, Yale and Cariboo. The amounts of plant 

 food and the chief physical character of these soils receive consideration, and 

 deductions are made therefrom as to their relative fertility. 



North- West Territories and Manitoba. 



The prairie soils of these regions present considerable uniformity in character. 

 They are justly noted for their productiveness, 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 proceeds rapidly when the soil 

 is tilled. 



Attention is drawn to the fact that alkali soils are almost invariably found to 

 contain an abundant supply of plant food. Thorough drainage and irrigation 

 would convert them into fertile soils. Such methods, unfortunately, are not 

 always feasible. 



Table II. gives analytical data of eiglit typical surface soils from these pro- 

 vinces, those of a sample from the prairie soil of the Eed River Valley being dis- 

 cussed 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 collected in this district of 

 Muskoka only. These soils are characterised 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 Mus- 

 koka soils are scarcely heavy enough for wheat. Good yields of oats, potatoes, 

 and root and fodder crops generally, are, under a good system of culture, readily 

 obtained in favourable seasons. 



Quebec. 



The analytical results of sand and clay loams obtained from widely difl^erent 

 areas in this province are contained in Table IV. Much variation, as might be 

 expected, in composition is to be observed ; but, though some show inadequate 



