348 TlMEHRI. 



eighteen inches to two feet in depth, and as the follow- 

 ing determinations show, deficient in nitrogen, phos- 

 phoric anhydride and potash :— 



No. I. No. 2. 



Nitrogen • 'loa '154 



Phosphoric anhydride "079 '097 



Potash '106 '095 



For the experiments with varieties of canes we sele6led 

 more fertile fields, as shown by the following : — 



Nitrogen *I02 per cent* 



Phosphoric anhydride "198 „ 



Potash '242 „ 



During the crops of 1887, 1888, 1889 and 1890, 

 the rainfall and climatic conditions at Dodds were 

 exceptionally favourable for the growth of the sugar 

 cane, and it is the results of the experiments during 

 these years of which I intend to give a brief resume, as 

 from the deficiency of the soil in the more important 

 constituents of plant food, its excellent mechanical 

 condition and first-rate tillage and the very favourable 

 seasons, the results obtained at Dodds appear to be of 

 great importance with regard to the manurial require- 

 ments of the sugar cane, and may, to some extent, 

 assist us in this colony in the seleftion of manures 

 for use in its cultivation. The first year's experiments 

 being mainly devoted to ascertaining the more promising 

 lines of investigation to take up, and also being greatly 

 affefled by drought, I have not, with one exception, 

 considered their results, but I may mention that they 

 were in full accordance with those since obtained. The 

 following shows the age of the canes when reaped in 

 each year, the rainfall during the growth of the crop, 



