362 TiMEHRl. 



from 4 to 5 per cent, of nitrogen, from 16 to 20 per cent, 

 of "soluble phosphates," and from 6 to 10 per cent, of 

 potash, are applied to the canes soon after they 

 spring or even to the soil shortly before the canes are 

 planted. The use of these manures, suggested originally 

 by Mr. GEORGE Hughes in his report to the Barbados 

 Agricultural Society for 1880, but the composition of 

 which as now used, I first pointed out to the Anglo- 

 Continental Manure Company in 1883 and 1884, has, 

 in the general opinion of the planters, proved successful, 

 and a high value is ascribed to them. 



Are these dedu6lions applicable to the soils and 

 climatic conditions of this colony ? From what I have 

 seen since my arrival here, and from many soil analyses 

 which I have since made, I am inclined to believe that 

 the first and second are probably applicable ; that the 

 third requires experimental enquiry, as upon our heavy 

 clay soils, reasoning from analogy with European experi- 

 ments, nitrate of soda, if applied with due caution, 

 should give fully equivalent results to sulphate of 

 ammonia; that the fourth is fully applicable; that 

 careful experiments require to be made with regard 

 to the fifth and sixth; and that owing to the large 

 quantities of potash present in many of our soils, the 

 application of potash salts may be without beneficial 

 a6lion, whilst upon others and especially upon soils long 

 under cultivation its use may be beneficial.* 



What is urgently required in this colony is an agricul- 

 tural experiment station, where experiments would be 



* By the system adopted here of leaving the fallen and stripped 

 leaves and the tops of the canes upon the land, about 64 per cent, of the 

 potash taken up by the crop is at once restored to the soil. 



