138 Transactions of the South African Philosophical Society. 
aoe a 
o 
© o a: x 
Name of Farm and No. 8 aS ; 8 a q a iS 
of Sample. S ae = q = S z 
OF 5 Z alos 
mH 
DIVISION—-BREDASDORP | 
Field-Cornetcy : Bloemfontein | 
ie PAVOCAM er ceciloisercscen-nincceeceae 38 2°36 | G15 | °17 “320 | “Ode Os 
Diviston—MossEu Bay | 
Field-Cornetcy : Before Atta- 
quas Kloof . 
38. Hartebeeste Kraal ......... 3°52 D208) 4032 e0abe| elon) c6sen) O74 
39. 55 Sa, ee memerrte "92 2°47 | 0071 | -031-| -18 | -18 _ |_:061 
Scarcely any in the foregoing table can be classed as true granitic 
soils, either primary or alluvial. Nos. 22, 23, and 24 are alluvial 
clays, the last of the three being apparently, judging from its appear- 
ance, affected by the granite below; this also shows itself in the 
smaller amount of lime and higher percentage of potash. Nos. 25, 
26, 27, and 28 are all clay soils, the last three being of a rather 
sandy nature: it is somewhat interesting to note that No 25, a stiff, 
grey-coloured soil, is locally described as ‘‘ rust resistent,’’ whereas 
this is not the case with sample No. 28, a sandy soil. When one 
reflects on the circumstances that the former of these two soils is 
well supplied with the essential fertilising ingredients of soils, and 
that No. 28 is the poorest of the four soils, one reason for the local 
opinion on the subject becomes evident. The crops grown under 
the advantages of the fertile soil are better able to remain proof 
against attack than those grown on soil such as that represented 
by No. 28, which just misses being a poor all-round soil. In the 
case of sample No. 25 the effect on the composition of the soil of 
the compacted blown sand underlying the immediate surface soil 
throughout extensive portions of the Malmesbury Division is clearly 
noticeable. No. 29 is a humus soil of considerable fertility—so 
productive, in fact, that fallowing is rendered unnecessary. The 
underlying limestone here, too, greatly aids the fertility of the soil. 
No. 30 is the first granitic soil on this list, but it is not a pure 
granite, being intermixed with the lime deposit; and here, as in 
some other cases, manuring is never practised. It is well known 
amongst many farmers in this neighbourhood that the limestone 
soils to a large extent withstand rust, and that at times, when the 
grain grown on sandy soil is almost completely ravaged, the crops 
standing on the lime soils are only slightly affected. Nos. 31 and 32 
are rather sandy, but 33 is an alluvial clay soil; 34, 35, and 36 are 
sandy loams. 
