146 FERITILIZING SUBSTANCES. 3 
of agriculture which constitutes the main material in- 
terest of this colony. Proceedings of Committee Meéet- 
ings of the Association were formerly held sacred from 
publication, a rule more honored in the breach than 
the observance. The result of the restrictive rule (no 
longer in force), is that we only now are aware that, 
at a Committee Meeting held so long ago as 20th 
June 1870, ‘‘Mr. Harrison mentioned that, in accord- 
ance with the request ot the Committee, he had se- 
lected samples of soils, coffee, &c., from various estates 
and forwarded them to England for purposes of ana- 
lysis. He then read a paper descriptive of the vari- 
ous samples sent.” The analysis of soils made by 
Dr. Vcelcker a year ago (he does not seem to hav: 
theught it necessary to report on the branches, leaves, 
and fruit sent to him) are published, with the opini- 
ons of that eminent agricultural chemist as to the 
best substances for application to such soils and the 
proportions of each. The soils were of all qualities, 
taken from estates of varying ages and at different 
elevations, and Dr. Voelcker prescribes for each typic- 
al case. This contribution to the literature of coffee 
culture is therefore of general and great importance, 
fully justifying the space we devote to it. We in- 
tended to have drawn attention in detail to the main 
results established, but spxce to-day will not permit. 
For thé present, therefore, we can only say that Dr. 
Voelcker’s analyses confirm the results of previous 
ones as to the wenderful similarity of the coffee soils 
of Ceylin in all the main constituents: organic mat- 
ter, oxides of iron, alumina and insoluble silicious 
matter. 
The great problem is to ascertain the proportions 
in the soil of,—first, PHOSPHORIC ACID; and second, 
poTasH. A few decimal parts of these essential ele- 
ments deficient cr in excess make all the difference 
between sterility and fertility; and on the propor- 
tions ascertained depend the quantities which should. 
be apphed to the ssil of jrst,—good MURIATE OF 
POTASH (the imported potash of commerce, muriate 
and chloride of potash meaning just the same thing), 
containing 80 per cent of pure muriate ot potash ; 
second,—jine BONE-bUST 3 third,—good SUPERPHOS- 
PHATE OF LIME (bones treated with sulphuric acid 
the best form), containing 25 per cent of soluble 
phosphate ; fourth,—good SULPHATE OF AMMONIA. 
In one case alone is nitrate ci soda (the form of 
saltpetre most allied te common salt) recommended, - 
and with Dr. Voelcker’s verdict, that it is evanescent 
and liable to be washed away, while, being m demand, 
unhappily, for the manufacture of gunpowder, it is far. 
more expensive than muriate of potash, we may dis- 
