11 



SOILS. 



The soils of the tobacco districts are mainlj- volcanic in origin. 

 Those of Deli and Langkat, where is grown the finest and silkiest 

 tobacco, of a rich brown color, are inclined to be argillaceous. The 

 lighter colors of tobacco are produced on the loamj' and sandy soils 

 with a clay subsoil. Toward the southeast part of the district, where 

 some of the newer tobacco estates have been opened, the soil is quite 

 sandy, with a porous subsoil where a drought of one week often causes 

 a serious loss. On the argillaceous soils of Deli and Langkat the 

 tobacco can often stand a drought of three weeks or longer without 

 much injury. In this district, however, they have frequent light showers 

 which are of great value to the tobacco. 



The Deli district slopes from the mountain to the east and, including 

 Langkat, extends from 5 to 45 miles inland from the ocean. Experience 

 has shown that land situated within 5 or 10 miles of the ocean does 

 not produce as good a quality of tobacco as that grown farther inland. 

 Where it is grown too near a large body of water it has a poor '<burn." 

 At the same time, the estates high up on the mountains have not had 

 much success in growing a fine, silky wrapper. As a rule the lowlands, 

 free from inundations and not too near the sea, have always given better 

 results than the upper estates near the mountains. 



A number of soils from the principal tobacco districts of Sumatra 

 have been sent to the Division of Soils by the vice-consul at Padaug. 

 The mechanical analyses, showing the texture of these soils, are given 

 in the accomi^anying table, followed by a brief descrii)tion : 



Mechanical analyses of iohacco soils from Sumatra. 



Medi- Tp. „ Very I 



Fine 



Ko. 



^ois- n..„or, r'^o^^i Coarse uni .„. ^, fine ' Silt, ^-.^ Clav 



Districts ^^^^i'^PcTat "ol' «^°^- ■^^^'^' ' °"'"^ " "^ ^" "■""'' 



j^Lstncts. iair-drv^*^._ " „ ^ ltoO.5 0.5 to 



Isaniple. ^^^^ °^™- mm. 0.25 

 , I mm. 



rtOJit sand. 0.05 to rt Ml ; 0.005 to 

 mm. "■"=' ■"■"■ mm. """■ 



mm. 



iPerct. Perct. Perct. Perci. Perct. Perct. Perct. Perct. Perct. Perct. 



2207 Langkat 10.30 17.09 2.87 11.10 18. 90 13. 25 2.48 23.34 1.11 0.42 



2202 do 7.61 26.49 .76 1.23 5.26 16.87 18.29 16.89 3.58 1.00 



2200 DeU 12.25 23.41 .81 1.44 3.62 13.94 19.52 18.82 4.69 2.72 



2209 Langkat , 7.89 20.39 2.13 8.64 15.46 20.50 13.59 8.84 1.25 3 



2199 Deli " 



2210 Langkat 



2208 do 



3. 77 12. 88 2. 41 10. 56 15 51 16. 59 14. 81 13. 93 4. 01 , 5. 20 



7.79 7.86 3.35 7.77 20.11 11.71 14.17 17.56 4.57 5.75 



7.85 9.30 1.24 4.36 10.63 14.25 7.69 33.60 5.02 i 6.20 



3.07 9.95 .10 .30 2.86 19.91 32.91 15.98 5.94 ' 7.20 



2195 Deli 



2196 do 



2201 Langkat 



2197 Deli 3.97 13.26 i .98 i 2.90 5.95 9.45 14.95 12.67 12.58 I 25.47 



2198 do ' 4.33 12.66 L50 2.79 3.95 7.68, 8. 91 1 16. 14 , 13. 25 I 27.42 



3.06 8.82 1 .30 2.73 18.76 28.74 17.81 8.65' 12.75 



3.43 7.81 1.35 L89 6.47 18.71 24.63 15.74 6.74 13.82 



2207. This sample is from the Padang Brahrang estate of the United 

 Langkat Plantations Company. Limited, in the district of Langkat. It 

 is described as being adapted to a very good type of tobacco. 



2202. This sample is from the Tandjong Goenoeng estate of the 

 British Deli and Langkat Company. Limited. The description of this 

 soil calls it a clay mixed with sand and indicates that it is very well 

 adapted to tobacco; also to rice. 



