55 



a soil has been in canes by the inspection of a careful analysis of this 

 soil, more especially when the analysis can be compared with one 

 made of the same soil from some uncultivated spot on the borders of 

 the plantation. 



When the quantity of lime has diminished so much by prolonged cul- 

 ture as to be present to the extent of only 0.1 percent., and then only 

 one-third that of the magnesia present {knowing that in the origin the 

 lime was not only equal to, but higher than, the magnesia), we may rest 

 assured that the crops of cane on this soil will fall off year by year, and 

 that the most careful system of manuring ivill be necessary to place it 

 again in its former lucrative condition. 



I am sorry to say that such a state of things actually exists over a 

 very considerable portion of British (xuianaand Barbadoes; and though 

 Jamaica and the other islands appear somewhat more fortunate in this 

 respect yet we have here and there examples of long-wrought soils 

 which are in quite as bad a condition as the most exhausted plantations 

 in Demerara. 



It is both difficult and laborious to choose from a very considerable 

 number of analyses of cane soils those which may be considered to re- 

 present the actual state of things in the West Indies. I have never- 

 theless given, on the adjoining page, a few which represent some very 

 extensive plantations, the owners of which have kindly permitted me 

 to publish them. These, with the few remarks appended to them, will 

 enable me to pass on to another important portion of our subject. 



Analyses of Cane Soils. 



QUBKBS- 



Demerara. Barbadoes. laxd. 





A 



B 



c 



D 



E 



F 



Gr 



H 



I 



J 



K 



Moisture 



26.00 



23.00 



26.70 



14.12 



25.00 



13.88 



22.64 



16.00 



19.00 



13.00 



23.10 



Organic matter 

























and combined 

























water 



5.90 



5.30 



8.30 



6.17 



8.86 



32.39 



7.06 



7.88 



9.11 



10.50 



12.56 



Silicate of alu- 























mina and si- 

























lica 



61.68 



64.44 



58.02 



68.08 



57.49 



46.50 



68.00 



68.22 



65.00 



60.00 



41.42 



Lime 



0.64 



0.11 



0.47 



0.17 



0.28 



0.48 



0.45 



0.22 



0.25 



0.30 



0.56 



Magnesia 



0.50 



0.36 



0.50 



0.37 



0.36 



0.30 



0.31 



0.30 



0.30 



0.47 



0.26 



Sulphuric acid 



0.01 



trace 



0.01 



0.16 



0.04 



0.04 



0.20 



0.12 



0.03 



0.03 



0.04 



Phosphoric acid 



0.08 



0.05 



0.19 



0.07 



0.09 



0.03 



0.16 



0.10 



0.07 



0.06 



0.06 



Potash and soda 



0.11 



0.10 



0.12 



0.54 



0.26 



0.24 



0.30 



0.10 



0.10 



0.16 



0.20 



Chlorine 



trace 



0.02 



0-nl 





0.01 



0.06 



0.05 



trace 



trace 



trace 



0.02 



Oxide of iron, al- 





















umina, man- 

























ganese, &c. ... 



5.08 



6.62 



5.68 



10.32 



7.61 



6.08 



0.83 



7.06 



6.14 



15. 4S 



21.78 





100.00 



100.00 



100.00 



100.00 



100.00 



100.00 



100.00 



100.00 



100.00 



100.00 



100.00 



Observatio7is. — A, B, and C are soils in adjacent plantations of the same estate. A 

 has been in canes about five years ; C for a somewhat longer period— 10 to 15 years; and 

 B for about 60 years. D and E are from adjacent estates, far distant from the former ; 

 they have been in canes 20 to 25 years. V is a new soil, now growing ferns only. It is 

 about to be planted with canes as an experiment. This soil, when it has been dried, 

 burns like peat. G and H are from plantations only separated 100 feet from each other 

 hy a canal. Gr is a new soil ; H has been in canes about 15 years. I and J are good 

 average specimens of Barbadoes soils, and K is a sample of red clay soil from Queens- 

 land, Australia. 



