147 



Has. Such a soil will repay the highest cultivation, and demand* 

 good drainage as a first essential. The subsoil becomes gradually 

 lighter than the surface soil, the proportion of clay diminishing, 

 while that of the coarser free draining particles increases. Drains of 

 a minimum depth of 3ft are indicated as desirable. The soil is not 

 sour, and I do not think that it is likely to be benefitted by a dress- 

 ing of burnt lime. This soil would react with superphosphates or basic 

 slag should it become necessary to mxnure the binanas I expect 

 that this soil would carry full bunches of banams for several years 

 without the use of any fertilizers, provided good cultivation is main- 

 tained. Any agriculturist with such land at his command should fiad 

 its cultivation both encouraging and profitable. 



SOIL ANALYSIS. 



Reference Number — 3. From Hon. R. P. Simmonds, Port Maria. 

 Source Details — B. Sail at Quebec Park growing Bananas, j 

 Depth of Sample — 9 inches Tilled surface soil. 



Agricultural 

 Clay 



Physical Analysis. 



Stones 

 Gravel 

 Sand 



Fine Sand 



Silt 

 f Fine Silt 

 1 Clay 



Combined water, 



Organic matter. 



Per Cent. 



.23 

 .21 

 33.19 

 31.18 



Fine 

 21.35 f Earth 



5.34 



8.50 



Total ... 100.00 



Per Cent. 



Retentive Power for water ... 57.00 



Chemical Analysis. 



Soil passed through 3 m.m. Sieve, dried at 100° C.) 



Insoluble Matter ... 49.35 



Soluble in Hydrochloric Acid - 



f Potash ... .6446 



| Lime ... 13.59 



Phosphoric Acid ... .157 



I Carbonic Acid as \ 



(^Carbonate of Lime j 



Combined Water and organic matter 9.18 



Humus (soluble in Ammonia) 4.96 



Nitrogen ... .1431 



Hygroscopic Moisture ... 7.53 



23.33 



