115 



results, a condition found frequently in clayey bottoms ; while some 

 vegetables, as melons, do best on soils carrying only 4 per cent of water 

 and hence find congenial environments in our climate on very sandy soils. 



Other crops grown in this laiitude require intermediate quantities be- 

 tween these two extremes. 



It may be remarked, on the other hand, that yery large quantities of 

 clay or sand are often equally objectionable, giving excesses of moisture 

 or dryness, both being detrimental to the welfare of bacteria, which are 

 necessary to soil fertility. 



The conditions necessary for bacteriological existence in our soils are the 

 presence of air and water, a favourable temperature, an absence of light, 

 the presence of proper chemicals, and inoculation with the bacteria desired. 



The bacteria best known, and in which we are mostly interested, are 

 those taking part in nitrification, and are of thi ee distinct types or 

 genera: 1. Those which convert nitrogenous matter into ammonia. 

 2. Those which convert ammonia into nitrous acid. 8. Those which 

 convert Ditrous acid into nitric acid. Each are necessary to the com- 

 plete transformation of nitrogenous matter in the soil to nitric acid, the 

 form of nitrogen chiefly available as plant food. Since nitrogen is the 

 most costly ingredient of our fertilisers, estimated at present to be worth 

 15 cents per pound, it is evident that the farmer or planter should 

 endeavour to maintain such conditions in his fields most favourable to 

 these ferments, and thus enhance his harvests by drawing upon his soils 

 rather than upon purchased fertilisers. 



With ihese preliminary remarks, let us examine several typical soils 

 of each of the sections of the sugar belt The following are given from 

 hundreds of analyses made in the laboratories of the stations, and are 

 selected because they represent typical soils and have also been subjected 

 "to mechanical analyses, which are given further on. These soils repre- 

 sent the alluvial soils of the upper and lower positions of the cane belt of 

 the Mississippi river, the brown loam and whitish soils of the bluff for- 

 mation, and the sugar lands of the Red river deposits. 



Table No. 1. 



Ohemical Analyses of Soils. 



























<v 



-M 











































Locality. 



soluble M 



tash. 





Lime. 



.2 



a 



03 



m and Al 

 nina. 



'5 



GQ 



o 



Iph. Acid 



ganic Ma 



trogen. 





fl 



o 



o 



GO 





rH 



(X, 





O 





Evan Hall Plant, cwt. 9 



88.720 



.092 



.158 



.^^94 



.087 



1.12 



.008 



.028 



2.96 



.097 



" 26 



83. .510 



.170 



.173 



.272 



.047 



6.620 



.137 



.038 



4.45 



.118 



" 31 



^0.800 



.133 



.143 



.546 



.044 



5.041 



.103 



.038 







" 37 



83.680 



.162 



.142 



.313 



.025 



6.33 



.126 



.046 



4'.1{) 



.130 



44 



83.710 



.125 



.184 



.182 



.036 



5.68 



.075 



.139 



3.91 



.120 



" 52 



79.210 



.112 



.111 



.434 





6.99 



.075 



.037 



3.51 



.117 



Home Place 



86.516 



.233 



.081 



1.494 



.039 



6.822 



.09.-» 



.043 



1.90 



.060 





86.420 



.206 



.122 



2.376 



.052 



5.256 



.092 



.031 



3.. 33 



.084 



Sugar Exp. Sta,, dark soil 



62.550 



.747 



.1 1 



.9iO 



1.361 



13.444 



.146 





6.65 



.085 



" light 



70.102 



.414 



.021 



.787 



.814 



11.28 



.161 



019 



3.16 



.113 



State Exp. Sta., Baton Rouge, bluff 























soil 



90.650 



.100 



.078 



.170 



.114 



4.225 



.064 



.036 



3.15 



.096 



Subsoil of Bame 



89.79 



.164 



.054 



.163 



.160 



6.510 



.128 



.025 



2.74 



.074 



Ditto, white soil 



87. 7 J 



.120 



.076 



.060 



.121 



6.67 



.112 



.021 



2.82 



.080 



Subsoil of same 



83.00 



.180 



.123 



.120 



.085 



8.80 



.106 



.016 



4.21 



.105 



