296 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



(Soil dried at ioo° C.) 



per cent. 



Organic matter and loss on heating . . 18-38 



Oxide of iron . . . . . . 1-36 



Alumina ....... 2-53 



Lime . . . . . . . .21-46 



Magnesia ....... ^33 



Potash . . . . . . . , -16 



Soda «i8 



Phosphoric acid . . . . . . -35 



Sulphuric acid ...... -07 



♦Carbonic acid . . . . . . 15-72 



Insoluble silicates and sand .... 39-46 



ioo-oo 



Nitrogen . . . . . . -745 



♦equal to carbonate of lime .... 35*72 



As the analysis indicates, this soil had a great deal of chalk in 

 it. The top surface, however, was light and peaty, and was able to 

 retain moisture. A soil containing so much lime is not one generally 

 suitable for bulb-growing, and a peaty sand would be better. Many 

 Lilies, Colchicum, and Crocus prefer a light, peaty, and sandy soil, 

 though some kinds of Crocus will grow on any soil. Narcissus, too, is 

 not particular, and will do even on stiff clay soils. The soil was par- 

 ticularly well supplied in phosphoric acid, and was distinctly rich in 

 nitrogen. 



(d) Garden soils. — The following analyses, A-D, are those of soils 

 examined for the purpose of ascertaining their suitability as garden 

 soils : — 



(Soils dried at ioo° C.) 





A 



B 



c 



D 



E 

 Agri- 

 cultural 

 soil. 



Organic matter and loss on heating . 

 Oxide of iron .... 



Alumina ..... 



Lime ...... 



Magnesia ..... 



Potash ..... 



Soda ...... 



Phosphoric acid .... 



Sulphuric acid . 



Carbonic acid .... 



Insoluble silicates and sand . 



per cent. 

 4^3 

 2-98 



3'54 

 •53 

 •63 

 •25 

 •17 



•30 



•06 



86-91 



per cent. 



8-55 



5- 20 



6- 42 



•60 



•76 



•60 

 •32 

 •23 



•01 



77-31 



per cent. 

 5-36 

 5-10 

 5-82 

 •56 

 •66 



•27 

 •23 

 •23 

 •02 



81-75 



per cent. 

 6-89 



4-35 

 4-27 

 4-81 



•73 

 •28 

 •24 



•3i 

 •08 



3-13 

 74-91 



per cent. 

 1-39 

 I- 5 6 

 I-2 7 

 23 

 •29 

 •IO 

 •IO 



•15 

 •II 



94-80 





IOO-OO 



IOO-OO 



IOO-OO 



IOO-OO 



IOO-OO 



Nitrogen ..... 



•210 



•357 



•170 



•294 



•103 



A, B, and C are, alike, instances of soils in which magnesia is in 

 excess of the lime present, and, in such cases, as I have pointed out 

 before, the application of lime is desirable. In other respects the 

 three soils are not unsatisfactory, each containing quite a fair pro- 



