COS JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



small. Such a soil would be benefited by the application, first, of 

 lime, and, subsequently, of farmyard manure. In phosphoric acid it 

 was well supplied. 



(c) Soil for Rhododendrons and Azaleas. — A sample was sent me 

 from Alford, Somersetshire, in order to know whether Ehododendrons 

 and Azaleas would be likely to thrive on it. The analysis was as. 

 follows : — 



Soil dried at 212° F. 

 Organic matter and loss on heating . . 5-05 

 Oxide of iron and alumina . . . 7-39 



Lime 1-65 



, Magnesia, alkalies, &c. . . . . 2-06 



Insoluble siliceous matter . . . .83-85 



100-00 



This soil, it will be noticed, does not contain much vegetable 

 (organic) matter, and would be the better for a larger quantity. The 

 amount of lime also is considerable, although, perhaps, not so much 

 as to render the soil unfitted for growing Ehododendrons, &c. 



The suggestion having been made that the soil possibly contained 

 prejudicial saline matters, I determined the quantity present, but found 

 that the soil yielded, altogether, only '04 per cent, of matters soluble 

 in w^ater. The soil, however, could not by any means be called an 

 ideal one for growing Ehododendrons, Azaleas, &c., for, in addition to 

 the paucity of vegetable matter, it was of considerably heavier nature 

 than is desirable for these plants. The 'best thing to do with such a 

 soil would be to incorporate with it a liberal amount of vegetable 

 matter and also sand, in order to lighten its character and, at the same 

 time, reduce to some extent the lime contained. 



(d) Soil for a Lawn. — A sample of soil from a lawn was sent me 

 for examination. This gave the following analysis 





Soil dried at 212° P. 



Organic matter and loss on heating 



. 6-72 



Oxide of iron 



. 2-95 



Alumina 



. 5-44 



Lime . . . . . 



•66 



Magnesia ..... 



•63 



Potash 



•51 



Soda 



•42 



Phosphoric acid . . . . 



•10 



Carbonic acid 



•10 



Sulphuric acid .... 



•09 



Insoluble siliceous matter 



. 82-38 





100-00 



Nitrogen 



•294 



The above analysis showed a distinct deficiency of phosphoric acid. 

 The amount of lime also, while possibly sufficient for immediate pur- 

 poses, might, with advantage, be increased. On such a soil as this, 

 for use as a lawn, probably the best thing to apply would be fine bone 

 meal. The supply of nitrogen should also be kept up, care, however. 



