552 



JOUENAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



The above figures show the soil to be, so far as its constituents are 

 concerned, by no means of an unsatisfactory nature, and no particular 

 deficiency was brought to light. Thus, there would appear to be 

 plenty of vegetable matter and of nitrogen, while potash and phosphoric 

 acid, though present in but moderate amount, could hardly be called j 

 distinctly deficient. Similarly is this the case with regard to lime. 

 What is really needed in such a case is good treatment, and, in the i 

 first place, a great improvement would be effected, where so much \ 

 loose grass occurs, by chain-harrowing the land, following this by ; 

 rolling. Subsequently, the application of lime would, I am inclined | 

 to think, be beneficial, not merely because the amount of lime in the ! 

 soil is not large, but also because of that of magnesia being somewhat | 

 high. On such a soil, too (which was a fairly heavy loam), basic ; 

 slag might very well be tried, and, along with it, it might be advanta- | 

 geous to use sulphate of potash. 



(b) This sample was a soil from a kitchen garden at Chobham, j 

 Surrey. The garden had been made out of a grass field, and it was j 

 desired to grow apples, pears, fruit generally, and vegetables. It was i 

 complained about it that spinach, onions, and beetroot had all failed. | 

 The analytical results were as follows: — j 





Soil dried at 212° F 





Per cent. 



Organic matter and loss on heating 



. 5-61 



Oxide of iron .... 



. 1-27 



Alumina ..... 



. -80 



Lime ...... 



. -17 



Magnesia ..... 



. -20 



Soda 



. -11 



Potash 



. -10 



Phosphoric acid 



. -11 



Sulphuric acid .... 



. -03 



Insokible siliceous matter 



. 91-60 





100-00 



Nitrogen ..... 



. -196 



This was a black peaty sand of very light character. The analysis'| 

 showed it to be extremely deficient in lime, and also poor in both!| 

 potash and phosphoric acid. Speaking generally, it may be said thaJj 

 such a light soil would never do really well for fruit trees, but tha^l 

 what it would really need would be more ' ' substance ' ' to b* ' 

 put into it, such as could be effected by the use of clay or by mixinii 

 with other soil of heavier character. For bush fruit the soil migljf 

 probably answer better. In any case the need of lime is verj? 

 apparent. , ' 



(c) This Vk'as a soil from the Greensand formation in the neighboud 

 liood of Devizes, and tlie question put was wliether it would be suit 

 able more ])ni'ticiilarly foi- aj'iple-gi'owing. \i 



