82 



BITTER PIT INVESTIGATION. 



Samples of soil for analysis were taken from top, middle, and bottom of orchard, and 



designated respectively "A," " B," and " C." This was the natural soil that had never been 

 cultivated or manured. 



Chemical Analysis of Soils. 



Nitrogen 

 Phosphoric Acid 

 Potash 

 Lime 

 Magnesia 

 Chlorine 

 Reaction to Litmus Paper 



No. 1 A. 



Soil Surface 

 to 12*. 



/O 

 064 



'029 



078 

 059 

 102 

 •025 

 Slightly 

 acid 



No. 2 A. 



Sub-soil, 

 12*-24*. 



No. 1 B. 



Soil Surface 

 to 12*. 



No. 2 B. 



Sub-soil, 

 12*-24*. 



No. 1 c. 



Soil Surface 

 to 12'. 



No. 2 c. 



Sub-soil, 

 12'-24'. 



/o 



/o 



/o 



/o 



/o 



•084 



•053 



•062 



•050 



•022 



•030 



•027 



•026 



•022 



•029 



'209 



•058 



•238 



■104 



•178 



•065 



•081 



•085 



•037 



•045 



•244 



•089 



•253 



•133 



•156 



•040 



•020 



•050 



•030 



•055 



Slightly 



Slightly 



Slightly 



Slightly 



Slightly 



acid 



acid 



acid 



acid 



acid 



Mechanical Analysis of Soils. 



Very coarse sand (2-1) 

 Coarse sand (l-'5) 

 Medium sand (-5- '25) 

 Fine sand (-25--1) 

 Very fine sand ('l-'05) 

 Silt ('05- -01) 

 Fine silt (-01- -005) 

 Clay (-7--005) 

 Moisture 

 Loss on ignition 

 The soil contains 



The manure was applied on 18th August, and spread broadcast at a distance of fully 4 feet 

 from butt of tree (Fig. 120). It was then hoed in, and the first rains washed it down. 



The cultivation consisted in ploughing the orchard, as a rule, after the fruit is picked, and 

 allowing the weeds to grow. Then towards the end of May or early in June, according to the season, 

 peas are sown with 2 cwt. of ordinary superphosphate to the acre. The peas are usually ploughed 

 in during October. Two ploughings are thus given each year, and the ground is kept as clean as 

 possible while the fruit is on the trees, by harrowing and stirring the soil when necessary. Of course, 

 in the experimental plots green manuring is no longer carried out, except on those specially set 



aside for that purpose. , ^ i £ n 



The rainfall in orchard for 1911 was about 36 inches, and distributed as follows :— 



Inches. Inches - 



January 

 February 

 March 

 April 

 May 

 June 

 July 



Inches, 





•64 



August . 



5-15 



September 



8-80 



October . 



1-03 



November 



3-50 



December 



4-96 





2-32 





r 



18 



i 



79£ 



2 



51 





49 



3 



54 



35 



•91 



