Feb.  i,  1893.] 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
499 
been  lying  at  the  estate  for  a considerable  time. 
The  sample,  as  I received  it,  had  the  following- 
composition  : — 
Analysis  of  Sombreorum. 
Moisture  ...  ...  _ •••  18-65 
* Organic  matter  and  water  chemically 
combined  ...  ...  ...  6-29 
Calcium  sulphate  ...  ...  ..  13-94 
Magnesium  sulphate  ...  ...  3-25 
Potassium  sulphate  ...  ...  8-53 
Sodium  sulphate  ...  ...  ...  9-78 
Sodium  chloride  ...  ...  '88 
Insoluble  earthy  matter  ...  ...  -96 
f Biphosphate  of  lime  ...  6-29 
Tribasic  phosphate  of  lime  ...  ...  12-21 
100-00 
* Containing  nitrogen  ...  1-80 
Equal  to  ammonia  ...  ...  2-19 
f Equal  to  tribasic  phosphate  of  lime  ..  9-84 
Total  phosphoric  acid  equal  to  tribasic 
phospoate  of  lime  ...  ...  22-05 
Another  sample  of  soil  from  the  same,  and 
one  from  a contiguous  estate,  were  analysed 
by  Mr.  A.  C.  Dixon  with  the  following  results: — 
Analysis  of  Matale  Soils.  (Dixon.) 
per  cent. 
per  cent. 
Organic  matter 
17-483 
1 1 -525 
Nitrogen 
■205 
•174 
Lime 
134 
113 
Potash 
■121 
•090 
Phosphoric  acid 
■089 
■104 
The  percentage  of  plant  lood  in  this  old  pro- 
perty compare  favorably  with  that  of  many 
much  younger  estates.  The  phosphoric  acid, 
however,  is  somewhat  deficient,  hence  the 
increased  y eld  produced  by  a phosphatie  manure. 
The  manure  Sombreorum  has,  however,  been 
manufactured  to  serve  the  purpose  of  a general 
manure  for  coffee,  as  it  supplies  nitrogen,  and 
more  especially  potash,  in  much  larger  proportion 
than  is  found  in  ordinary  superphosphates. 
The  unnecessarily  high  proportion  of  sodium 
sulphate  is  no  doubt  due  to  the  difficulty  of 
getting  potash  salts  free  from  soda  at  a cheap 
enough  rate  for  manuring  purposes. 
The  rocks  on  the  estate  cannot  be  regarded 
as  very  deficient  in  lime  ; but  this  constituent 
in  an  available  state  lias  disappeared  from  the 
soil  to  a greater  extent  than  the  two  other 
important  mineral  ingredients  ; thus,  while  the 
rocks  contained  from  about  2 to  9i  per  cent 
of  lime,  only  -150,  or,  according  to  Mr.  Dixon’s 
analyses,  only  -134  and  '113  per  cent  respectively, 
remained  in  an  available  state  in  the  soil. 
The  following  are  average  analyses  of  Dimbula, 
Maskeliyci  and  Matale  soils , computed  from  the 
analyses  made  by  Mr.  John  Hughes,  F.C.S.,  F.I.C., 
and  published  in  his  “Report  to  the  Ceylon 
Coffee  Planters’  Association  of  1879.”  The  samples 
of  the  Dimbula  and  Maskeliya  soils  were  selected 
by  the  Association,  those  of  the  Matale  soils 
were  sent  by  private  individuals : — 
Average  Analyses  of  Dimbula,  Maskeliya  and 
Matale  Soils,  computed  from  the  Analyses 
of  Mr.  John  Hughes. 
Average  of 
9 Dimbula 
Soils. 
Average  of 
6 Maskeliya 
Soils. 
Average  of 
6 Matale 
Soils. 
Water  lost  at  212°  F ... 
* Organic  matter  and 
5-690 
3-990 
3 347 
water  of  combination 
14-242 
12-542 
7-532 
Oxides  of  iron  f 
Oxides  of  manganese J 
8-901 
12-312 
j 11-830 
( 1 -206 
Alumina  ... 
12-393 
11-531 
10-741 
Lime 
•139 
•118 
•166 
Magnesia  ... 
■133 
•143 
•276 
Potash 
•105 
•091 
•165 
Soda 
•043 
•043 
•027 
Phosphoric  acid 
•118 
•051 
•099 
Sulphuric  acid 
•082 
•018 
•040 
Chlorine  ... 
•006 
•007 
•006 
Carbonic  acid 
Trace 
Trace 
— 
Silica  soluble  in  alkali 
2'647 
1-676 
6-755 
f Insoluble  silicates  ... 
55-501 
57-478 
57  -810 
100-000 
100 -ooo 
100-000 
* Containing  nitrogen 
f Containing  quartz.. 
•254 
18T29 
•162 
17  563 
•091 
24-741 
I further  quote  from  the  Tropical  Agriculturist 
a table  of  analyses  of  Ceylon  Soils  by  Mr. 
Hughes,  the  samples  in  these  cases  having 
been  selected  by  the  Planters’  Association: — 
ANALYSES  OF  CEYLON  SOILS.  (Hughes.) 
Samples  selected  by  the  Planters’  Association  and  representing  estates  upon  which  Coffee, 
Tea,  Cinchona  and  Cacao  have  respectively  been  planted. 
The  following  analytical  results  represent  the  soils  in  the  Uir-dried  condition: — 
Coffee. 
Tea. 
Name  of  Estate 
Ragalla 
Dam  bate  nne 
Rookwood  No. 
1 Rookwood  No.  2 
Rookwood  T 
District 
Udapussellawa 
Haputale 
Hewaheta 
Hewaheta 
Hewaheta 
Water  lost  at  212°  F 
4-022 
3*705 
2-555 
1-549 
3-091 
•Organic  matter  and  combined  Water... 
24237 
14-345 
11-799 
9-005 
15-893 
Oxides  of  Iron  and  some  Manganese  .*. 
8247 
9-444 
11-079 
6-015 
4-611 
Alumina 
11-94!) 
9-4137 
11-769 
7-933 
5 546 
Lime 
•385 
•431 
•339 
■213 
•149 
Magnesia 
■057 
■394 
•381 
•087 
•141 
Potash 
•137 
•210 
•170 
•119 
107 
Soda 
■045 
•122 
•165 
•058 
•050 
Phosphoric  Acid 
’122 
•1(10 
•161 
•025 
•184 
Sulphuric  do 
•013 
■043 
•037 
•068 
•063 
Carbonic  do  ...  ... 
•791 
•273 
•242 
•584 
164 
Chlorine  ... 
■005 
•090 
•004 
'007 
*006 
flnsoluble  Silicates  and  Quartz  ... 
49-880 
61-253 
00-709 
74-337 
69  995 
100000 
100-000 
100  000 
100-000 
100-000 
• Containing  Nitrogen  ...  ... 
■521 
•411 
•282 
•114 
•429 
1 Containing  Quartz  ... 
8-940 
10-720 
15-740 
25  000 
SO'780 
