Feb.  i,  1893.] 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
The  chemical  composition  of  the  part  of  this 
soil  extracted  hy  acid  is  upon  the  whole  very 
similar  to  that  of  our  Ceylon  Coffee  Soils.  There 
is  no  marked  deficiency  of  any  of  the  elements 
of  plant  food  as  compared  with  other  coffee  soils, 
while  the  phosphoric  acid,  although  not  very 
high,  is  above  the  average  proportion.  The 
insoluble  silicates,  however,  are  of  a more 
argillaceous  nature  than  is  the  case  with  Ceylon 
Coffee  and  tea  soils.  The  numerous  crystals  of 
quartz,  so  noticeable  in  the  insoluble  silicates 
of  Ceylon  soil,  were  absent  from  the  sample 
Fiji  soil.  The  insoluble  residue  in  the  latter, 
after  being  freed  from  organic  matter,  consisted 
of  white  clay. 
The  air-dried  soil  required  40  per  cent  of  its 
weight  of  water  for  complete  saturation,  shewing 
thus  a greater  capacity  for  water  than  the  4 
Dolosbage  soils  examined  in  a similar  way.  The 
reaction  of  the  soil  was  distinctly  acid,  as  the 
sample,  however,  represented  a depth  of  three 
feet,  this  acidity  was  probably  in  the  subsoil. 
Classification  of  Coffee  and  Tea  Soils. 
A sufficient  number  of  these  soils  has  been 
analysed  to  warrant  a classification  being  attempt- 
ed on  the  basis  of  the  proportion  of  nitrogen 
present,  and  also  of  the  amount  of  the  two 
important  mineral  ingredients  of  plant  food  that 
are  soluble  in  hydrochloric  acid,  viz.,  potash  and 
phosphoric  acid.  Those  that  contain  nitrogen 
under  T per  cent,  potash  and  phosphoric  acid 
each  under  '05  per  cent  might  be  described  as 
poor  soils.  Those  that  contain  from  T to  2 
per  cent  of  nitrogen  and  from  ’05  to  '1  percent 
of  potash  and  the  same  of  phosphoric  acid  might 
be  described  as  of  fair  or  medium  quality,  while 
those  containing  above  -2  per  cent  of  nitrogen, 
above  '1  per  cent  of  potash  and  the  same  of 
phosphoric  acid  might  be  described  as  rich  soils. 
Of  course  soils  may  be  of  poor  fair  or  rich  quality 
in  respect  of  one  or  more  of  the  three  most 
important  ingredients.  This  classification  or  com- 
parison of  Ceylon  soils  with  each  other  might 
be  drawn  out  in  tabular  form  thus  : — 
Classification  of  Ceylon  Coffee  and  Tea  Soils. 
Quality  of 
Soil. 
Percentage. 
Nitrogen. 
Potash. 
Phosphoric 
Acid. 
1 ’oor 
under  1 
under  '05 
under  -05 
Medium  ... 
1-  to  -2 
•0.5  to  -1 
■05  to  -1 
Rich 
above  -2 
above  1 
above  -1 
Rocks  or  Stones  founded  on  Ceylon,  Estates. 
The  following  are  analyses  of  rocks  or  stones 
found  on  Ceylon  estates.  The  first  three  analyses 
are  of  pieces  of  quartz  which  were  sent  to  me 
to  be  tested  for  gold  and  not  to  ascertain  if 
they  possessed  any  agricultural  value.  They  are 
inserted  here,  as  such  rocks  or  stones  abound  on 
many  of  the  Ceylon  estates,  and  fuller  analyses 
of  them  were  made  than  were  necessary  merely 
for  the  purpose  of  finding  out  whether  or  not 
they  were  auriferous : — 
Analyses  of  Quartzose  Rocks. 
Silica 
Alumina  and  oxide  of 
99-810 
94-57 
97-00 
iron 
•020 
5-205 
Lime 
•028 
■02 1 
3-00 
Magnesia  ... 
■054 
•L3| 
Alkalies 
■088 
■08  J 
Cold  ...  . . 
absent 
absent 
absent 
501 
Analysis-  of  Metcmorphic  Rocks. 
Light 
Dark 
colored. 
colored. 
Silica 
82-63 
50-35 
Oxide  of  iron  and  alumina 
18-51 
34-45 
Lime 
1-19 
9-48 
Magnesia 
•23 
3-49 
Potash  ... 
3-86 
•SO 
Soda 
3-40 
114 
Phosphoric  acid 
•18 
•29 
100-00 
100-00 
Three  other  analyses  of  Metamorphic  rock  have 
already  been  given;  see  page  17. 
The  next  two  analyses  are  by  Mr.  J.  H. 
Wilson.  They  are  quoted  from  the  Ceylon 
Observer: — 
Analysis  of  Ceylon  “Orthoclose  Granite.”  (Wilson.) 
Silica 
69-26 
Peroxide  of  iron 
4-50 
Alumina... 
15-20 
Potash 
6-75 
Soda 
2-10 
Phosphoric  acid 
•05 
Magnesia 
1-75 
Lime 
•49 
100-00 
Analyses  of  Decomposed  Ferruginous  Gneiss. 
(Wilson.) 
Moisture  and  combined  water  ... 
8-38 
Organic  matter 
12-26 
Silica 
33-26 
Alumina... 
21-02 
Peroxide  of  iron 
20-64 
Lime 
1-51 
Magnesia.., 
•50 
Alkalis  ... 
1-50 
Phosphoric  acid 
•44 
Loss 
•49 
100-00 
I also  analysed  a sample  of  decomposed  rock 
from  Dimbttla,  which  differed  from  the  preceding- 
in  not  being  ferruginous.  The  following  were 
the  results  obtained; — 
Analyses  oj  Decomposed  Rock. 
Moisture  ...  ...  10-00 
Organic  matter  and  combined  water  10-07 
Alumina  with  traces' of  oxide  of  iron  37'95 
Lime  ...  ...  ...  -34 
Magnesia  ...  ...  -0(1 
Phosphoric  acid  ...  ...  -35 
Potash  ...  ...  ...  -61 
Soda  ...  ...  ...  -22 
Silica  ...  ...  ...  39-00 
100-00 
For  the  analyses  of  Ceylon  limestones  see  the 
chapter  on  Manures. 
(To  be  continued. ) 
*■ 
Ceylon  Tea  for  New  Zealand. — So  far  as 
the  Colombo  Customs  are  aware,  the  direct  ship- 
ments of  tea  to  New  Zealand  last  yeir  were 
90.002J  lb  ; but  we  suspect  a good  deal  more  of 
the  5 million  lb.  sent  to  “ Australia  ” was  tran- 
shipped thence  to  the  Britain  of  the  South.  We 
are  glad  to  see  that  during  January  this  }ear  our 
tea  exports  to  “ Australia  and  New  Zealand  ” Bro 
more  than  double  what  they  were  in  the  same  mouth 
of  1892. 
