March 1, 1902.] 
THE Tr.OPICAL AGEICULTUEIST. 
589 
" jVo.3 B, representing the sub oil 15 inches from 
the surface, is a yellow loam much more finely 
divided than No. 3 A, but otherwise of somewhat 
similar composition. When wet it is of a retentive 
clayey nature requiring drainage. 
HAKGALA, NUWAKA ELIYA. 
Analysis of Soil (Cajiphok). 
Mechanieal Composition. 
No. 1 A. No. 2 A, No- 3 A. 
Per cent. Per cent. Per cent 
Fine soil passing 90 mesh 20-00 . . 26-00 ... 34-00 
Fine soil passing 60 mesh 15-00.. 24-«0.. 18-50 
Medium passing 30 mesh 7-00 .. 5-00 .. 7-60 
Coarse sand and small 
stones . . 58-00 . . 45-00 . , 40-00 
100-00 100-00 100-00 
Chemical Composition. 
No 1 A. No. 2 A. 
Per cent. Per cent. 
No. 3 A. 
Per cent* 
Moisture 
Organic matter and 
combined water 
Oxide of iron and 
manganese 
Oxide of iron and 
aluminium 
Lime i-. ••• 
Magnesia ... 
Potash 
Phosphoric acid 
Sand and silicates 
Containing nitrogen 
Equal to ammonia 
Lower oxide of iron 
5-100 
.. 5-000 . 
.. 5-900 
14-500 
.. 17-700 . 
.. 11-500 
8-200 
... 7-080 . 
.. 9-800 
11-346 
... 7-575 . 
.. 10-000 
-140 
., -124 ., 
-050 
-072 
.. -075 . 
-020 
-030 
... -OLl . 
•031 
-012 
. . -035 . 
.. -069 
60-600 
...62-400 . 
.. 63-000 
100-000 
lOO-COO 
100 000 
-308 
. . -490 
... -182 
•374 
,.. -595 
... -221 
Good 
... Much 
... Fair 
BfecJiinical Composition. 
No. 1 B. No. 2 B 
Per cent 
Fine soil passing 90 mesh 25 00 
Fine soil passing 60 mesh 
Medium soil passing 30 
mesh 
Coarse sand and small 
Stones 
23-00 . 
8' 50 , 
43-50 
Per cent 
17-50 . 
16-50 . 
6-50 - 
59-50 , 
100-00 100-00 
Chemical Composition. 
Moisture 
Organic matter and 
combined water . . 
Oxide of iron and 
manganese ... 
Oxide of iron and 
aluminium 
Lime 
Magnesia ... 
Potash 
Phosphoiic acid 
Sand and silicates .. 
Containing nitrogen ... 
Equal to ammonia ... 
Lower oxide of .iron 
5-100 
11 900 
8- 000 
9- 210 
-080 
-070 
•015 
-025 
65-600 
. 5100 
. 15 500 
. 8.200 
. 8-°50 
. -060 
. -014 
, -007 
. -069 
63000 
No. S B. 
Per cent. 
,. 47-50 
,. 26-50 
. 6 00 
. 21-50 
100-00 
5-800 
, 11'400 
8-520 
. 12-502 
•010 
0-16 
•054 
-038 
61-600 
100-000 100-000 100000 
•259... -371 
-314 ... •450 
Pair . . Much 
... -138 
... -156 
... Trace 
"The ash of the camphor leaves was analyzed to 
determine the constituents most required by their 
giowth. The leaves contained — 
Per cent. 
Water ... ... ... 74-32 
Organic matter* ... ... ... 19 58 
Ash ... ... .. ... 6-10 
Composition oj Ash 
Lime ... 
Magnesia .. 
Oxide of iron ., 
Alumina 
Potash ... 
Soda 
Phosphoric acid 
Sulphuric acid 
Saud and silica 
Carbonic acid 
Carbon and undetermined 
100 00 
Per cent, 
. 32-90 
6-43 
. a-00 
3- 11 
. 14-86 
4- 21 
2-16 
200 
1-20 
. 26-10 
4-93 
100-00 
" The chief mineral ingredients required by the 
camphor plant for the growth of leaves are lime and 
potash, an average yield of pruniugs removing 196 lb, 
of lime and 87 lb. of potash, which could bo returned 
to the soil after the distilled wood had been burned 
for fuel purposes. 
" M, KELWAY BAMBER, F.C.S., &o., 
•ContainiDg;nitrog6n 1*47 per cent- 
Equal to ammonia 1-78 „ 
BANANAS UNDER IRRIGATION. 
(Continued from page 510.) 
Virgin Land. — In virgin land, cultivation is hardly 
necessary. The great quantity of humus in the soil 
furnishes a readily available source of.plant food, and, 
with the stumps rotting in the ground, assists drain- 
age and aeration by keeping the soil free and open. 
It is when the supply of humus is becoming exhansted 
that the necessity for cultivation arises. The decay 
of the roots of the weeds cut down by the hoe also 
assists in keeping the soil in good condition. I atn 
afraid too much is left to nature in this respect. 
Natural conditions in the tropics are so favourable 
to agriculture that at times the soil produces good 
crops in spite of what is done to it. 
Use of CnLTivAioRS.— We have seen that the roots 
of the bananas are fleshy, and that they require ■ 
free soil for their proper development. Then, as the 
soil is exhausted more and more, to absorb the same 
amount of nourishment the root system has to become 
more extended. Hence let us consider how the soil 
and roots should be treated. 
Ploughing.— My experience has led me to the con- 
clusion that in soil varying from light sandy loam 
to heavy loam, one thorough ploughing and cross- 
ploughing per year is sufficient. Just how deep the 
plough should go depends on the condition of the 
soil. From four to eight inches should be sufficient. 
This will cut the root and induce branching from 
the cut ends, set free a supply of food for the nse 
of the plants, and put the soil in a proper condition 
for the use of the cultivator. The more 
thoroughly the soil is broken the more will 
the elements act on it. Large clods are unfit 
for plant life ; and when the surface is left in thia 
condition soft roots are very liable to dry up. Hence 
the plough should be followed by the harrow before 
the lumps of earth bake. 
Subsoil Plough. — In addition to the yearly plough- 
ing, it will often be found advisable to use a subsoil 
plough. From the pressing down of the lower stratum 
of the soil by the turning plough, the passage of 
air into it is more or less ^topped, and water ia apt 
to stagnate, While it may allow of the passage 0 
