GENERAL REPORT ON THE RESIDENCY OF SINGAPORE. 746 
argillaceous shales of the south west part, giving heavy and 
unpulveriseable soil, the arenacious formation of the east of the 
island, whose soil is light and porous. The granitic formation 
ranges between these and possesses a soil superior to both ; it is 
further less encumbered with the layer of iron stone gravel and 
rubble, already mentioned, as being so common, and is consequent¬ 
ly more suitable to the operations of agriculture. In no part of 
the island do these soils, where unaided by art, approach to dark 
brown earth or garden mould, as may be noticed on some of the 
hills and vallies of the sister settlement, Pinang ; but always retain 
the characteristics above described. Colonel Low* mentions that 
the soil of the Government nutmeg garden, contains 41 per cent of 
silica, 59 of alumina and vegetable matter ; and oxide of iron 
averaging 2 to 3 per cent of the whole—the maximum of silica was 
66 per cent, and minimum 20 ; the soil of Mount Sophia had of 
silex 49 per cent, the maximum being 82, and minimum 37 per 
cent. The strata of sandstone were found to give of silex 48 per 
cent, the maximum being 87 per cent and minimum 5. 
In the alluvial soil existing on the plain as formerly mentioned 
to lie on the south eastern exposure of the island, considerable 
variety is met with. In Siglap, Gelang, and south of Kaliang 
distr-icts—light arenaceous soils are most general; these contain 80 
to 95 per cent of silica. + In some parts, particularly at the head of 
the Gelang creek, black earth consisting of decomposed vegetable 
matter, and mixed with a sufficient quantity of quartz crystals to 
give the soil firmness is found, and is exceedingly well adapted to 
the growth of cocoanut trees. In the middle of Kallang and 
Pyah Lebar a fine black earth is found and is well adapted to 
most intertropieal cultivations. In Xtochor district to the south 
eastward of the Sirangun road, there lies principally a red argilla¬ 
ceous soil at a higher elevation than the rest of the plain—the soil 
is stiff’ and unyeilding and for its plastic qualities lias been much 
used for the making of bricks. To the north westward of the 
same road and in the same district argillaceous soils abound, more 
or less mixed with vegetable matter and affording a soil of consi¬ 
derable fertility. To the north of Pyah Lebar, and Kallang in 
the neighbourhood of the rising grounds, also in the middle ot the 
Bukit Timah road valley, and the valley of Bras Basa, the soils 
are in a great measure composed of vegetable matter, spongy and 
peaty. The want of inorganic matter such as silica and alumina, 
renders the cultivated plants rank, leafy and unproductive. The 
paddy grown runs to straw and does not fill the husk, while the 
cocoanut and betelnut when of full growth, bend and fall over and 
the leaves, for want of rigidity of bark and fibre, droop ; culinary 
vegetables, after the soil has undergone paring and burning, are 
* Free Press Vol. 6. 
t Colonel Low. 
