The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-02-04

inis sample contains large AMOUNTS Of
moisture and organic matter. which are
characteristics Of marxhy sofis. snssx ~
Iris type ara especially adaosed IN rase-
Ing celery. cranberrses. repuermart -.
The composition Of this sar,rss 6ses ,,s,-
oiHsr materially from the Michigan .cs,-
say SONS. although somewhat lower in
anne. potash and phosporir acid. Ii has
been confnor;iy supposed that oxide OF
iron Is an in5ursous ingredient III Celery
soTs II this BE true. this muck SHOULD
De well adapted 20 celery growing. De-
cause OF the unusually small amount OF
oxide OF iron Il contains. The percentage
/ o. nitrogen. although large. Is yet smaller
IMAM In the Michigan celery soils.
Sample No. 2 IL the clay underlying No.
II was asked concerning this clay.
Does II contain any fertisixing proper
ties that would be beneficial TO The other
so.G9s,
II IL not probable that this clay could
be used to advantage or profit in supply
Ing deficiencies In plant food that exist
81 Nos. Is. % and q.
Sample No. Is was sent from vancou-
yer. Clarke county. BY Nathan N. More
as1s. II was taken from the upward slope.
about two miles from the Columbia river.
20 depth of eighteen inches. II II a
red soil, similar In appearance to No. 10.
l1om skagit county. Dir. Norelius writes:
All fruits seem 70 do well in this soil
ana Climate, The staple fruit raised is
the prune. although apples. pears, peaches
and cherries do remarkably we'll Among
the small fruits, Strawberries and black
berries do well. The idea Is very prera-
lent here that manuring is necessary In
order to get the best results in raising
fruss, especially prunes AS barn yard
manure is getting TO be q. scarce article,
commercial fertilizers viii sooner or
later become a necessity Therefore. IL.
through the efforts OF your station, some
light be thrown In regard to what ele-
nents Of plant food are most deficient in
our soil. It will be public good The
land from which this sample was taken
was originally covered with fir. dogwood,
maple. hazel. willow. etc"
IL Is interesting TO note that two soils
resembling each other as closely as Nos.
70 and Is differ very materially In their
chemical composition. No. 10 il very poor
In phosphoric acid, while No. e contains
an unusually large supply; No. 10 con-
tains less than half az much potash as
No. Is. but nearly twice as much lime.
From the generally accepted views con-
corning the relations OF lime and phos-
phoric acid in the economy OF plant nut-i-
ton. we might suppose that these two
soils would be equally productive and
perhaps equally durable. There are many
reasons for believing that a large amount
OF lime in a soil renders available for
plant assimilation very small amount
OF phosphoric acid. thus making suffi-
Gent for the demands a supply which,
in the absence of lime, would be far in
adequate Hence, II is likely that only
limited amount Of the large phosphoric
acid percentage in No. IS can be used by
the plant. because OF the unusually low
content OF lime. An addition of land
plaster to such a soil would undoubtedly
Increase both the productiyenesss and
longevity.
This soil varies from four to sixteen
feet deep. resting on gravel. It has very
superior drainage and its great adapta-
bility TO the culture of italian prunes is
probably due as much to the drainage
and climatic conditions as TO the food
elements Ii contains. Clarke county Is
the prune county of the state. and a
greater part Of the crop Is raised within a
few miles of Vancouver.
Sample No. 26 Is the same as No. 3,
taken oom between eighteen and twenty
four inches deep. There Ia very little
change In the appearance of this soil
throughout Its entire depth.
The analysis shows with increasing
depth slight increase in lime percentage
but tremendous decrease In the amount
| OF potash and phosphoric acid. The most
marked feature of differences is in the
relative amounts of soda In the two SAM
pies.
Sample No q was sent from wilIapa,
Pacific county. by Thomas Dixon, jr., ana
wac taken about two miles west OF Will
Iapa Mr.. Dixon writes. This is bottom
land, aIiuvial soil, four feet deep. clay
subsoii resting on soapstone. VIII hers,
prunes and plums flourish thereon? The
climate IL favorable. This soil yields pc-
tatoes at 90 or 10 bushels per acre. Tim
othy. four to i've tons per acre. One acre
In hay and one In pasture Is more than
required by one cow Carrots take the
soil by riot and eabbages are perfectly
al home"
While the testimony in the above letter
shows the soil TO be very productive for
some things. the analysis reveals that It's
productivity cannot probably last very
long. because Of the very low percentages
of lime and potash. The supply OF phos-
ptoric acid f. satisfactory. but 1t IL
doubtful II much of II is In an available
form for use of the plant. because of tho
very low lime content, and large amounts
or iron and alumina. some or the bottom
lands In the wiliapa valley that have
been In cultivation for from ten TO twenty
years snow very marked Indications or
a decline Ia pr:ductiyeness. An addition
OF lime 10 this soil would be of great
value In maintaining It's fertility. The
increase of the lime would tend to render
more of Tire rhosphorie acid available.
and In that event the supply OF potash
would probably be sufficient for some
time se come.
This soil would not be very we'll adapted
10 fruit culture, especially of prusaes and
NUNS. because OF the clay ssbsoil. snds-
eating rather poor drainage. and because
/ Of Us lew percentage or ii,Tfe. Appses
would probably thrive for time. out
Would saea require the sell 10 be enriched
with potash.
The sell from which this sample was
taken has grown two good crops q TIM
othy.
sample Ne. IS was also sent from VIII
lara. raesaa county. and DIR. 'ssxcn