PART MH. | 
that they were not placed in a position to work in advance of the needs 
of the country, and it took many years for problems of the kind 
indicated by Mr. Beckley to be investigated and dealt with in a 
suitable manner. The question of the conservation of what might be 
termed ‘* soil capital =’ was, he thought, of the utmost importance in 
the case both of European settlement and the native population. 
Experience in other countries of the world had shown that the 
European farmer, in the early stages of his farming, lived to a large 
extent on his soil capital. In the case of the native agriculturists, it 
was expedient that they should be assisted in preserving the fertility 
of their soils. Having regard to the primary object which the soil 
served the native in the supply of his food requirements, it was the 
duty as well as the responsibility of Departments of Agriculture to see 
that the productive capacity of the soil in the native reserves was 
preserved as far as possible. One noticed in South Africa the import- 
ance of the question of humus of soils exposed to the sunlight of sunny 
regions; it was also apparent in East Africa, and he had been very 
interested to see, since Mr. Beckley had been in Kenya, the views he 
expressed in respect of soil treatment for preserving the physical 
structure of the soil. He would like to compliment Mr. Beckley on 
his paper, and to point to its value particularly as an indication of 
future lines of investigation. 
Mr. BURTON asked whether it would not be possible for the 
Conference to decide exactly what the farmer should be told to do in 
this matter. 
After some discussion, it was the opinion of the Conference that 
this was rather a matter for the individual Agricultural Departments to 
deal with. 
THE CHAIRMAN (Mr. Holm) thought that the points raised by 
Mr. Burton were important, and that they should be covered and 
dealt with by the Agricultural Departments when their officers had 
been able to secure the necessary accurate information on which to 
base their advice. He thought that it was necessary to bear in mind 
that they were still on the threshold of these investigations and were, 
to a very large extent, ignorant of the conditions in the country, so 
that they were not in a position to state preisely what course should 
be adopted. 
Mr. KIRBY raised the question of deposits of fertilisers in East 
Africa: and, after considerable discussion, the following conclusion was 
adopted : — 
THAT the attention of the Governments of Kast Africa be 
drawn to the possibility of the existence of deposits useful as 
fertilisers in the various territories, and that such Governments be 
asked to consider the recommendation that their respective 
Geological Departments should make this matter a prominent 
subject in their normal investigation and report. 
3C