Abstract
Four depths of soil ( 15, 30, 45 and 60 cm) spread for reclaiming bauxitemined lands, in combination with two fertilizer treatments and two cultivation treatments, were investigated. Treatments were evaluated by the yields of crops grown on the reclaimed land. Over the period 1969 to 1972 experiments were conducted on Surinam grass (Brachiaria decumbens), maize (Zea mays), yellow yam (Dioscorea spp.) and sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas). From these experiments, as well as considerations of costs of reclamation and possible loss of processable bauxite, it was concluded that bauxite lands in Jamaica to be used for growing grass, maize, yams or sweet potato, should be reclaimed by spreading soil to a depth of 30 cm, that the reclaimed land should not be ripped, and that a high application of fertilizer should be profitable except for maize.
