THE Bay of Plenty Times

AND THAMES GALLEY WARDEN.

11 The Spirit of the Times shall teaoh me speed.'

—KING JOHN, ACT IV.

TUESDAY, MAY 1, 1883

Thb fanners of this district will, we feel, sure, have read with satisfaction Doctor Ginders' able criticism of our ' views as published in his letter on tf Agricultural Chemistry" in our issue of Tuesday, 24th April. We do not go; so far as to say that chemical analysis of our soils is a tine qua non, but we believe in its great usefulness as a means to an end. The clear and concise manner in which Dr Ginders has pointed out the main. elements as constituents of soil is very helpful, and we shall be delighted to give place to further communications from him on this subject. We are inclined to lay great stress on the matter of selection of grasses. Tjhis we do believe to be a sine qua non of good pasture. That is good in the sense of suitability to the purpose pursued. In puggesting analysis our aim is rather fo awaken interest in the question Itßelf, and fully coinciding with the statement that the three essentials are humus, clay, and sand, would it not be desirable to learn on reliable authority. «xaot, in the sense of experimental result, how far those 08» sential element* exist in our soils, and is the proportion so satisfactory that, in obeying the natural laws of vegetation, we should be justified in leaving the soil alone? Kerrr.vding soil as the mere medium, or we should say the natural medium for the storage of nutriment of plants, is it not true that . there may be present in this medium that which neutralises the work of air and water ? If this is not so, why are certain soils better calculated to grow certain crops than others? There must be some agency at work neutralising the benoficial effocts in tho one case, which is proved to be either absent altogether or in operation in the other. That plants will grow, and grow well, without the agency of soil at all has been satisfactorily demonstrated by another French experimentalist, who grows his plants in moss. This strengthens Dr Ginders argument, which we admit. We believe that analysis would be exceedingly useful to detect the presence of any deleterious matter, on the one hand, or that which would be nutritious, but is inoperative, owing to its combinations with other minerals, or fixed by the presence of certain gases cr compounds. Practical knowledge is unquestionably of more general service than theories based on scientific researches. We should be sorry indeed to flee the farmer altogether wrapped up in the study of chemistry, or, indeed, anything, that would turn him from his practical acquaiutance with the laws of nature. Experience teaches us, if we are observant, that swe do in many instances those things which are demonstrable as truth by scientific evidence ; hence we value the means afforded by science, in whatever form, that will take us to t^e point we seek to reach. Our argument is this : The soil of the district is said to be capablo of growing anything. Granted, in the view that the soif is only the medium ; whether from exhaustion, or whatever cause, "we find "by experience that the soil

will not yield what we desire. Where are we to to discover the cause ? we have sunshine, we have rain. On enquiry from old residents we find they have succeeded only where manure has been liberally used. This is the practical side of the matter. We believe the question of subsoil is of importance to this district, and its nature may have a good deal to do with results as we see them. However, we urge again the importance of discrimination in the knowledge of gasses. Stall-feeding is so entirely out of the question that the only point to consider at present is the best pasture that oan be "obtained in order to fatten properly. We feel confident that the day will come when much will have to be said about alternate husbandry. An agricultural district is 6ne thing, a grazing district is another. Now what are we, really? To answer accurately, we must say, neither one nor the other. We import what we ought to grow, and we have to purchase outside our district what we seek to fatten. To revert to our original question of soil, we would lay some stress on the selection of manures. Manurial action is such a wide question, and in some instances so exceedingly complex, we fear that we should only weary our readers by any attempt at a lengthy explanation, but will simply lay before them the following remarks for consideration : — Manures are widely differont and distinct from o le another in their offices and agencies ; for instance, one acts by improving the texture of the soil, one by chemically elaborating the soil, one by taking in* the fluids of the atmosphere, one stimulates the plants to take up food, one con tributes its immediate principles to the nutrition of plants, and otig becomes the food of _ plants in tho products of decomposition. Not only arc these widely distinct from one another in their agency and offices, but any two or more which have the same general agency may greatly differ in their method of exciting it, and very many which act prominently in one kind of agency act at the same time with more or less power in other kinds of agencies. !Por instance an ameliorator of the texture of stiff clay is totally different from an ameliorator of the texture of loose sand. Some manures, such as farm yard manure, and many of the prime composts furnish all kinds of cultivated plants with all or very nearly all the many principles of nourishment which they require in addition to such as are furnished by the atmosphere ; others again, such as gypsum and some other special manures afford only one or two, or a very small proportion, of the principles of nourishment and afford even these to only a few species of plants. Some manures afford the animal saline principles, some the vegetable saline principles, some what may be called the native or mineral saline substances, some the nitrogenious Principles, some a combination of principles best suited to the leafing or flowering periods of plants, or the germinating period^ and finally some a combination of principles best suited to the fruiting or ripening period of plants. Some manures act slowly and gradually, some are quite expended before the arrival of another spring, some combine in a remarkable wav the powers of the permanent and and evanescent, expending some of the principles in effecting a gentle growth in the first crop, and retaining others of their principles for the use of crops of the following years. Thus, then, as to the grand point of selecting and proportioning manures to the highest practical advantage, the farmer needs to consider what the • principles of nutrition are which his proposed crops require, and in what degree his land is destitute of them. What is of real moment, in our view of the case, is that a mnn who knows pretty nearly what his land requires may bo able in some cases to supply it at about one-fourth of the cost of farm yard manure, and. at any rate, has the satisfaction of knowing that his crops shall not fail for want of their requisite nutrition.

Mi 1 James BodaU advorMsen KeUtmje JXuwpm to lot oti favourable terms, and also musical instruments, piotures, &0., for tmle ohoap.

The new Presbyterian Church, Opotiki, was opened on Sunday week to full congregations both morning and evening.

Mv James White proceeded to Maketu yesterday. He is going to start immediately •with his contract for the rebuilding of the Taheke and Mourea bridges.

The Lands Conrt at Makctu is occupied with the investigation of the Tc Tnmu block, the expenses alone of which will considerably c:ic?od the value of tlin sand-hills and swamp of which it is composed.

We beo - to remind our readers thn.t fin nominations for the vacancy in tho Borough Council, caused by the resignation of Councillor Bodell, will take place at noon this day, at the Borough Council office.

Mr S. Macaulay, who is so well and favourably known in connection with the Tauranca Post Office and Telegraph Department, was a passenger by tho Taiaroa on Sunday for Gisborne, where he goes to spend a fortnight's well-deserved holiday.,

We have been requested to draw the attention of tho Borough Council to the requirement of having a. public urinal erected on the Town Wharf. The site adjoining the back of the Fire Brigade station has been pointed out to us as the most suitable for the building.

Mr Beswick, who for tho past four years has held the appointment of postmaster and telegraphist at Maketu, proceeds to Auckland to-morrow tin rnvtc to take over charge of the post and telegraph office at Paihi, Kaipara. Mr Benner succeeds Mr Beswick at Makotu.

A special meeting of the Opotiki Town Board of Commissioners was held in the Royal Hotel on Monday, the 19th inst. All the members were present, On the proposition of Mr Dawson, seconded by Captain Smith, Mr James Busst was appointed secretary, vice the late Loftus Richards.

A meeting of the Borough Council took place yesterday in the Council Chambers. — Present — His Worship the Mayor, and Councillors Maxwell, Conway, Firth Wrigley, and Buddie. The Council was occupied with flcrutini.iins: the assessment roll.

Many enquiries have beori mode within the last few days as to what 'has become of the missing mail, which v:ns lost mul afterwards picked up, at tho "Wuihi .Ford. Perh.-'.i- • mi/

postal authorities may enlighten thy public on thiß subject.

We may before long expect to learn tidings from Ohmcmutu of the celebrated trial, wherein Mr Robsrt Graham figures very prominently in the case now before the Reside ii Magistrate's Court at Rotorua, re the purloining the Maoii image.

Mr Darragh is cutting the grass over the football field for the local club. We would suggest to the Domain Board the advisability of giving him a few shillings extra to destroy theßathurat Burr and Scotch thistle plants which are thriving 1 luxuriantly in variouß portions of the Domain.

Wo understand that the funeral of the lato Mr Charles Prettyman wiU take place to-day at the New Cemetery, when doubtless a great number of Te Puke settlers, along with the citizens of the town, will testify their grief at the losa of so respected and universally beloved neighbour as the deceased gentleman was.

Mr W. M. English, of the Eoyal Hotel, Opotiki, has received ex ketch Opotiki, a consignment of English and Auckland beer in bulk, which, in addition to the previous stock of Norway, Canterbmy, and Otngo ales, together with the regular supply from Penny's brewery affords the patrons of the Royal an opportunity to pick and choose.

The residents in the usually quiet little village of Kihikihi (says the Auckland • s tar) are all agog in the anticipation of the opening of the Land Court there. Land speculation is rampant, and £8 aud £10 per foot is paid for choice building lots ill the township. Quite recently the Messrs Tole refused £8 per acre for their unimproved farm near the township.

The following paragraph appears in the Hawke's Bay Herald of April Oth :— At the Synod last night the Rev. Mr Jordan raised a hearty laugh, in which, he joined moat merrily, by a genuine "bull." He caid he had in his church " many dissenters who were members of the church of England, and when the laugh subsided added, "The Synod must remember I'm an Irishman, and privileged .iccorolingly. "

Between thirty and forry \ 1 , o * turned tip on tho football ground on Saturday even* ing, and enjoyed ono of the best games of the season so far. Very evenly matched sides were chosen by Messrs "Robinson and Tucker, and the match resulted in a victory for the former by one pomt — they obtaining three touches from which two goals wore kicked, or ten points, while Mr Tucker's tenm scored ono goal from tho field and two touches, from which another goal was kicked, giving them a total of nine points.

The second specimen of the elrctric skate (Torpedo Fairehild) that has ever been caugH in "New Zealand was captured recently in the inner lae;oon, at N T apier, opposite old mill. Mr A. Hamilton, of Petane, being anxious to secure a specimen of t'>is fish had offered a reward of ten shillin"s for one, and this one when caugh* was taken to him. Ho brought it into town and it was placed in a bath of spirits of wine by Mr Bowerman. The first specimen that was caught was captured by Capta<n Fairchild, when he commanded the Government steamer Sturt about thirteen years ago.

At Arrowtown (in the South Island), two gentlemen undertook to collect subscriptions on behalf of a family suddenly bereaved of its bread-winner, with the ostensible purpose of relieving the necessities of the family in question. It anpear-> that £40 133 had been raided, and out of this sum the. gentlemen who collected the money paid themselves accounts owing to them a^d. to others, as it is stated, at the request of the v'.dow, to the amount of £89 14s 9d, handing to the relict for her relief and that of her eight cftildren the munificent sum of 18s 3d ! If this is not looking after " No. 1," at the expense of the public, we don't know what it is.

It may not ho generally known that at. least 5.000 acres of valvable land situated between the Waiotahi and Waioeka rivers were granted to the loyal Arawa hapua, in recognition of their services on behalf of the Colony. This land, we learn, has been sub-divided into areas of 20 acres for each . individual ; and further that 4,000 acres situated between the Waiotahi and"' the University Reserve at Whakatane were granted to Colonial service men in blocks of 50 acres each, who had also an allotment in Opotiki, which lots are not occupied. If the data upon which this is founded is the right one, then by all moans let the Crown step in and purchase from the loyal Arawa the estate, which, we are confident the Arawa would only be too willing 1 to alienate ; and, in respect to the military lots, no fear need be evinced, as time, the great arbitrator, will doubtless devise some means of adjusting the difficulties in connection ■with the lands granted.

It is with regret we have to record the death of Mr Charles Prettyman, one of the To Puke cottiers, which took place at the Tourist Villa, Wharf street, on Sunday last at noon. Mr Prettyman arrived hero as k passenger by tho ship Oxford, from and at once made his Relcctkm of land. 100 no.yes at To Puke, and with energy and enterprise made a homestead which, had he lived, would in a ahovt time have realised for him a comfortable home.

Mr Prettyman was a youmy man of syreat promise, umnnrrlod, and only 27 years of ago. always of a healthy robust constitution until within the last two months when he bognn to show elwns of diHcaw whloh flnnlly flottlod In ftoriKPsHftn ol the luncw. 3!)r (3-lnrlorfl, ft?om uvat to l«bt, wah hift-morifonl atlviflor, nnd wa& most unremitting in his attentions. Mrs Morrimttn, of. Tourist Villa, was vory attentive and kind, nnd Mv Prottymaii, when con* Bcious of his end approaching, expressed sincere gratitude for the manifestations shown him by all around.

A Whaka.tane correspondent writes: — A pnblio meeting was held t,he other evening in Mr Simpkin's store for the pin ,>oso of electing a committee for the Whakntane Public Library for the ensuing 1 twelve months. Messrs Simpkins, MoC-varvny, Pnrkrr, nn'l "Browne wore duly elected, af tor which Mr Rimpkins was appointed s^ret/ivy and tiwiRnrer, and Mr Parker wii 'elected Chairman of riommittop. The llbi'ary appecrs to be in n fiouriKhimr condition, nearly eve"/ adult in the place subscribing 1 , as in 'Iced they should when it is considered that tho nnnnal ?übscription is only ten shillings a year. Tho management, aro put in receipt of the Government grant, which amounts to nhouh ten nounda, and it has been decided to immediately order £20 worth of books from Auckland. Mr Simplrins, sen., is entitled to the thanks of the public for his disinterestedness in givinsr the free use of his little cottage for the purposes of a library and reading 1 room. — At a meeting 1 hold to consider what steps should be taken to jret up athletic sports on the Queen's "Birthday, the following' genfclemon wore elected a committee: — Judge, Mr Simpkins, sen. ; starter. Mr Parker ; secretary and treasurer, Mr Simpkius, jun. ; handicappors. Messrs MoGavery and Parker ; committee, Messrs 0. Buekworth, F. Pilling-, W. Moody. Subscription lists were at once opened and freely subscribed to. It was arranged to hold a meeting: of the committee on tho Ist of May, to draw up a programme, fix the prizes, and finally settle everything so as to ensure a good day's sport.