SOIL SURVEY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 209, 17 June 1935, Page 7

SOIL SURVEY

THROUGHOUT THE DOMINION. GOOD PROGRESS MADE. (Per Press Association.) NELSON, June 15. . With the object of facilitating the general soil survey of New Zealand, the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research has seconded to the Cawthron Institute Dr. J. K. Dixon, who has been engaged during the past year on soil and chemical studies relating to the incidence of stock ailments in Southland. During the past four years the cooperative soil survey of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research and the Cawthron Institute has made great progress and soil surveys which have been conducted in the central territory of the North Island, Taranaki, Waipa County, the Waikato and Ashburton County have proved of great, value in the elucidation of mm r eral deficiency ailments in stock and in the manurial treatment of land. Soil maps which ha.ve been prepared by field workers of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research provide a permanent basis for the conduct of field experimental work, the investigation of stock and soil problems and the improvement of farm practice. In the future the economic utilisation of New Zealand's soil resources will become of ever-growing importance and any programme of agricultural development must necessarily be based on ascertained knowledge of soil types and properties. Dr Dixon, will greatly strengthen the chemical side of the work, which is handled by the Cawthron Institute in connection with these New Zealand soil surveys. At present soil surveys are proceeding in Waipa.County and the Waikato, in Ashburton County and at Temuka in Levels County. The Canterbury soil surveys are being conducted in connection with irrigation developments which have been approved by the Minister of Public Works.