THE COUNTRY.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17221, 11 August 1921, Page 3

THE COUNTRY.

SOIL ANALYSIS. NOT A COMPLETE GUIDE TO FERTILITY. There is still em-rent among ninny farmers an idea that,the analysis of tneir 6oils will ' supply an infallible guid;' to requirements in the way of fertilisers. For the last naif of the nineteenth century this was the view held by many scientists. The reasoning was simple, says the "Sydney Morning Herald." Analysis showed in the case of, say, a wheat soil in the Riveiina, that it contained .13 per cent, "f phosphoric acid. In a soil six inches deep this would amount to between iM'i) and 27001b. A 30-bushel crop o£ wheat, an admittedly heavy yield, will n-move during its period of growth something like 211b of phosphoric acid, and apparently tnere is sufficient in tne class of land referred to for about 130 successive crops. . l£xperienc;> in Australia has shown that even in a soil which has been found,bv analysis to contain ample supplies'of phosphoric acid the addition of even 561b of super has given marked increases in yield. ■••.:,' The sam;V conclusion has been.forced on ninny of the maize growers. On alluvial soils of tilio. richest type from a chemical standpoint, highly profitable returns have resulted from comparatively small quantities of fertiliser. The id:a that the physical character of 4ho soil had as much to do with the fertility as -its' chemical content is largely the- creation -of the twentieth centurv. Field experiment after experiment showed that the crucible; was not the true measure, of productivity. However rich in essential ■ plant-food maVrials a soil may be, i$ isnow fully recognised that it. is- not fertile unless these are available to the crop.- All. the food of plants.is taken by thetn in. th.* form of liquids or of gases, and hence, the-fertility of soil must-be: determined hy .thernteflt which -plant .food-inay.be dissolved in the sdrl water rat the time ;the' , cfbpiti'ariaf^ffwing;i-''->'-'- i ;-" .», ■ ! - ; -, This availability is largely-governed, by the proportion of watoirnttd air in the soil, and.thus;(the farmer by hhv methnds of- cultivation may keep ic larirely nnd:T hiß control,

; Soil analysis hits-been to some extent discredited by;the fact that is is frequently rery difficult to get a really representative soil sample, as there are often comparatively' wide variations within narrow limits. .Accidental variations, due to the ;bu mine; of a tree during clearing or the rotting,of a carcase 'may unduly raise the quantity of plant food material in the. sample, and thus prove misleading. On the coast particularly it. is unusual to get even 10 ntires of soil suitable for experiment purposes, as can .be'easily prove:?, by carefully scrutinising a crop, pown '■under uniform, conditions and noting the differences. . ' j Every farmer then must be to. a Inrge extent. his own experimenter. Small test plots treated with Ylitf rpnt ' fertilisers will often prove a much better guide than all the soil analyses. . Closely .following the results of the nearest experiment plots conducted by the Department of Agriculture will prove of verv material assistatwje, but where time can.be spared a'few coinparative trials on the property itself, csnecially over a, series of, years, will indicate in the most effective way the 'true' productive : capacity of tne farm. Jottings for Fanners. '• Travellers .through Taranaki comment on tne woudtrful sigiis of .prosperity on every side, and the entire absence or . anytning. in the nature of a slump. Uus is not to be wondered at (says the i'utea "Press") when the amount received by.the,farmers for butter-fat for the .past season is considered. Ahe llahotu Dairy Company's balance-sheet shows a payment, of 2s B*d per-lb tor butter-fat and the Moa Company s 7id. .. . , . The necessity for farmers,, and .particularly vourig men just-starting farming, in these days of high .prices, to toave some indication during the season of the probable 'pay-out. they are to receive from their factory, was stressed by some speakers at the annual meeting of the Hawera Dairy Company, and a resolution was passed that the. directors should issue a progress report, say, every three months. The chairman considered that tkis was a step in. the right direction,."and promified.it should be Carried out. An expert judge of cattle, Mr W. G. C. Britten, secretary of the Hereford Herd Book Society, Herefordshire, Inland, is at present in Australia on a visit to the various cattle districts, no will visit New Zealand and South Africa before he returns home.

. The following letter from Sir Francis Bovs in reference to , resolutions forwarded to the Now Zealand Rerri;erCompany was read at the las" meeting of the Marlborough executive of the Farmers' Union: "In reply to your enquiry as ; to whether the worKs -n-iil be opened at Picton as soon as sulficient stock offers, we can only say that every possible effort is being made to push forward the work of rebuilding the fellmongerv and manure department. It'is difficult to make any promises with regard to building, but we have reasonable hopes that tiie worKs will be able to open not later than tlaa first week in December." In a lecture to the Stoke. Fruitgrowers' Association, Mr T. Bigg, bmII chemist to .the Oawthron Instrtnte, stated that the majority of the sous in the Nelson district were marked Dy great eoil acidity, which could be remedied by liming. In an investigation, embracing an area of nearly 300 square miles, laboratory determinations of «ne lime requirements of ten distinct sou types had been made. T!he lime requirement figure was in certain cases as hign as three and four tons of ground limestone per acre, only two eojla Svfflg

found whioh # were well supplied with lime, and which (had consequently a low lime requirement. The lime requirement figures determined in the laboratory must be regarded to some extent! as hypothetical, but, as far as the experiments havo gone, there is a close) agreement betwoen the lime requirement figure determined in the laboratory and that required in actual practice to secure optimum conditions for growth in the case of tihose crops which are intolerant of Boil acidity. Mustard, buckwheat, and Scotch tares grown on three different types of soil gave large increases in yield by applications of lime which did not exceed "the lime requirement figure. The highest yield was obtained in each case by the appli?atiom of lime equal in amount to the laboratory determination. Applications of lime in amounts greater tlhan this resulted in a marked decrease of yield in the case of Scotch tares and buckwheat, when compared with that obtained by the application of lime equal in amount to the lime requirement figure of the soil. I EANOIORA. | To-night a lecture will be given at Rangiora bv Mr G. H. Holford, chair-, man of the Rural Education Committee of the Canterbury Progress Leagiva, on "Agricultural Development and" Rural i Education." The lecture, which is being given under the joint auspices of I the Farmers' Union, the Northern A. and P. Association, the Rangiora W.E.A., and ihe Progress League, will deal with the present economic position relating to the agricultural and pastoral industry, and set forward some points that should be considered in adjusting rural interests to meet the present state of affairs. A scheme of rural education will also be outlined. The lecture will be freely illustrated by lantern slides. The weekly meeting of the Rangiora Methodist Young People's Guild was held on Tuesday, the Rev. A. N. Scotter presiding. An interesting paper was read by Mr R. Hepburn, LL.B., on the life and works of George Eliot, and selections from "Adam Bede," "The Mill on the Floss," "Silas Marner," and Romola," were read by Mr Scotter and Mr Hepburn. OHOKA. A well-attended meeting of Ohoka dairy farmers was held in the local hall to discuss matters in .connexion with dairying. Mr F. Pearce presided. Mr D. Jones, M.P., was also present by invitation. Amongst other things relating to dairying was the question of the formation of a local dairy farmers' association, and after some discussion a committee of twelve was formed to go into the matter and report to a further meeting at a date to be fixed. The secretary was instructed to write to the recently-formed Ellesmere Association to get what information he could from them. At the conclusion of the meeting, a very hearty vote of thanks was accorded the chairman and Mr Jones, M.P., for information given and a promise of assistance at any time. At the fortnightly progressive euchre party and dance there was a very large attendance. Miss Taylor supplied the music for the dance, whilst extras were played by Miss Wright and Miss Ramsey. The first prizes for cards went to Mrs Reynish and Mr W. Lynskey. The consolation prizes fell to Miss M. King and Mr L. Jackson. •/

A long-felt want is being supplied to Ohoka residents in the way of electricity. The Public Works Department have erected poles right through Ohoka, Smith's and Bradley's roads, and are now erecting same on Jeffs's road. It is hoped that the lighting will soon he available. Quite a number of people are taking power for milking plants, in addition.to lighting. HORNBY-ISLINGTON. Mr James Leslie, manager of the Islington freezing works, who was operated on in a private hospital m Christchurch about a month ago, returned'to his home last week. Tne weekly progressive euchre party ■held by the Islington. Welfare Committee was well attended. The prizes were won bv Mrs John Rountree Mrs .Morton. Mr J. Marshall, and Master Enwright. ASHBUBTCttT. The tender of Mr 0,. Hewßon, the present lessee, at £l3O per annum, has been accented by the Ashburton County Council for the county saleyardfl v Three other tenders were received.