LAND DETERIORATION

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23086, 31 July 1940, Page 14

LAND DETERIORATION

TO TEE EDITOR 0? THE PRESS. Sir,—The letter by “Lincoln Farmer,” in “The Press” of Friday, should not remain unanswered, especially the part of it in which he attacks the microphone round-table broadcasts on soil erosioh problems. The speakers taking part are not likely to answer it, but it would not be out of place if farmers themselves expressed their appreciation of these broadcasts. ’ Soil erosion, as it concerns New Zealand, is of vital importance, and the discussions showed that a great deal of thought had been given to it and not •a little courage shown. Some of • our ideas concerning the pioneers have been badly shattered, especially concerning the men who managed to build up a so-called aristocracy by ruthlessly exploiting our tussock grasslands. The sheepmen found an abundant natural pasture all ready for their flocks, but what is some of it now? Though this is the most glaring instance of mishandling the natural resources of this country, there are others, too. The problem.of erosion’ in the North Island bush country is very serious, though settlers there had the excuse that the results could hardly have been foreseen. Blocks of standing bush were surveyed and sold to farmers, but the land was of no value until the bush had-been felled and burned, and turnips and grass sown on the resultant ashes. Much of that country is on papa rock foundation, and fairly steep,, so that when the tree roots rotted, the thin layer of soil had nothing to hold it in place. On Banks Peninsula valuable bush was sacrificed, but the formation is different and the grass sown, cocksfoot, is so peculiarly suited to that soil that .the, loss has been repaid many times over. On the Canterbury Plains, outside the swamp belt and the lighter shingle land, there remains the ordinary agricultural area, varying in quality of soil, but all suffering more or less from depletion and weed growth, though none of it hopeless. Of the tussock hills, however, we may well ask: “What next? Yours, etc., _ . ' T.A.S. July 30. 1940.