FARM FERTILISERS

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 11, 14 January 1932, Page 4

FARM FERTILISERS

THE PURCHASE OF LIME

A reply has been received from the Prime Minister (the Eight Hoiu G.W. Forbes) in regard to the New Zealand Farmers' Union request' that loans for thopurchaso of fertilisers through the Eural .Intermediate Credits Board should be extended to include the purchase of lime. In the interests of■ increasing production as rapidly as. possible, the Prime Minister states that it is considered that the money availablo should -be devoted entirely to advances' for fertilisers and should not include lime.

"The essential' objective of this assistance is to provide for top-dressing grassland," said Mr. Forbes, "and for that- purpose fertilisers, particularly phosphatic ones, are far more important than lime. It is freely admitted that lime on certain classes of soils increases the efficiency of fertilisers, but as the expenditure for lime in. this connection is not great, farmers should be able to make their own arrangements. Lime in most localities is now about 13s Cd a, ton, and where the application' of lime, in addition to .fertiliser, is advantageous, the most satisfactory mixture is half lime and half phosphate, or an increase in cost calculated at 13s 6d for every ton of phosphate, an expenditure); that should not require any special' monetary assistance.

"I would'also remind you that farmers already have the benefit of 'free railage on lime over any distance'up to 100 miles, whorcas , railway, freights have- to be paid on fertilisers, though certainly'on a reduced scale, owing to the provision made by the Government that the Department of Agriculture subsidise the Eailway Department to the oxtent necessary. Ifi ß regretted, therefore, that your request cannot be acceded to."