GARDENING CLUB

Evening Star, Issue 19952, 23 August 1928, Page 14

GARDENING CLUB

At tho meeting of the Dunedin Gardening Club on Tuesday evening there was a large attendance. Mr F, H. Holliugworth presided. The subject for the evening was a lecture on ‘ Soil and its Cultivation,’ by Mr James Nelson, who stated that in dealing with soil and its fertility one was faced by tho most complex subject found in gardening. Soils varied very much, he said, in their natural state, situation, and fertility. Even in small gardens there was often found more than one kind, such as heavy and light soil. Where soil was of a heavy nature drainage and deep cultivation should be resorted to. Drainage lowered the level of the water table, and raised the temperature of the soil. One of the advantages of heavy soil, ho continued, was its retentiveness of moisture, which made it richer. The disadvantage* were that it was hard to cultivate at any time, and could not be cultivated in wet weather. It would not drain jasily, and consequently it was colder and not suitable for nursery stock. Light soil had its advantages. It was easily drained and easily worked in all weathers. Its disadvantages were that it parted readily with moisture, and thus manures were easily leeched out. Soil in its natural state contained large quantities of mineral salts, which, in their present form, wore not available for plant food, and could ho made available only by cultivation. They could also be obtained by opening up tile soil to allow tho sun, rain, frost, and air into the soil. Heavy soil could lie improved by deep trenching and digging as well as by cultivation in ary weather and exposure to winter weather. Applications of unslaked limo, fresh stable manure, burnt clay, sand, mortar, charcoal, and wood ashes would dl tend to improve the soil. Cultivation of the soil was the main thing in mrdening, and bacteria was essential or the making of fertile soil Manurng, though very much abused at the uresont time, was valuable if properly •nrried out, but the first consideration was cultivation. The lecturer then dealt with other aliases of the subject, and at tho conclusion of his address nnmpmns quesmns were asked and answered A vote of thanks was accorded Mr Nelson for his address.