SOIL SURVEY

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 June 1935, Page 8

SOIL SURVEY

A SPECIAL APPOINTMENT.

[PEE PBESB ASSOCIATION.]

NELSON, June 15.

With the object of facilitating a 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 1 work 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 (Waikato) and Ashburton County (Canterbury) have proved, of great value in the elucidation of mineral deficiency, a’lments in stock, and in the manurial treatment of land. Soil maps, which have 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 im-: provement of farm practice. _ In the, future, the economic utilisation of New Zealand soil resources will become of >ever-growing importance and any programme of agricultural development must necessarily ne based on an ascertained knowledge of the' 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 the present time soil surveys are proceeding in WaipaCounty (Waikato), in Ashburton Counts' (Canterbury), and at Temuka, in the Levels County (South Canterbury). In regard to the Canterbury soil surveys, they are being conducted in connection, with irrigation development which have been approved by the Minister of- Bublig Works.