SCIENCE AND FARMING.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8538, 19 March 1908, Page 4

SCIENCE AND FARMING.

The Auckland A. and P. Association has under consideration a very important branch of agricultural work known as soil surveys. The matter was mentioned in the report presented at the annual meeting of the Society, and it Was suggested that the co-operation of the Department of Agriculture bo sought to carry out the scheme. The intention is to classify the typical soils that cover a large area in the province, to determine their physical and chemical characteristics, their mechanical state, their texture and moisture, the crops for which they are best adapted, their natural plant growth, the most payable crops grown in other parts upon soils of the same character, and the best method of treating them so as to secure the maximum crops at the least cost. Mr Aston, the head of the Government- Chemical Department, has offered to assist the Association in any investigations of this character that they could arrange to take up, and to examine and report upon some typical soils, with a'view of ascertaining how they could be dealt with most effectively and most economically. In this way it is thought an amount of valuable information could be gathered that will be useful to the farmer in his operations. In this way the most will be made of the land, and the agriculturalist will be saved from needless mistakes. The work seems to be one that most A. and P. Associations could take up with beneficial results.