PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 26 June 1924, Page 4

PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY

EXHIBITS AND PAPERS The second meeting J'or the current session of the Nelson Philosophical Society was held at the institute. Hardy Street last, night, when a large attendance of members and friends was presided over bv Professor T. H. Easterliold.

GROWTH OF LUCERNE M' 1 T. Rigg submitted and explained an interesting exhibit illustrating the effect- of lime and manure on the development of lucerne plants. He said the experiment bad been conducted in cylinders on the Cawthron Institute grounds. Two soils of widely differentproperties were employed. One of them was Nelson loam, which is naturally well supplied with both lime and plant food. .Hie other was Moutere hills soil, which is lacking in both lime and phosphates. In addition to the usual applications of lime and manure to the topsoil (first 9 inches of soil) certain cylinders received lime and manure treatment- at lower depths, corresponding to I lie subsoil (second 9 inches) and substrata (third 9 inches) of a section of soil in situ. In the ease of the Nelson loam the use of lime and manure did not effect any improvement in yield for the eighteen' months during which Iho experiment- has been m progress. The Moutere Hills soil, however, showed a- remarkable response to both lime mid manure under certain conditions. Without treatment practically no growth was made by the plants on Moutere i; hills soil. Liming the topsoil (first 9 inches) resulted in a great improvement in yield of fodder and in root development. Whore lime had been incorporated with the subsoil ns well as with the tnosoil, great additional benefit to the plants occurred. The highestyield" and greatest root development were obtained- in those cylinders where lime and manure (superphosphate and sulphate of potash) had been used. T ittle advantage, resulted from the use of the manure at depths below the first 9 inches of soil unless lime had also been introduced to the depth which was manured. Where manure was placed in the substrata root development was adversely effected. even although the topsoil had received the usual amount of lime. This harmful efleet might he attributed to the use of superphosphate, which in the absence of free lime in the soil increased soil acidity.

The President said that the exhibit was connected with a type of expert mcnls of which more were required to bo carried out, as very little information was to be found in literature on tlie subject of how far clown in the soil manures had effect.

AN AUSTRALIAN MOTH The secretary (Mr A. Phiipott) exhibit ed a- specimen of the large and handsome Australian moth, Ophideres materna, captured in April last by Mrs T .W. Taylor, of Grove Street. He stated that there were only three other records of the occurrence of the species in New Zealand, namely, one at Wellington in 1906, the second at Dunedin in 1907 and the . third ten years later at Akaroa. The fqyt that the caterpillar fed on bananas probably accounted for the occasional appearance in the Dominion of the. perfect insect. The specimen had been kindly presented by its captor to the Cawthron Institute and itwould form a very interesting addition to the Institute’s collection.

NEW ZEALAND BIRDS

Mrs M. M. Moncvicff gave an illustrated address on “The Present Position of Birds in New Zealand.” The numerous lantern slides, depicting birds found in New Zealand and some of the Rubantarctic islands, were shown by Mr W. C. Davies. . Mrs Moncrieff’s paper will later be published in The Mail. Mr D. Milligan drew a contrast between Australian and American hoys as regarded their respective attitude towards birds. He said he had never seen n collection of birds’ eggs in the possession of an American boy. A great deal was done in America to educate boys as to how much depended on birds. As a result the hoys became keen observers of bird life. For example Boy Scouts there kept records of the first appearances of birds each season and made notes on other points concerning their feathered friends. Instead of collecting eggs, they built what were known as bird-houses and put- them up in places where birds could use them to make their nests in and rear their young. Mr F. G. Gibbs said that to the south-east of Nelson city there was a group of reserves having a total area of 7500 acres. They were all under the control of the City Council. The laws of New Zealand prohibited in general terms the shooting native birds. The City Council, when the Cawthron Park was handed over to it, passed a by-law prohibiting the carrying of firearms, catapults, etc., in the park, and at a- later date appointed four or five gentlemen as rangers for the purpose of having the provisions of the bylaw complied with. The areas around the Cawthron Park were not affected by the by-law Mr Gibbs therefore moved to the effect that the committee of the Philosophical (society be asked to approach • tlie City Council (1) in order to have it provided that the by-law against the carrying of firearms, catapults, etc. be extended to apply to the whole croup of reserves; (2) to have The rangers empowered to carry out- their functions over all the reserves; and (3) to have the number of rangers Increased. Mr Phiipott, who seconded ’ the motion, said that lie often visited'the reserves in question. He had noticed an increase in the number of birds theie during the. Inst four years. He had fieciuontly met persons with firearms along Hie Dun Mountain line, and he had found dead birds lying by the track. Dogs were a danger to ground birds, and it would well to provide also that dogs taken into the reserves should be under control. The motion was carried. In the course of a brief discussion references -were made to the starling s powers of mimicry of other birds. The President remarked _on the increase in the number of kingfishers in this district, and said he had . not- only hear the boom of the bittern but haci seen that bird. He had been offered a dead bittern with the idea that it might be stuffed and placed on exhibition at th Cawthron Institute, but bad declined to accept it. ... A vote of thanks to Mrs Moncrieft for her paper was carried by acclamation.