NEW ZEALAND PASTURES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 15 October 1926, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND PASTURES

INCREASING THE CARRYING POWER A MATTER FOR SERIOUS CONSIDERATION (By Telegraph—Special to The Mail). OHRISTC.HURCH, This Day. What grounds have we for believing that the carrying power of New Zealand pastures cannot, lie increased by the introduction of different grasses or improvement of those already established? asked Professor H. G. Denham In an address given by him before the delegates to the Industrial Corporation of New Zealand. No attempt had yet been made. to carry out a systematic soil survey of this country, and until this was done there was no guarantee that the method of fertilising was such as would give anything in the nature of n maximum result for the outlay. Indeed, the whole question of fertilisers and their production from the atmospheric air was worthy of the most serious attention, for it must, be realised that the general level of production of English land was raised nearly 50 per cent, between 1840 and 1870 (20 to 30 bushels) by the. use of artificial fertilisers. This subject was now receiving very careful treatment in America, where it had been calculated that (he leading crops absorbed annually 17,000,000,000 lbs. of ammonia, phosphates and potash, that, the farms returned 87,000,000,000 lbs., and the farmers supplied 2,400,000,000 lb. of fertilisers, leaving an annual deficit of 5,900,000,000 lbs. This had naturally shown itself in reduced production. To what extent was New Zealand's pastoral and agricultural land suffering in Ihe same manner was a question worthy of serious consideration.