THE RECLAMATION OF BOG LAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 3293, 25 April 1917, Page 10

THE RECLAMATION OF BOG LAND.

Probably it is because this country is but sparsely populated and the times are out of joint that we hear of or see very little reclamation work nowadays. Certainly the pioneer settlers, by dint of hard work early and late, wrought wonders with certain boggy areas, which their descendants now hold, and where mav be seen picturesque homesteads and fat" pastures and lands which readily respond to the modern treatment of dressings of artificial manures. It was not always so. Some experimental work in regard to manuring of unreclaimed bog is of more than passing interest. Potash experiments were first commenced, followed by field experiments the year after. These experiments showed the importance of a complete mixture of artificial manures and lime. Nitrogen was more important

than potash, except in the case of grain crops. During the last year raw peat from six different bogs was tested in pots, and plot experiments were made on two bogs—one m King's County and the other in County Tyrone, Ireland. In the pot experiments mustard was used in each case. The following fertilisers were applied in groups of three:—Nitrogen, as nitrate of soda and sulphate of ammonia ; superphosphate, kainit, and burnt lime. In no case did any seedlings grow on the untreated Boil, and in only two cases did any growth appear in the pots without lime. With two exceptions the influence of phosphate, was more important than. nitrogen, and it invariably happened that potash was the least important of the four 'ingredients. Potash appears to be of less importance in the case of cruciferous crops and others grown for stems and leaves only; but when it comes to the formation of grain or tubers, the effect of potash is most marked. The results of the field experiments with the various crops were as follow:—In regard to rape the rootlets on the no-lime plots appeared as if burnt up as soon as the seed germinated, and on the plot without phosphate most of the seed died soon after germination. There was considerable growth in the no-nitrogen plot; but the absence of potash .appeared to be the least.important factor. In regard to rye, in the absence of lime or of phosphate, only a few stunted ears were produced, The absence of nitrogen did not show such marked, results, and the grain was of fair quality. Potash made no difference in the early stages ; but when the ears were formed the difference was most marked. In the absence of potash the grain was shrivelled and the straw soft, as if thrashed.> In the case of a wet bog the absence of nitrogen from the mixture was as marked as the absence of potash. As far as potatoes were concerned, all the plants produced tubers, even in the untreated plots, where only a few stalks appeared above the ground. The absence of phosphate appeared to be more important than the absence of lime. The want of potash was more marked than the want of nitrogen. -The plot ceiving the complete manure without lime was far superior to any other, and yielded six and a-half tons per acre. Although a large percentage of the tubers were ; small, this yield is very satisfactory, considering that growth was checked by a frosty in late spring. On wet bog land lime appeared to be more important than phospates, and nitrogen than potash. Pot experiments were carried out'to test the value of shell sands and marls in replacing burnt lime. The crop grown was mustard, and each plot received the same quantity of nitrogen, phosphate, and potash. The following substances were compared: Burnt lime, marl, shell sand, peaty marl, and gravelly sand. The marls and shell sand gave quite as good, if not better, results than the lime. They acted as quickly from the very_ etart, and effectively corrected the acidity.