DUNEDIN GARDENING CLUB.

Otago Witness, Issue 3885, 28 August 1928, Page 11

DUNEDIN GARDENING CLUB.

At the meeting of the Dunedin Gardening Club on Tuesday evening there was a large attendance. Hr F. H. Hollinsworth presided. The subject lor the evening was a lecture on “ Soil and its Cultivation," by Mr James Nelson, who stated that in dealing with soil and its fertility one was faced by the most complex subject fopnd in gardening. Soils varied very much, lie said, in their natural state, situation, and fertility. Even in small gardens there was often found more than one kind, such as heavy and light soil. Where soil was of a heavy nature drainage and deep .cultivation should be resorted to. Drainage lowered the level of the water table and raised the temperature of the soil. One of the advantages of heavy soil, he continued, was its retentiveness of moisture, which made it richer. The disadvantages were that it was hard to cultivate at any time, and could not be cultivated in wet weather. It would not drain easily, and consequently it was colder and not suitable for nursery stock. Light soil had its advantages. It was easily drained and easily worked in all weathers. Its disadvantages were that it parted readily with moisture, and thus manures were easily leeched out. Soil in its natural state contained large quantities of mineral salts, which, in their present form, were not avialable for plant food, and could be made available only by cultivation. They could also be obtained by opening up the soil to allow the sun, rain, frost, and air into the soil. Heavy soil could be improved by deep trenching and digging as well as by cultivation in dry weather and exposure to winter weather. Applications of unslaked lime, fresh stable manure, burnt clay, sand, mortar, charcoal, and wood ashes would all tend to improve the soil. Cultivation of the soil was the main thing in gardening, and bacteria was essential for the making of fertile soil. Manuring, though very much abused at the present time, was valuable if properly carried out, but the first consideration was cultivation.

The lecturer then dealt with other phases of the subject, and at the conclusion of his address numerous questions were asked and answered. _A vote of thanks was accorded Mr Nelson for his address.