SOIL EROSION

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19241, 5 February 1937, Page 5

SOIL EROSION

A GRAVE WARNING AI'STE ALIAX MEXAi'E LESSON’ OP THE SAHARA

SYDNEY. .l:m. 26. In ;i warning :iij:i inst tli<“ menace ol fro.-. ion. Mr. F. S. Clayton, senior experi n I'lilalisl. of tin 1 I)f |«:i it infill of Agl'ieiilluiv. s.iill :il llie Millions Club yesterday. Unit the standard of livin'.; of a whole nation eonhl he reillteeil through this agency. Mi. Clayton pointed out. ihttl the Sahara Desert had once been a land ol forests and rivers, and the home ol mil lions of people. Tripoli., now inhabited by 45.0C0 people, once had a population of 6.CC0..0C0. North-west China, once the home of it miohly civilisation, was now a network ol’ gullies. Pern, once a flourish, ing land with fine cities, was now largely barren and treeless. In the United States of America, the speaker added, deserts were being made tit a rate probably never equalled in bygone days, and approached to-day only by Australia and South Africa. The very ingenuity of modern pioneers was a contributing factor in the rate of destruction.

“We cannot afford to lose any country in Australia." Mr. Clayton said. "Mo must recognise v.bat soil erosion is capable of doing. There is need lor haste, for. unless something is done, it will bo a poor heritage we pass on to flit ore general ions.

LF.SSON FOR ACSTR.AIJA Mr. Clayton said that the worst modern example of the standard of living of a big group of people being reduced by soil erosion was to be found in the old southern States of America. As a result of this process of deterioration, the standard of living: was pitiably low. It was a tragedy that the problem of control was itot successfully tackled years ago. tor the erosion bad now gone so far that nothing could be done to save the land from abandonment.. Mere, was a striking lesson for Australia. Tim lower standards affected the whole community. In the "old south’ the general standard of living in the towns was far below that of most, o! the other States of America. Other industries could not long .withstand the progressive loss of farm markets. The whole national fabric was Inevitably affected, as the investment in land ran into huge stilus. Not only had the fanners to he rehabilitated, but the (!oveniineiit had also to re-establish the forests that had been destroyed.

“Our western slopes, where wheat is grown on undulating land, tire already everywhere showing signs of serious stir faee erosion and gullying, after only l_t) In 40 years of cull i vat ion.” Mr. Clayton said, ''some have been so badly eroded that they have been thrown out of rullivat ion. "The nature of these soils, the climate, and hare fallowing render (hem extremely vulnerable to erosion, and. considering the short lime they have been cultivated, they are eroding at a more rapid rate than the 'old south’ of America. "Beyond any shallow of doulil. they will go the same road as the lands ol North and South Carolina, (teorgia. and Alabama.

"We buve no great nntouelied area ol ('town lands suitable for wheat-growing on which to rehabilitate farmers Ironi abandoned acres. The wheat lauds are specially mentioned only because on litem I lie erosion is already very obvious. II is not confined to them, however, for i almost till our undulating cultivated land is suffering fiom erosion and requires prol eel ion.

I.IMITFT) LAND RFSOCROFS ‘'Our laud resources in good rainfall districts are strictly limited." the speaker continued. "We have not the millions of acres that America had to play with

and, lost*. America has lost around ICO million acres. 1)o you realise that. in New ,South Wales, the host endowed j Slate of Ihe Conunonwcall h. in the mailer of good land in good rainfall zones, (lie total area of land under cultivation at present, or that has ever been under the plough, is around 12.C00.C0j acres? We cannot, afford to lose any of this, not even I.OCO.GGO acres, because it embraces the host land we lane. "In’ America the protection of the nation's chief asset, the soil. is now recognised as of equal importance to defence ” .American livers that were originally clear were now yellow or hrown with mud at all times. .Mr. ( laytoii said. I Iris was the cause of erosion or denuded watersheds. The Colorado Hirer carried an enormous amount of sdl and soil; it was 100 thick to drink, and not thick enough to plough. jhe hie storage reservoirs throughout the I nited States of America were silling up al 100 rapid i a rate. The Mississippi Hirer had heen so silted up that only the high level hanks, lini It a i enormous cost, confined the river. They did nothing to correct the cause and had had to he built, higher and higher, lill now. they had reached the economic limit. and still (lie silt flow raised Ihe lied of the stream. On ihe lower river its 1 ied was above the level of Ihe surrounding fields, and the lied of the river was 34ft. above the main ( street of the city of New Orleans. [ "('an you picture this situation and ;

realise the dest met ion of a great Mississippi flood?" Mr. Clayton asked. "No wonder America is concerned. Now that il is almost too late. Ilte authorities controlling the liver arc turning to the erosion and soil conservation men. who will now undertake conservation on the catchment area. They will reduce the water run off, soil erosion, and silt ration of i he stream lied." ■i... ■;