Benefits of Cultivation

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 560, 12 January 1929, Page 23

Benefits of Cultivation

Increasing the Return

EX .in this allegedly enlightened age of farming too little Li attention is paid to the cultivation of the soil once the seed is in the ground.' Yet, with more time given to this side of agriculture, it is certain that many farmers would reap considerably greater returns.

There are many important reasons why tile soil should be cultivated after planting and during the growing period of the crop. Well-cultivated soil is capable of absorbing and retaining; moisture to a much greater degree than soil hich is compact or hard. Growers should always bear in min d that the conservation of the maximum amount of water possible in the soil is of the greatest importance to the success of the crop. Moisture in soil after percolation is complete moves upward to the surface from the lower levels by what is kncwu as capillary movement. If the atmospheric condition is drier than the soil condition the moisture is evaporated slowly or quickly, according to the degree of variation in the moisture content of the soil and air. Under conditions very favourable to evaporation this loss of water from soils can proceed at a very rapid rate. Capillarity at a high rate is possible only when the water film can move upward over soil particles which are closely packed together. Surface cultivation loosens the particles of soil to the depth of the cultivation, and increases the bulk of the space which they occupy. This causes the capillary movement of the soil moisture to be arrested practically at the depth of the loose soil, and so conserves the moisture for the use of the crop. The presence of water in the soil for the crop is imperative to allow natural or artificial fertilisers and the root system of the plant to function. Plajat food is absorbed from the soil by the root and transmitted to the portion of the plant above ground by a process known as osmotic movement, and these movements are possible only in the presence of water. It will be understood from this that if a free absorp-

tion of plant food from the soil is to take place, such as is essential for the full development of the plant, the amount of water requisite for the needs of the plant must be available. Where irrigation is practised the water requirements can be given artificially, but where the natural rainfall is depended upon in the incidence of its falling, it may be unsuited to supply the required continuance of moisture necessary for the uninterrupted growth of the crop. Cultivation, therefore, because of its moisture-conserving effects on the soil, is vitally necessary to tide the

plant over periods of insufficient or erratic rainfall. An important effect produced by good inter-cultivation is that the physical condition of- the soil is maintained at a good standard, thus permitting sufficient aeration to take place. This has the effect of promoting the action of beneficial bacteria, for which air is necessary if they are to carry out the functions of breaking down insoluble plant foods in the soil, and to make these available as food for the plants. By improving the mechanical condition of the soil, inter-cultivation permits free root growth and extension in search of the elements of fertility. Good mechanical condition has a very considerable influence on the size of potato tubers. In hard or compact soil the tuber, when increasing in size, meets with restrictions which cause deformity of the natural shape of the particular variety grown. In well-cultivated soil, however, the tuber is free to expand without restriction, and so develops to full size, with more perfect shape. Another effect of inter-cultivation of the potato crop, and one of which the importance is too often over-

looked, is that by this means foreign plants or weeds are kept in subjection or entirely killed. Thus the crop is permitted to benefit to the full extent from the plant, food and moisture content of the soil in which it is growing. What is true about the potato, is equally true of other crops, and agriculturists throughout the province would do well to keep this in mind.

CLOSER SETTLEMENT CAUTION URGED

AUSTRALIAN VIEWS After having conducted an investigation into the finances of the State Rivers and Water Supply Commission. the Public Accounts Committee reported to the Legislative Assembly recently that, although the extension of irrigation systems had been of great benefit to Victoria, difficulty was being found in marketing much of the produce from closer settlement areas, and for this reason the future policy of land settlement should be one of caution until markets could be assured. The committee stated that the whole future of land settlement in Victoria depended upon the satisfactory marketing of rural produce. If land settlement were profitable, arrears in payments would be greatly reduced, land settlement would extend, and the water conserved in the reservoirs of the commission would be fully used, with the result that the commission’s future operations should be profitable to the State. It was becoming increasingly evident that, although Australian produce sold in the Australian market was profitable, an adequate return could not be assured when Australian produce was exported. This was shown by the ’position of certain companies dealing with rural production. Until the problem of markets was solved, the committee felt that land settlement should be conservatively made, and the utmost care should for the time being be taken to prevent settlers being placed upon the land when the prospects of success were so small. This meant a very serious loss to the State, as well as to’ the settler. Sorrel is generally considered to be an indication of acid or sour soil, and to deal with land infested with it the first things to do is to apply dressings of lime. A rich soil in humus is better able to withstand a period of drought than a poor one. Organic matter will improve both heavy and light soils. A heavy soil such as clay, when treated with organic manures, is rendered porous, and will allow water to dain away and cause grood aeration of the soil.