SOIL CLASSIFICATION.

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 18026, 22 May 1930, Page 7

SOIL CLASSIFICATION.

(To -the editor.) Sir, —'I have re-read with increasing ' Interest the article on Soil Classification by Mr T; Bigg, which appeared in your issue of-May 3. Apparently there is at last some prospect of a practical and comprehensive investigation being made of our pumice lands. We who for years have been settlers on these lands have naturally felt that we had a grievance against our Lands and Agricultural Departments in the matter. We were ofTered these lands for settlement. Many of us took up sections and spent much labour and capital in their development. When more finance was needed and we applied to the Government Advances Office we were refused all assistance. Undoubtedly such refusal was made because in the opinion of .the officials of the very Departments that were responsible for settling the pumice lands such land could not be profitably farmed. Not only this, but.it seemed to .become 1 the official policy to condemn the land on all possible occasions leaving us who were already settled upon it not only to fight unaided the difficulties of our position but public and official prejudice as well. Yet even years ago had the Agricultural Department sent out one practical field officer to collect-such evidence as was even then collectable as to the nature and working of these lands settlement 1 could have been greatly assisted. The result of this neglect has been that many even practical men lost years of hard work, each struggling more or less in isolation on his own little area, each learning by costly personal experience the possibilities: and'limitations of eaeh particular class of pumice soil he chanced to be working. We have long recognised the varying values of these soils. The brown soils which Mr Rigg tells us are of Rotorua origin have been recognised as of the best class, being almost entirely free •of stock sickness and of a quality producing good pasture and crops. Next to them comes much of the plateau and undulating country where the brown or Rotorua soil has an overlay of from 9 to 20 inches of pumice loam, easily recognised as Mr Rigg’s “ Taupe ejectamenta.” This second class can be - profitably farmed by careful men having regard to its particular limitations. Then "comes the “ plains ” country. These stretches of level country varying from a few- acres to 1000 or more in extent give to the pumice land one of its most peculiar * characteristics. One would suppose they had been formed by the water wash. and . wind drift of materia! from the-surrounding higher country.. Pure y pumice here lies from a foot to 30 or

40 feet in depth and out of it like sugar loaf knobs protrude the tops ol‘ burled hills. Each olass of soil has Its own particular class of growth. The brown soil of the higher lands has its rank fern and tutu. The undulating country with its overlay of Taupo deposit is usually distinguished by its manuka or ti-tree, while the “plains ” are marked by their waving grey tussock and brown bush. The poorest class of pumice soil, fortunately very limited in area, is where a pure pumice deposit of more or less coarseness and varying depth overlies rock without intervening suhso.il. It is very reassuring to know that the work of investigation is being taken up by such a Department as that of Scientific and Industrial Research. We settlers have learned muoh by what may be termed rule of thumb experience. We know that by following certain lines of stock and pasture treatment we can farm successfully, but we recognise that a great field of useful work awaits the investigator. The work is one that should he of great interest not only throwing much light on the geological history of our volcanic area, but should also ultimately give in its practical results a great impetus to industrial development. The better class of pumice lands will be found wonderfully responsive to right treatment. —I am, etc., J. E. W. Taupo Road, , Tokoroa, May 18, 1930.