PUMICE LAND.

Waikato Times, Volume 118, Issue 19637, 25 July 1935, Page 13

PUMICE LAND.

GREAT POTENTIAL VALUE.

DEMONSTRATION AT ROTORUA.

NECESSITY OF CONSOLIDATION.

(By “ Stockman.”)

The once despised, pumice lands of the Dominion-bid friir to vJndicate the opinion of those who a score of years ago stated that this class of country could be made pi’actically as profitable as some of our richest dairying land. A few miles from Rotorua on the vast central plateau of the North Island lie the pumice lands, great tracts of uninhabited country capable of profitable ■ cultivation yet, except in a few isolated cases, utterly untouched by mah. Altogether, there are approximately 5,000,000- acres of pumice land. ■Situated at a high elevation, but with, a-limited rainfall, the 'land is well watered by numerous streams, and water, has been obtained at a very little expense. Much of, the territory is hill country but the greater portion of it is undulating land all capable of being laid down to grass. It has been definitely proved that it is possible to produce the finest type of ryegrass pasture on this despised country, pasture that Is easily, the equal of the best pastures of the Waikato. Admittedly, the bringing-in of the -land requires careful management, but once the oountry has been brought In the work Is well repaid by the productivity that follows. ,- Pumloe to Pasture.

Perhaps the greatest factor In bringing the pumice country to the stage where It can carry good pasture is -coin solidation. This, has been best-brought about by heavy stocking and those farming on the pumice areas are emphatio in their argunfent that by (the crowding on of -cattle satisfactory results may more easily be obtained. The soil -varies -considerably in character, but all (types have been found to respond equally well 'to the intensive method of treatment. ' The altitude of the country is higher than that of the Waikato and the winter is more severe. -Consequently the season is late in -starting but this is compensated by the fact that pastures on the pumice -country will (provide good feed well into May. A unique property of the pumice land-is . the peculiar capillarity of the sub-soil which keeps the pastures 'supplied with moisture even in the driest .summer. This subsoil "is called Uk-u by the Maoris and in the earlier days was used by them as a -soap. In the -subsoil it is really volcanic mud which retains moisture in a remarkable manner 'but -when exposed to the air crumbles to fine pumice dust, ft lies very near the surface of the soil in most of the area, ibu-t in -places where it fs 100 deep -down It cannot render the same unique service of keeping the top soil moist. There are also pumice soils overlying- a rubbly pumice which have an -opposite effect —allowing -surface moisture to escape readily. It has been found that even the poorest pumice lands will grow crops of soft turnips, -providing that fertiliser lias been fairly liberally applied-while it has been definitely proved that practically the whole pumice territory can grow luxuriant grass. On -the better class land rye, cocksfoot, timothy, clovers, etc., -grow readily 'to form dense swards while on fhe lighter lands, dogstail, dnnlhonia pilosa, brown •top, Yorkshire fog, stickling clover, lotus major arc sworn down with -advantage. Establishment of Pasture.

A magnificent pasture that 'the writer inspected in -the central area of the pumice lands was established in a manner that is typical of -the methods employed in the pumice areas io bring the land into pasture. This particular land was first ploughed out of the rough and -sown 'to swedes with 2cwtof a mixture of -twa-third* of simar

and one-third of blood and bone. The next year the land was ploughed and laid down to grass with a dressing of 2cwt. of super. Nine years later it was topdressed with 2owt. of mixture of two-thirds of super and two-fifths of blood and bone. Five years later It was sown again to swedes with Bcwt. of the same mixture. The next year It was sown to grass with 2 1- p of a mixture of 3-5 super and 2- of blood and bone. The seed used , was 301 b. to the aoro of a mixture 1 Of cocksfoot 71b., cow .grass 2Jlb,, "balßlke'Ulb., white oloyer %i>., turnlfcs 4oz. and rape 12oz. , The next year, the area was' top 7 dressed; with one bag of super and oneY bag of basic slag to the acre and the following year 3cwt. of, ammoniated: super to the acre was applied. This, is typical of the history,-of many another fine pasture in the puiriice area, and while to some it may .perhaps seem a tedious progress yet the revolution from pumioe to pasture can be ‘considerably considered by many authorities that it: is a f-a£ more preferable and certainly more encouraging task to bring pumice land into cultivation than to bring peat land into cultivation.

Land Ideal for Settlers.

It is indisputable that -the great proportion of the pumice area is ideal .for the establishing -of a large number of settlers -and the time Is not- far distant when a very large number -of small farmers will be settled on this formerl; despised country. It would certainly - appear a better proposition for the ' oountry to he brought Into cultivation-' by small communities properly supervised and financed rather than by the efforts -of individual settlers who lacked the necessary experience of pumloe g; land and who are also not financially -strong enough to farm the land intensively. The problem of the pumice ;oalls for -the closest investigation for there are areas being settled In .othejgt£§ parts of the Dominion that in-many instances have not half the potentialities of pumioe land. Providing that • bet-. qAx ter access' 5 is provided, there is no reason to doubt but that tho not very distant future will see the pumice areas closely settled and an intensive, system of farming being carried out.