D.—No. 14.

24

ANNUAL REPORT ON THE

Average depth of soil, 7 inches. Sub-soil clay, resting in some places on bound gravel, in others on soft sandstone. Land not porous. Table land intersected by gullies. The sand mostly consists of some decomposing volcanic rock, which takes the form of small irregular-shaped gravel. The other ingredients are quartz sand, olivine, augite, magnetite, besides a few large nodular masses of manganiferous iron oxide, probably the bound'gravel instanced in the accompanying notes. 11. —Hamilton, Waikato. —Captain Macpherson.—loth September, 1867. Uncultivated land. Fern and Koromiko vegetation, with a thin undergrowth of indigenous grass in summer. As there were Maoris living near this spot at one time, it may have been burnt off and grazed over by pigs and horses. The contributor burnt it once. Average depth of soil, 15 inches, Of sub-soil, 2 feet, resting on a hard retentive red clay. Taken from a low hill, undulating to the north-east; bounded by the Waikato on the east, by a deep creek on the south, and intersected by many ravines or gullies. At one time Matai has been growing on the land ; the roots are still numerous and sound. Prom the fact that surface water percolates the ground, and finds exit into a gully ten chains distant, like an underground drain, it is supposed that there must be gravel under the clay. 12. —Cambridge, Waikato. —Captain Clare. —25th October, 1867. Uncultivated land. Has been run over by a few cattle. Vegetation, fern and small Manuka. Average depth of soil, 7to 8 inches ; sub-soil, 20 to 24 inches, resting on sand and pumice. Open plains, principally old bush land (Kahikatea and Matai). 13. —Turakina, Wellington.—Me. Chas. Parkinson, 14th December, 1867. Uncultivated land. Vegetation, flax andToetoe; by several burnings, giving place to small closegrowing Manuka scrub. Grazed over by cattle and sheep for about eleven years; open run till within the last three years. Depth of soil, Bto 10 inches ; sub-soil, clay, to a considerable depth, fine gravel and sandstone beneath. Plat-topped ridges, intersected by gullies: 14. —Hamilton, Waikato.. —Captain James Macpherson.—loth September, 1867. Uncultivated land. Vegetation, flax, light Tutu, and fern. May have been burned by the Natives. Has been once burnt off by the contributor; has been thinly stocked for twelve months. Average depth of soil, 6 inches; of sub-soil, 18 inches; resting on white sandy porous clay, overlying a sandy formation. A flat, stretching out from the bottom of a low hill, wet in winter. Lies over 100 feet above the level of the Waikato, which bounds it on one side, and a deep gully on the other. 15. —Hamilton, Waikato.—Captain James Macpherson.—loth September, 1867. Uncultivated land. Vegetation consists of fern, Koromiko, and short light Tutu. Has just been burnt off. Average depth of soil, 9 inches ; and of sub-soil, 30 inches, resting on a rough round porous gravel, which overlies sand. Comes from the same field (about 40 acres) as No. 14 specimen. In some, places the rough gravel above-mentioned comes out to the surface. The whole field is patchy, but generally light soil. 16. —Hamilton, Waikato. —Lieut.-Colonel Moule. —12th December, 1867. Prom land which has been cultivated for three years. Succession of crops, oats, potatoes, and grass. Original vegetation, fern, Ti-tree, flax, and Koromiko. Depth of soil, 9 inches ; sub-soil, 12 inches, resting on white sand of a porous nature. Low undulating hills, with deep gullies and small swamps. Size of field, 10 acres. The sand (fine and coarse) consists of broken quartz crystal and black sand. 17. —Cambridge, Waikato (at Whanitangata).—Captain Clare. —25th October, 1867. Uncultivated land. Vegetation, Manuka and fern. Not stocked. Was burnt off about six months ago. Average depth of soil, about 6 inches ; subsoil, 30 inches, resting on sand and pumice. Country consists of open plains lying between the Waitoa and Waiho Rivers. 18. —New Plymouth, between the Rivers Waiongana and Waitara. —Mr. T. Kelly. 23rd August, 1867. Uncultivated land. Once ploughed. Previously, fern burnt off every three years. Lightly stocked with sheep every two years. Original vegetation, fern and Tutu. Soil, 7to 12 inches in depth ; sub-soil, 10 feet, gradually merging into a tufaeeous agglomerate. The sand contains much of an augitic mineral and fine magnetic oxide of iron. It contains but little clay. Sub-soil is mainly composed of small fragments of soft decomposing rock, with a little augite and magnetic oxide of iron sand. It contains but little clay. 19. —Mount Pirongia, Alexandra.—Captain Tisdall.—l2th December, 1867. Uncultivated land, with high fern, lately burnt. Charred trunks of mixed timber lying on the surface. Average depth of surface-soil, 9 inches ; sub-soil, 4 feet. There is little apparent difference between the surface and sub-soil until after 4 feet. The sample of sub-soil sent is taken from 12 to 10 inches below surface. Clay loam underlies at the depth of about 4 feet, and extends to an unknown depth. Steep broken spurs, supposed to be of volcanic formation, with small stream between the spurs^full of boulders, on a clay bottom. 20. —Waitara, New Plymouth.—Mr. R. Parris. —19th September, 1867. Uncultivated fern land. Has been sometimes burnt. Very lightly stocked for the last few years. Depth of surface-soil, 18 inches; of sub-soil, not known. Supposed to rest on a substratum of sandstone. Surrounding country very level.