NEW LIMESTONES FOR AGRICULTURAL USE.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XXVII, Issue 1, 20 July 1923, Page 41

NEW LIMESTONES FOR AGRICULTURAL USE.

NOTES ON THE YEAR’S SAMPLES.

B. C. ASTON,

F.I.C., F.N.Z.Inst., Chemist to the Department

The interest which farmers and others engaged in primary production continue to manifest in lime deposits natural to each district is shown by the increasing number of samples which are yearly received for chemical analysis.

A promising feature of the results of such inquiries is the comparatively large number of deposits of soft calcareous matter which are coming to light. The use of such deposits in liming the land, thereby avoiding the necessity for grinding, and possibly even bagging the material, has been from time to time advocated by the Chemistry Section, and has proved useful in some districts. What is aimed at is that where a farmer can utilize a soft deposit from his own or a local source he should do so, thereby relieving the • State from the free carriage of lime over the railways and enabling the. power which would thus be used to be employed in other directions.

The following is a selected list of the more useful limestones received during the past official year, the laboratory number being given as a key in each case:—■

P 558 was a sample from a deposit found in the Mangamuka Gorge Road, Rawene, Hokianga. The deposit is small, but would be of considerable value, the sender thinks, when the road is completed. The deposit is on the Mangamuka River, just south of Block II, Section 7, Mangamuka. This is an excellent specimen of soft limestone, and, as it contains 93 per cent, carbonate of lime, if the deposit is similar to the specimen sent it should be of great value to lands requiring carbonate of lime. "

P 624 : This is a calcareous sinter containing 93 per cent, carbonate of lime, from the property of J. J. Ogle, Rangiahua, Hokianga. If there, is much of this ' material available it would prove a valuable deposit. Unfortunately, these sinter deposits are frequently of small extent and soon worked out.

P 364-9, 85-8, and 126 : These are a series of limestones forwarded from Oue, in the Hokianga district. They are usually weathered limestones with , veins of calcite running through them. The samples

were small, and on account of their uneven character may not be strictly representative of the bulk of the deposit from which" they are gathered, but they show that a suitable agricultural limestone could be obtained in that locality. The samples contained from 70 to 84 per cent, carbonate of lime.

P 525-7 are three samples of comminuted sea-shells classified as fine shelly grits, the finer ones containing 88 to 92 per cent, and the coarser one 85 per cent, of calcium carbonate. They are interesting in revealing an unusual source of carbonate of lime for agricultural purposes in the far North at Taumarere, in the Bay of Islands district. The finer samples would certainly be efficaceous as a dressing for soils requiring carbonate of lime.

P 398 is a sample of crystalline limestone from Dargaville, containing 96 per cent, carbonate of lime. It would make when ground to a powder an excellent agricultural limestone, and would also be suitable for “ burning ” into a quicklime.

P 363 is a hard limestone of the usual Whangarei type, and contains 88 per cent, carbonate of lime. P 130-4 are from Kamo, Whangarei, and contain from 75 to 85 per cent, carbonate of lime. Compared with the usual run of stones from North Auckland, they are distinctly good.

P 47 is a useful calcareous marl from Maungaturoto, Otamatea County, containing 72 per cent, carbonate of lime. It could be used for dressing lands without previous grinding, as it would readily disintegrate in the soil. P 596 is a similar stone to the last, from Paparoa, in the same county. It also contains 72 per cent, carbonate of lime. ' '

P 28 is a marble-like hard limestone from Aria, Waitomo, and contains 98-5 per cent, carbonate of lime, suitable either for “ burning ” or grinding into a ground limestone.

P 372 is a calcareous sinter from Havelock North, containing 91 per cent, carbonate of lime. 1

P 342-3 are calcareous sinters forwarded from Napier (locality not stated), containing 93 per cent, carbonate of lime. They are soft and easily reduced to a powder, and would be eminently suitable for converting into ground carbonate of lime for agricultural use.

■ ' P 40-1 are calcareous sinters from Matainga Station, near Dannevirke. They contain 93 per cent, carbonate of lime. The remarks on P 342-3 also apply to these.

P 607 is a fairly coarse shelly grit deposit at Matamau, Dannevirke, containing 84 per cent, carbonate of lime. Without further grinding it would form a valuable source of carbonate of lime for agricultural purposes. Probably a preliminary screening to separate the. coarser particles would increase its efficiency. The possibilities of this deposit are being further investigated.

P 515 is a calcareous sinter containing 87 per cent, carbonate of lime, from Te Pa, near Dannevirke, and would be an excellent source of agricultural carbonate of lime. It would weather down quickly if applied in an uncrushed condition.

P 54, from Te Rehunga, Dannevirke, is a very friable white limestone containing 96 per cent, carbonate of lime, and would require very little power to reduce it to a state suitable for application to the land. This is one of the purest and most easily ground limestones that have been submitted for examination.

P 62 is a soft granular deposit from Wanstead, Hawke’s Bay, containing 91 per cent, carbonate of lime. '“ It could be applied to the land as dug from the deposit, without further reduction. With very little treatment this material would make an excellent commercial ground limestone for agricultural use. P 164 is a sample . from another deposit on the same property at Wanstead. This is a similar sample to P 62, but is slightly less pure. P 334 is a sample of a deposit of soft carbonate of lime from Kaipara. It contains 72 per cent, carbonate of lime, and could be applied to the land as dug from the deposit. For. the North Auckland west-coast district,, where a high-grade limestone is somewhat difficult to obtain, this should be . a particularly useful deposit. ■

P 397, from Moerangi, Kawhia, is a hard crystalline stone containing 86 per cent, carbonate of lime. If the specimen is a representative one the' stone is adapted to the production of “ burnt ” lime, as well as for grinding for agricultural use.

P 10, from Charleston, Westport, is a limestone of good quality, containing 95 per cent, carbonate of lime. It would produce a ground limestone of the first grade, and could be calcined to a quicklime of good quality.

P 580 is a sample of dark reddish-brown limestone from Taylor’s Pass Road, Wairau Valley, Marlborough, containing 91 per cent, carbonate of lime. This is a hard, crystalline stone containing small amounts of iron and manganese.

P 214, from Mount Lud, Kaikoura, is a soft chalk-like deposit containing 96 per cent, carbonate of lime. If available in quantity this would be a valuable source of carbonate of lime for agricultural purposes. In addition to its agricultural value this material is worth testing in'the manufacture of putty and for similar purposes. This sample contains the remains of similar organisms to-those found in true chalk. . •

P 567 is a white chalky sample from Waikari, North Canterbury. It contains 73 per cent, carbonate of lime. P 7, from Hampden, Otago, is a hard crystalline limestone containing 98-5 per cent, carbonate of lime. P 91 is a soft carbonate of lime from Otekaieke, Oamaru, which would form an excellent dressing for soils needing carbonate of lime. It contains 82 per cent, carbonate of lime.

P 74 is a hard white crystalline stone of very high grade, from Milburn, Otago. It is exceptionally well suited to calcining to quicklime, or would make an agricultural ground limestone of the highest grade. It contains 98-5 per cent, carbonate of lime.

Breeding of Geese.- —A correspondent asks how many geese may be mated to each gander. In order to secure the best results not more than two or three geese should be kept with one gander. ■