FERTILISER FOR FARMS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 69, 4 May 1943, Page 7

FERTILISER FOR FARMS

* USE OF SERPENTINE

At the monthly meeting of the Auckland Provincial Executive' of the New Zealand Farmers' Union on April 21 a letter -was read l'rom the Dominion Secretary of the Union (Mr A. P. O'Shea) stating that he had arranged with the Superin,-< tendent of Serpentine Development (Mr G. Ho'lford) to attend meetings of Provincial Executives, or other necessary information regarding the use of serpentine. The Houhora branch (Whangarei) forwarded a copy of a resolution expressing the unanimous opinion of it.s members that there was 110 need for the admixture of serpentine with .superphosphates, especially in North Auckland, where- lime was available. l£ was considered that farmers should have the option of using "straight" phosphate and mixing lime with it. Mr R. J. Glasgow (Oncwhero) said that the farmers' complaint, was that they were compelled to take serpentine, whether they wished to do so or not.. He did not think that Mr Ho'lford would be able to help them very much. Mr Scott Davidson (Whangarei) said that farmers were the best judges of whether the serpentine was beneficial to their soil. One unsatisfactory feature was that it was not ground finely enough. In many cases it was mor:> like road metal than anything else. Acquiescence. that grinding both of lime and serpentine was not satisfactory was general. Xo resolution on the subject, was passed.