Drainage Of Wet Land Important Factor In Increased Production

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 8, 19 December 1947, Page 5

Drainage Of Wet Land Important Factor In Increased Production

In New Zealand . there are about 19,000,000 acres in sown pasture, and it would probably be no exaggeration to state that at least 2,000,000' to 3,000,000 acres are capable of considerable improvement by various types of drainage, says Massey College. . ,

In addition .to being a. very important factor directly limiting pro-, duction, the need for good drainage is a fundamental prerequisite to the exploitation, of the advantages resulting from the sowing of improved pasture species, the liming and manuring of them, and the most efficient utilisation of the fodder thus produced. The latter fact is important;: and it must be emphasised that, though drainage in. itself can, and will, effect considerable improvement, the most attractive returns will be possible only where it be-., comes the basal operation of a scheme which entails the increased application of sound- plant, soil, and animal husbandry methods. Farther, the combined influence' of all these, factors will, over considerable areas, enable what is normally regarded as sheep country to be converted to dairying. | The draining of wet land offers the easiest and most attractive method of achieving greater production rapidly. It is the easiest because, although there is scope for the reclamation of land now completely unproductive as. a result of wetness, an even better prospect of winning more food from the soil lies in the proper draining of land which is settled but only half farmed, and, incidentally, is abused because of the pugging by stock which, takes place in the winter and spring because of extreme, wetness. It is the most attractive because efficient land drainage, even at present-day costs, is a highly lucrative operation. *