RECLAIMING SAND PLAINS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 422, 3 February 1909, Page 5

RECLAIMING SAND PLAINS.

PLANTS THAT HELP. Those who are interesting themselves/in. the reclamation-of the sand hills along the west coast of New Zealand, may learn something from what has been clone on the sand plains in Western Australia. The annual report of the Agricultural Department there contains the following reference to the" subject:—

''The, reclamation of our sand plains and their 'better utilisation for carrying stock and crops is a matter of much importance to this State where extensive sand plains occur between the areas' of" the -more 'fertile timbered-land.- These-sand plains at present offcrfair picking for stock, more especially after a :burh during the summer months. There are, of :■ course , grades as regard ■ their, quality. .. Some are not sand plains at all, but are open -stretches- of cement-like land which, when- broken up and fertilised, yield payable crops. Others consist of a■. white nungry sand, varying in depth and over-lying a hard 'cement' pan'consisting chiefly of a coarse .ironstone gravel. .' ,

Lack of Plant Food and Humus. ; "These sand plains, it,is ascertained by analysis, are very deficient in.all'plaht foods, but especially in nitrogen and phosphoric acid. .The Government Analyst, has, during the year'j. formulated a' series' of which'have been •carried'out .-'at the ■ three State, farms of Chapman, Nangeenan, and Narrogm, -to- so modify the chemical' and mechanical nature of our sand plains as to enable-'them to be cultivated- with profit.' The-.;lack"-:of humus and low capacity for moisture ; of • these ■ lands' ' rendered it'; necessary:, to effect; radical alterations in their physic? character. •;* -■'.'•-. '/'.'■ Leguminous Crops Sown. • s '.'Fori that -purpose two kinds, of hardy leguminous crops, viz., field pea's and lupins, were used,-and-their growth stimulated by dressings of 'potash' "and phosphates. ' The potash, fertilisers were generously-- donatedby the-manager for' Australia of the Potash Syndioate. • ■ The. phosphates : used; were basic slag, or' Thomas's phosphate, on account of the lime'.that .fertiliser contains. The'land besides' received a substantial; dressing of gypsum , from the deposits •at Hine's -Hill. The Potash Syndicate also liberally supplied seeds;of yellow lupins, which do well on soil poor"-in"; lime, and; also, blue: '-and'-.-white lupins,.'.which thrive in soils richer-in-that constituent. .Beside,, these, grey ■'. winter peas, r sand- .-vetches,'and midsummer 'rye; were also'forwarded.;. The seeds were; inoculated .with- nitrogen and sown in rectangular' plots .five acres in area divided, into sections, each submitted to a particular' .treatment! ..,-■ ■;..■'-• ; ;:.'.

Creen Crop Ploughed in. '•'Th©\-©suiting green ' crop has; been ploughed in while _ still green- and succulent and the land' fallowed.' 'is intended nest autumn to prepare it in the usual way arid have '.wheat .sown; with superphosphate at tho rate of 701bs. of fertiliser per; acre. The wheat' of 'each 'plot- wiU-:be carefully harvested .'and the i yields .recorded... It vis intended t to-carry but.the experiment through three rotations over a period of six years. -

Special Value of Lupins. - . "Although, no practical results/which will carry, conviction to the mind of the settler can. be, drawn for a long time yet, the reclamation, of large stretches of- our-sand plains could well proceed, with the aid-.of. the ever ; spreading lupins; .a plant; which has demonstrated its adaptability and its liking for our sandy soils. It improves.'.the ground to .a., marked., degree,, and. in the ... summer, when the seeds have been scattered, they, are. eagerly, picked up by sheep and prove ;'par-l ticularly. fattening.. .Seeds from large..ex-, pauses of our sandy, country, now under lupins could be gathered at a small cost and distributed to those who have sand'plains on their holdings." ....-.'..'.,'-,,'..■

:" •'•■'; ' .'". .' : - :•; '> : *.<r wt'V.'->o' , !~ yt ... Recently-using .very delicate • methods ofanalysis', a •French''chemist, M.'Javillier,.has' shown. that''zinc"existsin'about fifty plants belonging to widely ■separated botanical; families;'and, growing'-on-different kinds oiYsoil,: -He has madeaspecial study of a species'.'of' .mould-containing; : zinc, and; finds, that, the ; metal' plays a very important part,in the life, of the-plant, a'.trace of. : zinc being','indis-; pensable to its growth' arid' development.' The addition to', a culture medium of one ten-; millionth-part : of the element increases the growth three to four times, and even .one 1 fifty-millionth exerts an 'appreciable influence.: •Besides establishing a series' of curious facts,'; which'may-serve as a starting point for -many, theoretical questions, thesei investigations are: of-.practical use,, as' pointing to the possible employment of zino as.,a fertiliser. Similar; investigations . on', the metal manganese in' •plants, .have already led to the; use of this substance: in agriculture as what is called' a "complimentary fertiliser," with brilliant success.-; It ,is possible, that the addition of zinc, to this;fertiliser:would still further improve it.—'-! Science -Sittings.'' ■'"■•'• •The death is announced of Mrs. IVarr, of We'adlstonc, at the age of 107. 'On her 106 th' birthday, she attended mass.-- '■,-.-•