GRASS GROWING EXPERIMENTS ON THE PUMICE SOILS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1842, 30 August 1913, Page 6

GRASS GROWING EXPERIMENTS ON THE PUMICE SOILS.

In connection with a large announcement on page 3 ,of • to-day's Dominio;!, an article by Mr. B. C. Aston (Goywnmerat _ Agrictultirral Chemist), entitled "Pumice soils and their Treatment," published in tho August number of "The Journal of Agriculturo,", is of great interest. Mr. Aston says: "Mr. W. G. Stead, with commendable enterpriso and without any Departmental assistance, has been experimenting with various grasses' on the pumice soils of the Ivaingaroa Plains, on the portion wliich adjoins his Iteporoa Station, near Waiotapn. I recently hnd an opportunity of visiting I{<?noroa, and through the courtesy of Mr. R. Turpi, tho manager, spent some days exauiinmj the country and the experiments. .. . . A photo shows a crop of rape which would do credit to the richer Canterbury soils. A field of lucerne is also shown, which* is evidently 'welj established. . . . Mr. Stead's report' to me is diated 31st May, 1913, and is as follows The piece of ground is Tight on top of the plains, and is not in the least favourably situated. I picked out a place that is similar to the wholo of our plains area (setae 12,C00 to 14,000 acres). Tlie ground was ploughed. harrowed, and sown all in tha ono day —date October, 1911. This sowiu.?:, however, Tefers only to experiments 1 to "12 inclusive, and also plot 178. Tlie balance of the paddock was left ploughed until Octobor, 1912, when I sowed grasses, ' etc.. on plots 13 to 3G (exclusive of plot 17B). For the 1911 sowings manure was used on half of each plot at the rate of 2cwt. per acre. The ground of tho 1912 sowings has no manure whatever. Tho manured parts of the 1911 sowing certainly showed to advantage the first year, but now there is little or mo difference except with the cocksfoot. The other prrasscs that have grown arc so hardy that they will always a success on this olass of country even without manure. I would like to point out that I do net consider the ground had even fair agricultural treatment, and had I plouyhrd in winter and sown a crop ef swedes, in spring the grossing results following, would. I am sure, havo been far better.' Fad I been sowing down a paddock'in. the ordinary course of farm-work tho ground would have received proper agricultural 1 rp.itniont. What I widi to convex is that I experimented for my own information, knowing that whatever grew under the-? conditions would grow much hsttar under ordinary farming methods. I am quite convine?d that in a year's time a selection can be made from thene experiments that will MKiblo us to grass tbn whole of our plains country." Then follows a report of the grasses grown and Jlr. Austen's analysis of. various tvpes of pumice soils in the district. . Readers a.ro directed to the announcement on page 3. entitled "A Solid Investment," whioh shows bow even small investors can mako profit cut of the pumice lands. Published bv the Waiotapn Land Syndicate, Ltd.*' ________ M'Clinto'n's Soap is made from plant ash instead of caustic soda. Duchess of Aborcorn says: "It is sweet and refreshing."—Ailvt. Messrs. J. T. Horn, Ltd.. Panama Street, inform tho.-e interested in fruit-growing that thev are the loading orchard agents of the ...Dominion, The Greater Wellington Municipal Electors' Association will hold a debate in tho No. 1 committee-room, Town Hall, on Monday next, at 8 p.m.