SYSTEMATIC DRAINAGE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 178, 23 April 1919, Page 10

SYSTEMATIC DRAINAGE

A NEW ZEALAND NEED.. As one traverses almost any district in Kcw Zealand he is convinced of the great teed there exists for systematic drainage of not only agricultural but also pastoral lands,-says-Mr. ATTaggart, writing in the "Journal of Agriculture." An ex-. r tensive carrying-out of adequate drainj,- age will of itself vastly increase producI' tion from tho pastures and . cultivated [ areas of the country. How many of our ; pastures are growing plenleously. rushes, ; sedge grasses, and ■ ether inferior and j .worthless vegetation; whereas these could I . be replaced by superior profit-producing l '.grasses-and clovers. Trno it is that the I capital involved in carrying put adequate j drainage in many instances is a barrier, i but'this is not always the-trouble. It lias been demonstrated over and over again that within a ' reasonable time drainage pays for itself in the increased carrying capacity of, or enlarged crop re-, turns from, the land. Apart from the question of lack of capital, it may be asserted that vast areas of country could be ,'■ better drained, and so have their produc- : tiveness greatly increased, wero laudowners to give more thought and attention to tbis -important'subject. They ;would find that "there has already been 'designed and successfully used ■ laboursaving machinery that could materially assist them. The drain, or mole plough, ! for instance, has done extensive .valuable | drainage work for ?'outhh\iid, and to a ; . 3esser/legreo for other d : stricts. Itsuse, j particularly on pasture U'nds of stiffish | .subsoil, is of very great economic "im- !. portance. In North" America the trac- : don ditcher has been >sed extensively, ; its function being; to dig daily long ' stretches of ditching and place pipes I along the ditch-bank ready for subsequent !' iplacingin proper position. This labour- | saving machine is .of much iniport- ; anco ..for certain types 'of country, es- ;. pecially where extensive under-drainage ■■'. -36 badly needed owing to the stiff uaj ture of the subsoil, where the land is j... otherwise of high value, and where no i stumps' or buried 1 .timber exist. Again, I where labour .is fairly abundant, howmuch more drainage of land could in • inanv instances be effected by Using or- ; dinar? farm implements, '. such as the ' einglf-furrow plough and the subsoil . '(plough,, and employing manuka, stones, . or rough timber for placing in these ' ditches when completely excavated!. Fur-! :' thor. : as a last resource, the system of. [providing good surface drainage, particu'Uarlvfor land to be laid down to pas- •' "ture. could be employed. This'method ■■ consists of ploughing the paddock in ; comparatively narrow landa, high in the centre and low at- the sides, running ,with the natural, slope of ,the land. Un- \: der drainage in addition makes, of ■■•■ (course, for greater soil efficiency, and is '■■ qf: permanent benefit, to the pasture and -.' other crops. As a final emphasis of the importance of „ this subject, let it. be ; .stated that drainage is tho first essential in the treatment of any soil, and without jidequato draining the land r-annot reL. spond to any extent to'any. subsequent ■' (treatment it may receive. It cannot !. fjrow crops—pasture or.: otherwise—sucU cessfullv. Tr-may; then, well' be asked, ' Are New. Zealand soils a3 a'whole growing as they should, the staple crop of the ;;■ .country—pasture?