SOUTHBRIDGE FARMERS’ CLUB.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2714, 20 December 1882, Page 3

SOUTHBRIDGE FARMERS’ CLUB.

A meeting of the Southbridge Farmers’ Club was held in the Eoyal Hotel, Southbridge, on Monday evening. Present— Messrs G. C. Waby (in the chair), J. E. Campbell, G. Bishop, A. E. Inwood, Jas. Storry, H. J. Hall, T. Finchard, E. Mcllraith, and others.

The following gentlemen were duly elected members of the club:—Messrs J. Burnett, S. Wills, W. D. Lawrence, and J. Watson. The following nominations were received: —Messrs W. Bishop, T. Fincham, E. McIlraith, and H. J. Hall.

The Chairman reported the result of the committee meetings and public meeting re small birds nuisance.

Considerable discussion took place on the dog nuisance. Mr H. J. Hall considered the only way out of the difficulty was the strict enforcement of the registration fee. Mr J. E. Campbell agreed with Mr Hall. He was of opinion that dogs were only second to sparrows as a nuisance in the district. Poisoning was objectionable, but he thought that by co-operation the farmers could do much to alleviate the evil giving information as to sheep worrying, and stated that as the County Council offered one-half the fees to Road Boards, registration could be more directly enforced by offering the registration by contract. He thought sporting dogs should be more heavily taxed than ordinary farm dogs. Mr J. J. Elwin moved, aud Mr Campbell seconded—“ That the committee be requested to meet to determine what action, should be taken with regard to obtaining co-operation from kindred societies with regard to the dog nuisance.”—Carried. The Chairman suggested that the road stocking question should be postponed pending the discussion of the advantages of considering of the personal of a future member of the House of Representatives, as it appears that Kir John Hall is about to resign. Mr Campbell thought the poundage of cattle was sufficiently of importance to be discussed, and suggested that a pound be established at Southbridge. Mr A. E. Inwood moved, and Mr Campbell seconded—“ That at the next meeting of the club a petition to the Eoad Board be drawn up, praying that body to take steps to establish a public pound in Southbridge.” Carried. Mr U. J. Hall mentioned Messrs Wakefield, Kichardson, and Saunders as likely to come forward for Sir J ohn Hail’s seat.

Mr lurrood proposed, and Mr Campbell seconded—“ That the secretary be requested to write to Sir John. Hall to ascertain if it is his intention to resign his seat for the Ellesmere district, in order that the club may be in a position' to take action with regard to his successor.” Carried.

It was resolved that a special general meeting of the club bo called to discuss the reply received from Sir John Hall. A vote of thanks to the chairman closed the meeting.

WHAT LIME DOES TO SOILS. Lime benefits crops in two ways: one direct, the other indirect. Directly it is plant food, especially for roots and leguminous plants; indirectly it makes the soil yield its nitrogen, otherwise held fast in insoluble compounds, for the plant to feed upon. Sir John Lawas says ; —“ Lime acts as the medium by which nitrification takes place; and the almost entire absence of nitrites in the water passing through the peat soils in Scotland —which abound in nitrogen—must be mainly due to the absence of lime.”

The same author remarks, “ I may observe that although the amount of lime dissolved, and removed in drainage waters is considerable, still, the necessity of repeating the application after a few years appears to be rather duo to a descent of the Lime to a lower level in the soil, where it is less accessable to the roots of the plants.” The capacity of lime for setting free the nitrogen in a form available for plant food is of course limited by the amount of nitrogen in the soil; and when each application of lime is attended with less benefit than the preceding one, we may feel tolerably sure that the resources of the soil have been too largely drawn upon, and that the export of fertility has been too great. The soil, as we know, receives its nitrogen from the air, and the simple fact, in a case like the foregoing, is that by the use of lime we are taking the nitrogen from the soil faster than it is supplied by the air. It is for this reason that the benefits of lime are most durable on land least heavily cropped —as pastures that are grazed. Its effects are very good upon virgin soil; it lasts longer upon good, than upon bad land, and upon clays and heavy loams, than upon light laud. In regard to the direct use of of lime as plant food, it is an interesting fact that lime can be made with certain plants a substitute for potash. Boots and clover feed largely on potash, but when this is not abundant in the soil, they possess the power of using lime in its place. Lime, therefore, economises- the use of potash.