The Guardian (And Evening star,with which is in-Corporate the west coast Times.) MONDAY, JULY 16th. 1923 CULTIVATION

Hokitika Guardian, 16 July 1923, Page 2

The Guardian (And Evening star,with which is inCorporate the west coast Times.) MONDAY, JULY 16th. 1923 CULTIVATION

Now th.it tho Coast is coming into its own by reason of the facilities the Midland railway will afford its an outlet for surplus .stock and products, the farmers of tho district, must of necessity turn more and more attention to tho need for getting more out of their holdings. Cultivation of tho land is essential for this, and profit will follow tho practice of the obviously essential part of successful farming. In a recent interesting talk on cultivation the Diroetor of Canterbury College said that though the subject was apparently a very commonplace theme for a lecture to farmers, no apology for it was required, as tillage was an aspect of farming which did not receive the attention that was required for the economic production of crops and for the maintenance and control of the chemical, physical and biological factors concerned therein. The usual complaint of the farmer, said the Dirootor, was that ho had too little land; but the fnet of the matter was that he had too much. Too many farmers were satisfied when they had scratched the surface of the soil and reaped a crop that was the average of the district. The average of the district, however, was too low, and many farmers failed to make an effort to increase it and thus not cnlv they themselves, but the community as a whole, were poorer due to this lack of industry. As showing what could be obtained through cultivation, the returns from the Chinaman’s small garden were instanced. In order to increase tho amount of ground in which the plant could feed, it was necessary to deepen its feeding ground; and this could !'/> ilone only by deep ploughing, and, occasionally sub-soiling. Particular care should bo taken to see that the soil was properly packed, and that no spaces were left below the surface. The implement, and the only implement, which did this properly was the plough, hut it, too must he properly “set, with the required ratio between width and depth; i.e.. about three to two. Unless tho tail of the mould-board showed wear, the plough was not doing its work properly. Other implements which nasisted the plough i' packing the soil were the harrows and spring-tooth cultivator. The former levelled the surface, and the latter brought tho clods to the top, and shook tho finer earth down, The Di-

rector expressed the opinion that the discs and relic, were used far too much, and the harrows and cultivator too little—they produced a fine surface, but did not pulverise and pack the soil more than a few inches down. Ihe advantages of thorough cultivation were fully discussed, chief among which were the following: It allowed fresh air to circulate through the soil, freeing it of foul air, and admitting fresh air and warmth. This was necessary if the very extensive array of organisms which play an important part in fertility were, to thrive and carry out their function. It assisted the rise of water in the soil from the lower layers, and made it more absorbent of rainfall, which, if the soil has only a shallow cultivation, runs off the surface, and cairies with it plant food. The lecturer stressed the inadvisability of cultivating wet soils.