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Hokitika Guardian, 19 June 1925, Page 2

Tub establishment of the dairy herds of the district on certificated lines as suggested by Mr Seddon at the AS inter Show pow pow on Wednesday afternoon, is certainly a matter well worth the settlers taking in hand. Herd testing has long been advocated and some advance is being made along the right lines, but as a practice, herd testing is still much short of requirements. There is no doubt 1 aranaki had attained its pre-eminence in dairying from a steady development along definite lines. The value of dairying has enhanced the worth of the lands of the SS'ost Coast of the North Island enormously, hut that has lioen achieved only because the host herds have been utilised. The so-called rolvber cow is not permitted to infest the district, and the high yield of butter fat is reflected in the production and ultimate land values. For in the end it is what the land produces which governs the price <>! the land. Dairying is made or marred most often not by the land, but by the quality of the herds ros]ani~ih!e for the milk supply. The highest returns pay the best, for it takes hut little more to maintain the host. In these circumstances, the settlers should take to heart the advice given so often, and set about improving their herds, But the improvement needs to he general throughout the district, and not confined to a particular owner. It is the aggregate output of a district which is impressive, and gives the clue to the productivity of a locality as a whole which in turn enhances values generally l>v the allround increase in returns.

Thu general excellence- of the root crops shown at the Kokatahi wintei Show this week indicate that liming is having a good effect on fodder production. There has not been as far as we are aware any detailed soil survey in Westland. The malt on the land has been feeling his way largely. But the damp and swampy conditions in themselves suggest lime as a first corrective to acidity of the soil. Act, while lime can play an important part, it i> understandable that the value of lime might exhaust itsoll at no distantdate and the soil not give an adequate return tor the area treated. 1' iom time to time there is the statement that cultivation of (lie soil is abortive in thin the elicet. is not lasting. This negative position may he attributed to ignorance n! what the soil requites to

a-sist nature, and ill this regard it is interesting to note that Dr. leiehelinatui purposes bringing this very mat ter of soil survey forward at the next meeting of the Progress f.dagne. 'I lie idea is to try and enlist the services ot the chemists at the Cawthroll Institute at Nelson. There arc localities here where the soil contents are uniform. generally speaking, and a report would cover a considerable area.

country. If it he possible to secure such a report, the information would he of the greatest value to the settlers, for it. would give them the scientific knowledge they need as to the host treatment of their soil to achieve greater and more lasting productivity. It will be a step in the. right direction.