LAND EXHAUSTED

Hokitika Guardian, 30 August 1932, Page 6

LAND EXHAUSTED

FERTILITY sapped by manure,

DETERIORATION IN CANTERBURY

CHRISTCHURCH, Aug. 29

“Land 1 in Oanterbuiry has become so stimulated by the use of superphosphates that, all. the fertility has been stimulated out of the soil,” said Mr J. Dunlop, in the Assessment Court this morning. A witness had stated that in order to grow crops on his farm at Rangiora it wes necessary to let the land lie fallow, or out of use, for a year to let it recuperate. •“Now the fend has deteriorated to such an extent that to grow a crop, it costs - more thafa the crop.. will be worth, to put in manures to bring the

ground up to the requisite fertility,” continued; Mr Dunlop. “ The shallow land in Canterbury has been exhausted, and it has became necessary to resort to the methods of fifty years ago to bring it into production.

The witness said that ‘ red-top regu-

larly appeared on his fend, and it is a well-lcnownifact that this weed will grow where nothing, else will grow,”: he Mfr Thml/ip appeared 'as ■assessor for the Rangiora County Council , and is considered an expert on farming in .Canterbury. u- ' • Mr W. Cunningham, Government- assessor, said that in spite of what Mr Dunlop had said, a study of the -figures pertaining to wheat yields l over the past few yhart 'ihotved 1, thrit there was no drop-in thfc• amount 'grown.