THE FARMER.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 17 January 1912, Page 4

THE FARMER.

};,; - PEAS ON GUM LAND.

Mr. Q. de S. Baylis -writing in the Journal of Department of Agriculture: —Probably, a test question as to the fertility of a soil for our ordinary farmL crops is. "What leguminous crops -will your soil grow, and how does it grow them? It is hopeful, therefore, to see peas being cultivated. Gum. lands are deficient both in chemical and in mechanical constitution. The/ are probably wanting in the bacteria arid soil flora which plays so large a part in plant-growth, and about which so little is at present known. The farmer of the gum lands therefore, has an uphill furrow to plougn, and needs a strong back, a strong heart, a fairly good purse, and ■ < sufficient patience to Avait for a few seasons before he really begins to obtain the reward of hia energies and of his expenditure. Still, there is no doubt that the reward is there." In soils such as these it is difficult to get leguminous plants to grow. There is one, at least, that seems to flourish upon many classes of soils ■where others perish, and which will probably yet play an important part, after further experiments have been made, in assisting to bring our poorer lands into profitable cultivation: that is clover. The mangels grown upon this soil, considering the season and the new condition of the land, give very hopeful indications of what may be done in the near future upon the so-called *' poor lands of the north." Experimenter.— Mr P. Boucher, Kumeu North.. Vjtcieiy^-Blue Imperial peas. ; Soil.-— Gum land ploughed out of ti-tree. Brown friable top soil upon white-yellow clay subsoil. Cultivation.— Ploughed previous autumn ;■ fallowed, cultivated, re-plough-ed and well worked during following1 spring. 1£ bushels sown on sth November. Intercultivation: After drilling, seed rolled twice and lightly har-rowed-twice; Manure. — 1 ton lime carbonate broadcast on 19th October, disced and harrowed in. 3001b. No. 1 mixture, sown with seed cost 18s 3d. Topdressed with licwl. No. 2 mixture, cost 9s. Mixture No. 1 : 32 lb, slag, 151b. Chatham Island guano, 32 lb. Wanganui bbnemeal, 6lb. nitrate of potash, 15lb. blood; cost 6s Id per 100 lb, * Mixture No. 2:1 cwt. superphosphate, 28 lb. sulphate of potash, ' 28 lb, gypsum ; cost, 6s per swt. • Yield per acre. —24 bushels, harvested in March. Mr Boucher recommends the same cultivation and manure, but a heavier sowing. The sample obtained, although small, was fiDed well, and of a good colour.