EXTENSION SERVICE

Opotiki News, Volume X, Issue 1051, 2 December 1947, Page 2

EXTENSION SERVICE

FERTILITY PROBLEMS TRAILER LABORATORY VISIT TO OPOTIKI A travelling laboratory from the Soil Fertility .Research Station, Hamilton, fields division of the Department of Agricltura, is -paving its first visit zo the Gisborne-East Coast and Bay of Plr-nvy district. The laboratory is mounted on a trailer caravan and is staffed Dy Messrs. K. J. McNaught- and G. W. Bennett.

These chemists and their equipment give a service to the field instructors in the districts visited. Answer's to their soil fertility problems are given without the necessity cf submitting samples to the research station.

Mr. McNaught, who left Gisborne on Friday for l'okomaru Bay and Opotiki, said it was intended that the travelling laboratory should visit the different districts in turn and give ■ assistance where needed to the field instructors on any problems requiring chemical investigation. Scheme in Testing Stage

At the moment, he continued, the scheme was to a huge extent in the testing stage. They were trying out their equipment ?,nd developing techniques. Their examination of the soils was by quick-test methods, particularly for fertiliser and lime needs.

Mr. McNaught said the laboratory was also carrying out tests on pasture and plant materials which would give a more exact picture of the availability l of plant nutrients. Tests on plant tissue provided supplementary information to that gained in-soil tests which, in themselves, were not infallible. “Our aim is to, help the farmer through the instructor on chemical problems concerning which, obviously, the instructor has not the facilities to deal with himself,” continued Mr. McNaught. “Eventually tlie instructors will be issued with simple kits to enable them to carry out tests in their own districts without having to refer samples to the soil research station. A number of those kits arc now under trial.” Previous trips made by the travelling laboratory have included Auckland, North Auckland, South Taranaki, Manawatu and Ilawke’s Bay.—Herald,