CROPS WITHOUT SOIL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 February 1939, Page 3

CROPS WITHOUT SOIL

AGRICULTURAL WONDERS IN CALIFORNIA.

Tomatoes can be grown without soil. Professor W. F. Gericke, Director of Laboratories in California University, and Dr. Brundin, leader’ of research works, can dispense with soil when growing crops, an exchange states. Wheat, fruit, vegetables, strawberries —choose what you want, and yc,(i shall have them by a week today, and finer specimens than are usually grown. Only, there will be no soil.

These wizards of California use cement basins. In them they put a mixture composed of the 48 helpful elements which compose the life-giv-ing part of ordinary soil. They roof the basin over so that no biting winds may attack the young plants. They irrigate it all artificially by supplying just the right amount of water. Frost or drought, high winds or insect pests, all these never have a chance to attack the crops, and in a few days the seeds have sprouted. The plants grow up strong and vigorous. Why farmers have ploughed and hoed and harrowed and waited all these thousands of years is more than we can tell. It has apparently all been a terrible waste of time and energy.

Tomato growers will be interested to hear that Dr. Brundin has gathered 240 tons of tomatoes from 8000 plants, and if you ask how he does it, he says: “By not having any soil,”