HELPING THE FARMER

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 March 1939, Page 3

HELPING THE FARMER

SOIL SURVEY BY RESEARCH DEPARTMENT. A bulletin entitled “Soil Survey of Duvauchelle > Bay-Wainui District, Banks Peninsula,” by C. S. Harris and A.-.C. Harris has been issued by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. The survey was made following requests by Mr T. McCombs, M.P. and public bodies in Christchurch and Banks Peninsula. It is regarded as basal work for investigations on farm management and practice. The district chosen is typical of the. soils'of the whole Peninsula. By means of different colours 12 types of soils are distinguished on a map on which are roads, farm boundaries, and farmers’ names. The types of soil are described in the text and information given on their plant food content. From a table summarising the data it is seen that utilisation for agricultural purposes varies according to soil type, e.g„ cocksfoot thrives well only on a few types. The most immediate assistance the soil survey can render is in finding out the kind of topdressing to be used. Observational trials had already been made by officers of the Department of Agriculture and as a result of the survey they have laid down additional plots to get an even distribution of trials according to soil types. ______