BACKBLOCK FARMING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 43, 21 February 1939, Page 6

BACKBLOCK FARMING

Sir, —The members of the Makirikiri branch of the Farmers’ Union, feeling that something must be done towards saving the back country from complete extinction due to the insuperable twin problems of high costs and the reversionary forces of nature, decided to hold this rally as a first step towards having this vital and extremely urgent matter placed before the people of New Zealand. For the most part the back-country farmer is the original selector. His burden of indebtedness is the cost of developing his land only. He is in an area of high rainfall for the most part and lacking in the element lime. Rain water plus the carbon dioxide given off by the soil bacteria, form carbonic acid in which soil lime is soluble. Therefore, the greater Use rainfall, the greater the “leaching" of lime from the top soil. The reversionary growths of “scrub," fern and other second growth being “acid loving,” find a ready home in these sour soil conditions. Greater farm development in the way of much more fencing and the greater use of cattle could and would have saved this land in a reasonably clean condition pending the arrival of the manure hag. In the circumstances the farmer has not been able to do these things. Why? For the most part be-

cause the cost of effecting these improvements has not been recoverable out of revenue.—l am. etc., R. O. MONTGOMERIE.