Pond and Maclaubin. — On the Soil of the Taupo Plains. 229 



secure a fair average of the class of soil composing the 

 plain. 



The first two samples were taken near Lake Taupo, on the 

 eastern side. The surface here rises in terraces from the 

 lake, and is irregularly and sparsely covered with stunted tea-' 

 tree &nd Dracophylkiin, there being also a considerable amount 

 of moss on the surface of the ground. The latter was re- 

 moved, and the sample taken carefully to a depth of 9 in. At 

 some distance further along the road a cutting had been car- 

 ried through a pumice deposit, leaving the sides nearly verti- 

 cal, about 7 ft. in height. The second sample was taken here, 

 nearly at the bottom of the exposed cutting. By removing 

 the outer layer a clean sample was obtained at 6 ft. from the 

 surface. This deposit was white and moderately fine, and, 

 being free altogether from organic matter, was chosen chiefly 

 with a view to obtain a knowledge of the constituents un- 

 affected by vegetation. 



The third sample was taken near the Arateatea Eapids, 

 about eight miles from Taupo. The soil here appears slightly 

 better in character, and a considerable number of cattle were 

 grazing in the vicinity. Although tea-tree is growing spar- 

 ingly, yet between it in places there are various grasses and 

 clover growing well, although cropped closely by the cattle. 

 This sample was taken in a place as far removed as possible 

 from other than indigenous vegetation ; and, the surface-soil 

 being removed, the earth was obtained as before to the depth 

 of 9 in. 



The fourth sample was taken from near the main road, 

 three miles south of the Waiotapu Hotel. At this point, and 

 in the vicinity of some swampy ground, a large patch of white- 

 clover had been located, the vegetation being very closely 

 cropped and the ground consolidated by the continued tramp- 

 ing. Choosing a place in this patch where the clover was not 

 immediately apparent, the surface-soil to the depth of nearly 

 1 in. was removed, and the sample taken thence to a depth of 

 -9 in. 



For the fifth sample we are indebted to Mr. Brownlie, the 

 resident foreman of the Taupo Eoad. «At our request he 

 obtained and forwarded a portion of soil from close to the 

 Government experimental station at Eangitaiki. Our object 

 was to secure a sample in the vicinity which had not been 

 subjected to treatment, yet near enough to obtain a knowledge 

 of the soil in which these grass experiments are being carried 

 out. 



Having thus obtained five samples which are fairly repre- 

 sentative of a large portion of these plains, we decided to 

 complete the tests of the acidic soils by an analysis, under the 

 same conditions, of a sample of pumice, and this was taken 



