FARM LANDS OF NEW SOUTH WALES. ■'{!) 



1'roper cultivation and drainage are, of course, essential to the mainten- 

 ance of a fertile soil. Green manuring, in order to supply humus and nitro- 

 genous matter, is also important. The soil-humus is one of the most 

 important ingredients in the soil, not on account of the plant-food it 

 contains, but on account of the way it modifies the texture of the soil, and 

 particularly for the resistance it offers to the evaporation of moisture from 

 the surface — a property of incalculable value in a climate like our own, 

 subject to protracted dry spells. In countries where a more intensive system 

 of farming is carried on this organic material is supplied by means of the 

 straw or litter in the farmyard manure, 10 to 15 tons of manure being an 

 average dressing. 



RICHMOND RIVER SOILS. 



The virgin soils from this neighbourhood possess certain rather striking 

 features in common, and a sufficient number have been examined to render it 

 possible to strike an average which shall fairly represent a soil typical of 

 the area, which has become one of the principal dairying centres of the 

 State. 



The soils under discussion have been taken, for the most part, from the 

 area on the northern side of the river, and are of volcanic origin, mostly 

 overlying basalt, and derived therefrom. 



From the analyses of a considerable number of virgin soils from this 

 locality we are able to give the following as the composition of an average 

 soil. They are remarkably uniform in their chemical composition, and 

 vary but little from the average here given : — 



Composition* of an average Soil of Volcanic Origin from Richmond River. 



Capacity for water = 52 percent. 



Organic matter (humus) ... ... ... ... = 16 ,, 



Lime ... = 021 ,, 



Potash . ... = 0-08 ,, 



Phosphoric acid ... ... ... ... ... = 0'30 ,, 



Nitrogen = # 30 ,, 



Reaction — Neutral to acid. 



The soils vary from light sandy loams to heavy loams, the heavy soils pre- 

 dominating. They are in nearly all cases well supplied with vegetable 

 matter (humus). 



Associated with this high humus-content (often over 20 per cent.) are a 

 high percentage of nitrogen and a high capacity for absorbing and retaining 

 water. This latter property is in the highest degree indicative of fertility, 

 soils of this nature being open, readily worked, and favourable to the 

 development of nitrification. The soils examined from this neighbourhood 

 are all exceedingly active, and produce nitrates abundantly. They are also 

 better able to resist dry spells than soils deficient in humus and with a 

 low capacity for retaining water, as the surface evaporation is reduced to a 

 minimum. 



With regard to the mineral fertilising constituents, the soils under con- 

 sideration are uniformly well supplied with phosphates, but poor in lime 

 and potash; and it is in the direction of supplying these ingredients that 

 particular attention must be paid when manuring. The absence of lime, 

 combined with the high proportion of vegetable matter, tends to the 

 production of acidity in these soils; and of the samples examined a large 

 proportion are sour in character. 



