ix.] RECLAMATION OF HEATH LAND 301 



areas farms are to be found reclaimed at some time 

 or other from the heath, which alongside is still waste. 

 The farms are often poor because the soil has only 

 been made by a long process of cultivation and 

 cropping, without attention to the fundamental ameli- 

 oration of the soil by a supply of lime, phosphoric 

 acid, and potash. Success in reclamation is entirely 

 dependent upon the courage with which this initial 

 expenditure necessary to "make" the land is faced. 

 At pre-war costs, some $ or 6 an acre had to be 

 expended, and it is difficult to say at the present time 

 whether the demand for land will repay the increased 

 costs now to be incurred. 



The work of reclamation must begin in many cases 

 with drainage ; shrubs and trees have to be removed ; 

 banks roughly levelled and hollow places filled in ; then 

 the heather, if present, is burnt over and a steam 

 cultivator or deep tractor should be set to work. It is 

 sometimes necessary to break up an iron pan existing 

 a few inches below the surface. The ameliorating 

 materials are then sown, 2 to 4 tons of chalk, 6 to 8 

 cwt. of basic slag, and 5 to 6 cwt. of potash salts per 

 acre ; subsequent shallow cultivations work in the 

 manures and remove the moss, bracken roots, and 

 other rough vegetable debris. For arable land the best 

 preparation is to sow a crop of blue lupins, to be 

 turned in and supply a stock of nitrogen and humus 

 for succeeding crops. Vetches also may be used and 

 folded off with sheep. For the subsequent cropping 

 rye and oats are the best cereals ; potatoes, carrots, and 

 peas give good crops, and the land may be sown 

 down to lucerne successfully. Continuous manuring 

 is indispensable, nitrate of soda is better than sulphate 

 of ammonia, and potash salts cannot be omitted. Early 

 sowing is also a very necessary feature in the manage- 



