17 



soil to a limited extent. It is difficult to tile-drain land of this type. Another 

 important point which should lie kept in view besides drainage is the openiug- 

 up of the soil to the air and sun through cultivation to favour decomposition 

 of the vegetable matter and the removal of the acidity in the soil. An 

 application of stone-lime, where it is procurable at a reasonable cost, will 

 hasten improvement of the soil. ' A chemical fertilizer, for the first couple of 

 years, to supply available plant-food will also be an advantage where a crop 

 is being grown. There is plenty of plant-food in the soil, but it will take 

 a year or more of good aeration and drainage before it can be made available, 

 especially to deep-rooted plants. Questions were asked by the settlers as to 

 the treatment of the mossy growth on the surface. Where it can be done at 

 a reasonable cost, it would be advisable to remove it. as the turuing-under of 



Picture 11. Garden at Haz<>lton. 



the moss means the decaying of much more plant-food before the soil can be 

 brought into a good physical and productive condition. For the first year or 

 so during the improvement of these lauds it will likely be found that it will 

 be difficult to keep the soil from drying out during a period of drought. This 



