H.—34.

Summary. (1) A rendzina soil has been described. (2) Evidence for podsolization in a number of soils has been examined. (3) These podsolized soils are characterized by a fairly high base status and low available phosphatelevel. (4) Lime and phosphate will be needed on the above-mentioned soils where the base status is low, but where the base status is high phosphate alone should be sufficient. (5) The high phosphate content in the recent alluvial soils near Hastings has been noted. Acknowledgment. Thanks are due to Mr. L. Hodgson, who supplied the clay and texture figures contained in this report. PRELIMINARY CHEMICAL REPORT ON THE ORCHARD SOILS OF CENTRAL OTAGO. (By J. K. Dixon.) Introduction. During the course of an investigation relating to the occurrence of " internal cork " in certain orchards in Central Otago marked differences in the growth of apple-trees were encountered. These differences in the behaviour of trees in some orchards did not appear to be connected with decided variations in the manurial programmes followed by orchardists, but appeared to be associated with inherent qualities of the soil or soil water. It was considered that a chemical examination of typical soil-samples might thrown some light on the variation in growth of the fruit-trees, and on this account a number of soil-samples from, both good and poor areas were examined in the laboratory. Soils. The soils examined can be divided provisionally into three groups : — Group 1 : A deep soil which may vary from a fine sandy silt to a silt loam. From the viewpoint of possible soluble salt interference with apple-growth the depth must be emphasized as the main characteristic, since conditions are favourable for a high concentration of salts in the profile. Group 2 : Stony sandy alluvial soils with the stones on or near the surface. Group 3 : Soils derived from weathering of the country rock (mica schist) but somewhat resorted by cloudbursts.

Analyses. Table I.—pH Values, Available Phosphate and Potash.

56

labora- „ i,™"S, Available tory Depth. locality. Texture. Description. V P£ P ° A ffl 0I1G Potash JNO, (P,Og). ( K »°JIn. Per Cent. Per Cent. 1601 0-6 Alexandra .. Fine sandy silt .. Rather poor growth of 6-0 0-083 0-027 trees 1602a 6-12 .. .. .. 5-2 0-076 0-020 1602b 12-18 .. .. .. 8-5 0-059 0-016 1602c 18-22 .. .. .. 8-6 0-056 0-007 1602d 24-28 .. Fine sandy loam .. .. 8-4 0-034 0-006 1603 0-6 Alexandra .. Stony med. sand .. Poor trees .. .. 6-5 0-065 0-011 1605 0-6 Earnscleugh .. Silt loam .. Good apple-trees .. 6-9 0-068 0-046 1606a 6-12 .. .. .. 6-1 0-062 0-012 1606b 12-18 .. .. .. 6-4 0-070 0-008 1606c 18-24 .. .. .. 6-4 0-074 0-007 1606d 24-33 .. Silt loam .. .. 6-3 0-071 0-008 1607 0-6 Earnscleugh .. Sandy loam .. .. 5-9 0-027 0-012 1608a 6-12 .. .. .. 6-2 0-029 0-009 1608b 12-18 .. .. .. 6-2 0-040 0-007 1609 0-6 Clyde .. Stony med. sand .. .. 7-3 0-076 0-052 1610 6-12 .. .. .. 7-7 0-068 0-025 1611 0-6 Cromwell .. Fine sandy loam .. .. 6-5 0-061 0-022 1612 6-12 .. .. .. 7-1 0-046 0-009 1613a O-β Lowburn .. Sandy loam .. .. 6-4 0-041 0-013 1613b 6-9 .. .. .. 6-5 0-062 0-009 1615 0-6 Lowburn .. Sandy loam .. Good trees .. .. 6-2 0-056 0-033 1616a 6-12 .. .. .. 6-0 0-046 0-019 1616b 12-22 .. .. .. 6-1 0-044 0-014 1617 0-6 Lowburn .. Sandy loam .. .. 6-0 0-037 0-023 1618a 6-12 .. .. .. 6-0 0-029 0-012 1618b 12-18 .. .. .. 5-8 0-027 0-010 1619 0-6 Mutton Town Sandy loam .. Poor trees .. .. 5-5 0-062 0-026 Gully 1621 0-6 Earnscleugh .. .. Poor trees .. .. 6-2 0-062 0-015 1623 0-6 Cromwell .. Sandy loam .. .. 6-3 0-044 0-017 1009 0-6 Ettrick .. Silt loam .. .. 7-0 0-066 0-016 1010 9-15 .. ... .. 6-2 0-044 0-007 1013 0-6 .. Fine sandy loam .. Unhealthy peach-trees .. 8-4 0-048 0-026 1014 9-15 .. .. .. 8-3 0-051 0-009