Reis

Report of the British Economic Mission to Australia

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Monograph

Identifikator:: 173388923X

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-112001

Document type:: Monograph

Author:: Winkler, Hubert http://d-nb.info/gnd/117582093

Title:: Reis

Place of publication:: Hamburg

Publisher:: Dt. Auslandsverl. Bangert

Year of publication:: 1926

Scope:: VI, 138 Seiten; Ill.

Digitisation:: 2020

Collection:: Economics Books

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Chapter

Document type:: Monograph

Structure type:: Chapter

Title:: III. Der Anbau

Collection:: Economics Books

PART 11. nT by the presence of large treeless glades in heavy forest. The most interesting of these treeless zones is on Mount Kenya on soil which exhibits all the type characteristics of forest soil. This treeless area ¢xtends, as far as could be ascertained in a hurried visit, up to the znnowline. In the grass and bush and grass lands most interesting variations in vegetation exist. The grass changes from one group to another group quite different in character; some of the changes being so sharp as to appear artificial. The species of tree change suddenly, in one case where the variations are especially interesting, from one of the Proteace to species of acacia. Here a soil change is also evident. There can be no doubt but that the vegetation is an indication of soil conditions, but what these conditions may be is at present a matter of mere conjecture. A great deal of work will have to be done, work which should be undertaken before these vegetal associations are lost to study. The results of this work will be of great value to agriculture and to science in general, but until there is in Kenya a staff large enough to undertake the investigation of such fundamental problems, while those of immediate application are still awaiting attack, this work will have to wait. Perhaps the broader aspects of this work as it appears to Fast Africa in general would be undertaken by the Amani Institute. Mr. SIMPSON thought that it was appropriate that they should open the proceedings with a discussion on soil problems. Mr. Beckley had given them something to think about. The value of a paper, such as the one just read, was very great because it made them realise what their problems were, but it was very difficult to get up and criticise it at once. In countries where the cost of manures must naturally be very great ‘they could not give too much attention to the consideration of their soil problems. Some manure was introduced into Uganda which cost them more in transport from Mombasa than the actual cost of the manure, so that it was very necessary for them to think out some method of keeping their soil in good condition by methods of cultivation, rotation of crops, and the growth of cover crops. It was interesting to hear that phosphates were deficient, and anything they could possibly do to keep up the amount of soil humus was very important. The question of humus brought them to the question of cover crops. In Uganda, they had plantations which had been under cultivation for some years, and there were cases where all the top soil had gone. It was going to be very difficult and a costly matter to get these soils into anything like crop carrying capacity. In conclusion, he would say that if the papers which were to be read were anything like the high standard of the paper just read they would be given much food for thought. Mr. KIRBY was interested that buckwheat should be suggested 4s an intercrop in coffee. Among natives in Tanganyika Territory Eleusine, a plant of roughly similar habit, was grown sometimes with coffee with very damaging effect. Some explanation of this difference would be valuable. Mr. BECKLEY said that the effect might depend upon a difference in root habit. On one of the coffee plantations they would be visiting in a few days, buckwheat had been used for years past and had been most successful. It was one of the most interesting devnonstrations of this plant. 3

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