asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state whether there is any statistical information available in his Department relating to the quality, classification and state of fertility of the soils of this country, their suitability for cropping purposes, their general and particular condition; and whether his Department is in a position to give detailed information to farmers relating to soil deficiencies peculiar to their particular holdings which cause depressed yields and crop diseases.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Soil Statistics.
As regards the first part of the question, if the Deputy refers to the classification which soil chemists in neighbouring countries have for the time being agreed to adopt and which is based entirely on empirical laboratory methods, the answer is in the negative. As regards the latter part of the question, farmers themselves have a sound practical knowledge of the state of fertility of their soils and of the suitability of these soils for cropping purposes. The main causes of depressed yields are well known and are more or less common to the country as a whole rather than peculiar to particular holdings. The information in regard to these causes, which can be obtained from the agricultural instructors and which will be based on numerous field experiments conducted under varying conditions throughout the country, will be found far more reliable and practical than advice which may be based on the empirical laboratory methods already referred to and which may, in fact, be quite misleading.