V. Unimproved North Island hill country, “Ballantrae”

N fixation was measured at 15 sites on an area of poorly developed, hill‐country pasture at the DSIR Grasslands Division hill‐country research property, in the southern Ruahine Range. The average total of N fixed in one year was estimated to be 34 kg/ha, about half of which was attributed to non‐symbiotic, freeliving micro‐organisms. The relationships between N fixation, seasonal climatic variables, differences in growth patterns of legume species, and total legume dry matter production are discussed.