THE FARM INDUSTRY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 408, 18 January 1909, Page 2

THE FARM INDUSTRY.

.PRAIRIE GRASS.' :. A RESCUER FOR WINTRY ? RIGHT THING FOR NEW ZEALAND.'. -;.' v For providing a 'largo quantity of nutrt ; tious grass the various species of prairie grass liavo no superior. The variety known bot-;:; : anically as bromus unioloides is. said to hi : one of tho richest of all grasses, best; suited .. by rich humid soils,-a lasting, nutritious, ■ and appetising fodder;grass equal-in some respects to lucerrio, but; unsuited to pemiaDoht. grazing, which.; in time kills itr '■'■"'; Suits New Zealand. Speaking to a Dominion reporter -concern? ■;. ing'the" variety' of prairie grass known .a.'.'bromus schraeden,. ah authority conversant : with the tests made at-Lincoln College said,. this grass was.so valuable as a winter feed ; ,'■ that in America it was known as the"rescue'' '■'; grass, because-it. .rescues tho stock from .;. famine in'.--the late autumn" and winter.- "It. ~-.-■;;■.' grows excollently in all parts of New Zea-.:. land," said this gentleman, "but has.been;,-.; hindered from becoming popular by the-' fact /-'. - that it is not suitable for inclusion in a ; , mixture. It tufts too much. It'should be grown by itself as-a special crop. . It is also not a very permanent crop either., I" should '; advise its being sown and.cut for- about two .-,"■" seasons, then ploughed under -and by..-. some other crop—potatoes, for instance— : and then restored to. prairie grass, -again"", v-'-v;' Sccti Tima. ■■ ;;■ '■ ■ r v :" If the. seed is sown in Januaryor Feb* '. ruary, there should bo a good crop .of feed V for tho middle of winter.' It can be'grazed, but it is better if cut as green fodder. _ It is ■" esccllently suited for both cattle., : and 'horse;-; feed, but.is, of course," not so likely" to be ,' used for sheep although it would make''a . valuable winter feed for them.- In.the Hast ;. ings district they' sow a small amount',ih'the> misture for permanent pasture; and it gives ■■■'.'■.' a -yield .of feed almost' at once, and .thus saves the more permanent grasses'from, being eaten too;freely : before.they, have be. come well established. ''.:- '":]'_: An Excellent Combination; ';' "The crop should become pne.of our -m.osil '..". ■ .'■ valuable winter feeds. ~ In 'fact, it has- no '■,■"'. serious rivals." It comes.in at a.season wheny ';,. ;... although there is often considerable growth. ■■'.." . of- other ■ grasses, ;they lack nourishments ; i •■' -Prairie grass is the. most nutritious of all the >.. , grasses in.existence during its season. Luc-;/' : erne ?-. But lucerne is hot; a typical •■•winter; ■•'.".. feed. Lucerne for summer, and autumn, and',; prairie grass. for winter, .make, a splendid''"; combination." . '■:■]{'. ■:''''.; v '