WINTER FODDER PLANT.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 784, 6 April 1910, Page 10

WINTER FODDER PLANT.

•PHAIkBIS COMMUTATA,

Tho merits of phalaris commutata, the recently-introduced fodder plant, were made ihe subject of an address which Captain Waters delivered to tho Auckland A. and P. Association last week. Captaiu Waters stated that he had been experimenting with tho plant on his farm at Glevcdon, and-he exhibited stalks 8 to 9 feet in length, also showed the samples of the green leaves, and distributed packets of seed. He explained that he was not a new chum, having been in New Zealand 43 years. New fodoer plants were always looked upon with suspicion, and with good reason in many instances, but he claimed that Phalaris commutata was a success, speaking from his own experiments on poor laud. It would stand grazing well. He had sown a paddock last .October, and had stock'grazing on it ever since the grass showed through the ground. - It was essentially a winter grass which-grew- as much as an inch per day. Some of his grass had been cut for several weeks, and the averago growth was eight inches per week. AH kinds of stock ato tho grain greedily. Drought or frost appeared to have no ill-effect on this grass, and it grew as well under the shade of trees as in the open. He claimed it to be the. grass for. throwing up feed right through the winter, when others lay dormant. Captain Waters, said he would guarantee that on ordinary ground the grass would grow an inch per day in the winter. He invited anyono present to visit his place and inspect the growing grass.

A new weed has been found in Oamara district, the ' mad-applo or thorn-apple (stramo-nium datura), a succulent, and much branched annual, with a thick, solid green stem, with limp dull green leaves, with their margins undulating, deep and irregular cut, with white trumpet-shaped flowers, which are followed with egg-shaped fruits about two inches long. Theso aro covered with short sharp spines, and contain largo quantities of seed. It is a daugerous weed —very poisonous. It is not much relished by cattle. However, they eat it when feed is. scarce. Where allowed to spread it is very prolific. The "North Otngo Times," giving these particulars, adds, it should .be eradicated wherever seen, and not allowed to get a footing.

In tile South Canterbury district, especially around St. Andrews, there is an abundance of grass; in fact (says tho "Uamaru Mail"), the plenitude of feed has been, to one farmer at least, a source of , some inconvenience. The grass had grown luxuriously in a 30-acrc paddock which ho had determined to lay down in crop,; and which was : waiting for tho plough. It was almost a sin, he thought, to turn over such a hold. A drover with a (lock of 2000 sheep was in tho locality and tho farmer almost implored him to turn tho. flock on his land. Tho drovor "generously" heeded and got four days' feed for his "kind" action. Such grazing in timcof need would have been worth quite an appreciable amount, y