PASPALUM.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 813, 10 May 1910, Page 5

PASPALUM.

SOME TESTIMONIES ABOUT ITS FEEDING QUALITIES.

Mr. Keiller, of Bulls, has been sowing paspalum on his Eaumai estate for some years past. The first four years was given to experimenting, but during the last six years bo has gone in more extensively each yoar. He considers it takes about threo years before it comes to full maturity. The grass comes away slowly the first year, stools out well the second year, alia becomes a very heavy body of feed the third year. Mr. Keiller has a paddock laid down for five years, and during that time it has given exceptionally fino returns ; in fact, during the winter months it carried two bullocks to the acre, and they came out fat. Of course this result can only be obtained by allowing the feed to get well away, by closing up the paddock in late summer and autumn. This can bo left for feeding" off purposes until well into tho winter mouths. Frosts have absolutely no effect upon it, as tho grass does not shrivel and rot away, being of a strong, sturdy naturo: it does not fall over and lay close on tne ground and rot, as do other grasses, where closed up and allowed to grow rank. Mr. Keiller has laid down a considerable portion of his ltaumai estate with paspalum, and is positive that this grass will doublo the carrying capacity. The grass is of a crisp and succulent nature, , and is eaten greedily by all stock,- more especially dairy cows. Close feeding has no illeffectß on this grass; in fact, it makes it all the stronger. To bear out Mr. Keillor's statements the following extracts from the "Now Zealand Farmer Stock and Station Journal" may be quoted;— Mr. John Wilson, .of Auckland, writes:—l have just returned from a trip to Warkworth and Kaipara Flats, where I found' paspalum coming into favour, on good land and bad, low-lying and hilly. Most of the settlers are using it in their pastures. Mr. Morrison, of Kaipara Flats, is watching it very closely, and finds it gives good feed from spring until tho first frosts, and if shut up about ono month before frost will have a heavy crop to be oaten off in the winter. Others say it will not when heavy frosts come, but Mr. Morrison has not seen that happen. Ho believes November and February are the best months to sow in. It is a deep fibrous-rooted grass, which draws its supplies of plant food from several feet Delow the surface. Mr. Elliot is not a mere theorist: he claims that deep-rooting plants will do for pastures what, tho roots of trees have aone for forest lands.