LOTUS MAJOR.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1396, 23 March 1912, Page 8

LOTUS MAJOR.

A GRASS FOR WET LAND. Every year areas of waste land are being cleared of bush and swamp and got ready for grass. Sourness of such soil frequently defeats farmers' endeavours to establish pastures, but with good choice of grass the. risk of such detriment .is minimised. In the "Westport News" appears an interesting letter on the subject, sent in by Mr. G. M. Powell. He writes-.—"l wish to draw attention to a grass which, for some reason or other, finds in this part of the country a congenial habitat. 3-iotus Major is the grass referred to. It has not long been introduced, and is spreading in a. remarkable manner. It is of the clover family, and like the clovers „, doubtless nitrifies tho soil so that the 'A other artificial grasses will hold later. It (3 thrives on land too wet, or acid, for ryo |j or cocksfoot, but it will grow in wellK] drained .soil. _ 1 know of a rather marshy JH placo where, it Ims choked every kind of m rubbish clean out of sight, and the growth 3 is marvellous. An example of how it a thrives on the pakihis as compared with 5| other grasses can bo seen on tho plot ex\i perimentcd with by the Agricultural Dc- \ partment along Bradshaw's Road, perhaps 3' 11 ihile from the Buller Bridge. This 1 grass, I believe, is destined to play an im- % portant part in bringing over-acid and Jj water-logged land into cultivation. Its a exact food value is at present unknown to w me, but it is well up on the list."