THE WONDERFUL RHODES GRASS.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 18 July 1910, Page 4

THE WONDERFUL RHODES GRASS.

(ClilorLs Virgata)

To the Editor

Sir,—As it may 'prove of groat benefit to stockowners, kindly permit mo to give a description of ,the above. Tliis grass is wvpidly conning iiitu great favour throughout Australia, and the favourable reports of ittt great merits from many places points to its extensive cultivation. It has proved a re-ally wonderful grass for insisting drought, and will grow and remain green when many of the other species are burnt up. Tine famous paspalnm grass has long held «, leading place, but to be a sucouss it requires a fairly rich soil, and a warm, moist climate or artificial .irrigation. With Rhodes grass it is entirely different, as not only will it thrive well where the rainfall is light and the ail inferior, 'but will also survive long periods of drought, and yield well where the paspalum lroiglut' wove a complete failure, or only exist. In .the central dairying districts of Queensland and the western oortion of Now South "Wales, where the climate is dry, Rhodes grass is proving equally as gnat a- boon to the settlers as paspalum has to those in out moist coastal country ; aaid, '.. ifchout doubt, 'it will in the course of a very short time, when its great merits become more widely known, prove one of the most and oopular grosses yet introduced, as it can so easily be cultivated over such an immense area of land. Probably no other grass will give such orood and satisfactory results under adverse or trying conditions of soril and climate, as has already been well demonstrated in many .localities. The seed is very light and fine, and germinates readily with a. small amount of moisture, and from 71bs to 81bs of seed should be sufficient to sow one acre of land. After gerr initiation, the plant throws out strong, vigorous runners, which root at each joint, after which the shoots grow erect to the height of three or four feet. It spreads rapidly, and presents a splendid waving mass of verdure that 'would delight the eye of the pnstoralist. It yields, according to soil and climate, from five to ten tons of the most nutritious fodder per acre which in feedin value ranks witli sorghum, and it is greatly relished by nil classes of stock, which prefer it to paspalum. Tt produces a large quantity of seed which can he harvested easily, and if norp&snry at p.ny time it can be Tvioujrlierl out without much trouble. T most srronorly recommend the cultivation of this grass to stockowner.s, esne.ri-ii.llv to those •residing in countries smbjpH +o lone; norn'orta of drought, who T feel certain will be Tcflv nlen.«-«d with the result, — Yours sincerelv.

H. HATWiTRON. N.S.W., Ausiinalia