GRASSES AND GRASS MIXTURRS.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 October 1921, Page 4

GRASSES AND GRASS MIXTURRS.

! AND TLIOSF RECOMMENDED j ■ j fob THE COAST. ( Paper read before Westland I ’mgr.vs League.) . (By C. S Dalgliosh, Fields InMructor ) The species of grasses and clot el s are numerous; but not a great many are used in pastures throughout, the world, and it is estimated that in New Zealand more species are used than elsewhere. It can assuredly be presumed tint Lhn-o is use have been selected owing to their prominence ot utility over the | others. I The main ones chiefly in use are. ;] Perennial Hvegrass (Lolium Teronili?l j . An extensively used and most pop ilar grass, germinates freely under all except the most adverse circumstances; ' it soon arrives at perfection and |uo- ‘ duces in its first year a good “up--1 ply of early herbage. Is permanent •' „u|\ ill certain types of ground. Tic' ■ area of land in the Coast in wlucti s this grass holds for any length oi time - is limited. Well suited for temporary - pastures. , Italian Ryegrass (Lolium Uiiliciim i■-

stronger growing grass than Perennial ; gives a larger initial yield. LitsU line nr two years, excepting oil rich an.l heavy lands, where it may become permanent. One of the first to he. fed down by stock. Does well on this Coast.

Western Widths :A short of Italian Rvegrass. An annual and very suitable for quick early feed. Requires land of good quality with a plentiful supply <>t humus: Cocksfoot (l)actvlis glnnierstal—Considered one of the most valuable grasses used in S'/.. Is permanent and produces a large amount of fodder. Is tussockv iii its nature of growth. Locks foot docs not do too veil ill the heavy lands of this Coast, Can always he found to he doing better oil til*' medium light and drier soils. Timothy (phlenm pratense) A strong growing grass and will last for a considerable number of years on heavy land where it thrives. Excellent lor liav. Stock arc fond of it. Docs very well in the heavy lands of the Coast and should always be sown in this class of land. Crested Dog-tail (Cynosnciis cristalnsi A permanent pasture grass. Does not give a large amount of herbage but such lias extremely good fattening qualities. Is one uf the best bottom grasses and stands hard feeding. Docs bc-t on heavy ground. Meadow Foxtail (Aim ectirus prutcn-

sisi--line of the most valuable c! the permanent gvasse*-- (lives good feed limn early spring to tin - winter. Partial in moist situations and a good

glass to sow oil a rich drained swamp. Ha- not done "'ll on tin- Co ist •I- I'll.' would 1 N| c l.

Hough Stalked Meadow gras;- (Run Trivia list. \ valuable grass nil limist country. Yields well during tlic winl'i well liked by stuck. This grass is to In' fought oil occasional places all through the Coast preferring damp rich situations. A grass well worth trying on all moist situations. I- prcialriil on the moist (m,t wet- 1 . lid-) in Ca-s Square Hokitika, |’, >;I \KIIIOI ill is Suited -lor shaded places, not used to any extent.

M endow Tcsciic (Fostnia pratonsis)— A -i l onger grower than Perennial Ryegrass. Is often permanent where the latter docs not hold. Has been tried oil small areas with only fair results. Tall Fi’-crc (Festuia ehitior). A si longer grower than Meadow Fescue; glow-: very strong in swamps, but uni recomuivmlcd to b ■ used ill this class. Worthy of a trial on lii'sh terrace lands.

Smooth-stalked Meadow glass (Hoc pralciisi-i For use on permanent pasture land only. A valuable grass and wa ll liked by stock. Often called twitch on account of its mot system. Does v.r.l Oil this Cna-t ami there is much mure of it growing than is generally know it. Always tn he found nil sandy, slnny soils. On loir.ice, lo'sh country makes better progress than one would expect. I would recommend its u.-e mure freely on light iiiiphiuglmhle lands. Tall Gat Grass ( \ rrlicua l liorum avenineiiml A strung ami quicker grower produces a fair amount of fodder suitable lor haymaking. Flock arc not partial lo litis grass In a field of 7 acres • locked with sheep and cows. 1 have seen it left until the other gras.-es were fed close down. Prairie Grass (Hrousus uninlvidrs) - -

A strong grower. Well relished hy stink. Grows during the winter, lias been tried in various places throughout the Coast, but due- mil last anv

Pasjiahim (pa.stpolum dihilatum).- A lobust grower in warm climates am) produces a large amount of feed during the summer. Does not. stand frosts. lias been fairly well tried oil the Coast hut not successful. ’1 lie growing pel iod of this grass on this Coast is ton slnirL for il to he of value.

Agrostis —Fiorin, Brown ’Pop and Red Top are grasses of second class value. Fiorin is dominant in the major portion of the unlimcd lands on this Coast. These are .suitable for sowing on Hush Terrace hinds. Drown Top proferrable. On Moa-ua area the killer grass hits formed a close sole of pasture where the bettor class grasses have failed.

I'Vsciii'B, fine leaved, (.'bowings. Fescue being I lie one chiefly used. Suitable for sheep feed in the pooler classes of soil; requires to he closely grazed.

Sweet Vernal (ant Imxantliuni odoratuin).— -Can he considered a weed and far tun prevalent through the Coast. Vorkshre Fog.—Well known, and generally considered worthless. Where it is kept hard fed down il proves of tilole value than is generally supposed. Useful for sowing in iiiidrained swamps. Creeping Fog. A weed of no value Is one of the worst twitches. Danthoiiia I’ilosa. Danthoiiia Seiuinnnularis. Good grasses for second class hill country and very suitable for sheep feed, ale slow to establish, and have made little progress on this Coast no doubt a great deal due to the high rainfall.

i Red Clover (Trifoliuni jiralense) Cowgrass (Trifoliuni pratense porene) or perennial.—The standard clovers for all types of pastures. Yield well for one or two seasons. Rapidly eaten out in sheep country, on cattle country lasts longer. Do exceptionally well on this Coast.

White Clover (Trifolium repeno). —A valuable, clover for permanent pasture Is well known. d Alsikc (Trifoliuni liyhi'iduni).—Does, well on wet and swamp lands of the | Coast. Is more permanent than Red Clover, hot does lint least ninny years. Produces valuable fodder. Little Trefoil or Suckling clover (Tri folium).- An annual and prolific seeder, tlnis often becoming permanent-. Lotus Col liic; latus. —Suitable tor dry lands. Very little grown ojn tie Coast. Lotus Hispidus and Lotus Anguotissiiius. Both annual hut free seeds. Are hairy in letif and stem. Wherever I find these species on the Coast, stock do not eat them as readily as Lotn Major.

'laitus Major. Well known to all Const Farmers, lias proved valuable here. Does not do well on the lighter open lands of (I rev Valley district. Is w ell liked hy stock if kc[ I. rlo.-e grazed and not allowed to gel to flowering stage. No pastures on the heir, icr class (if soilc should he sown down without including Lotus Major. Is very valuable for breaking in swamp country.

Strawberry Clover (Trifoliuni fragileriim). .Suitable tor wet situations. Has a trailing habit. Of much same value as white clover, lias been tried on the Coast but with little success. Subterranean Clover (Trifoliuni subterraneiini).—Grows in dry sandy soils and gravelly pastures. Is an annual, and tile herbage is nutritious. Worthy of a trial on this ('oast. COMPARATIVE NUTRITIVE VAI-l K OF (iHASSES. Chemical analysis show Hint grasses difl’er greatly I roni each other and also prove that individual grasses and clovers vary greatly in their nutritive value according to llnur diilercnC stages of growth, and the soil and rlnnaite ill whicll they ;i)‘e grown Therefore the idea ol delei milling the value of grasses from the view point of nutritive value alone is not salisl.'tctnry. 'I he two main factors in arriving at the value of different species, are. comparative yield under the .-nine conditions and actual palatability under tlic -nine conditions. Palatability: Ability In grow well under the required coddll inns and ability to make good winter growth are the chief points of guidance in selecting which grasses should he grown. .For all practical purposes palntihilitv can he used lr signitv nutritive value. Parnell in his hook on Grasses ol Great Britain

quotes: For permanent pasture the | rodmv and nutritive [lowers ol Ryegtales compared with Cocksfoot are inferior nearly ill the pio|>ortioii of -i to IB and inferior to Meadow Foxtail as o to I . As regards the merits of Ryegrass and ( ocksfeol oil this Coast. 1 would place a much higher value on Ryegrass, although it. is not so permanent. I have seen both grazed under the same conditions and Cocksfoot was not eaten until the Ryegrass va- grazed dose.

Pastures etui he sown in pure or mixed scalings. In America pure scaling is gone in for greatly; hut il is not so in X.X. Pure seedings are best soiled for, sjaaiilic species suited to their special classes of land. Mixed pastures have a wider range of advantages in lliis country ; they supply, a variety of feed, and a more season-

h!" growth owing to the various

grasses dill'ering in their growing pe rinds, and tile major number of grasses show I heir best development when mixed with others and are not adapted for pure pastures. 11l selling out to sow out pastilles we may wish to put down a field for only a short, period, or may require it in pasture for a number of years. Although there exists differences of opinion as to species to he used and tlic amount of each to be sown, there is certain general principles for guidance in the choice of grasses and clover lor particular pm pu-cs. whicll il may he useful to point out. Durability. Sum,, grasses such as Italian Ryegrass and Western Widths die 11 fl after first or second year while others like Cocksfoot. ami Meadow Foxtail are permalimit. Nil hard and fast line exists aiming plants in re-

gard- to their dill ution ; as the time during which they live is dependent on climate, soil, and the treatment which they receive, for the present, purposes however, they may he divided into (a) those wliieli are short lived and suitable for one, two or three years dural ion. and (b) those which are permanent and adapted for use in pastures to he kepi dow n for longer periods; Rapidity of growth after sowing. Many *■ "asses reach tliejr highest, state of development ill the first or second year. This is generally true uf the less permanent tines, such as Ryegrass, Tall Oat grass and Red (’lover. Others silcli as Meadow Foxtail, Meadow Fescue and Cocksfoot and all the more lasting grasses do not attain their maximum of growth until tin* third or fourth year alter sowing. 'l'll,, main grosses and clovers that arc temporary and require to seed from year to year in order to become •icrmaiieiit and can lie classed short lived grasses arc as follows: Perennial Ryegrass, Timothy, Prairie grass, Italian Ryegrass, Red Clover. Alsikc. Trefoil, (joins augustissimiis. And those which are permanent or so called permanent are: Cocksfoot, Meadow Foxtail. Meadow Fescue, Tall Fescue, Fine-leaved fescues, Agrostis, Danthoiiia I’ilosa. Dantlionia Scininamiilatis. I’aspaliini, White Clover, Lotus Major. SEEDING.

There are great, differences of opinion as to seeding. 'Liberal seeding is good policy specially on the second class country of this Coast, In permanent pastures on cultivated lands from 30 to lOlhs. per acre is sown, ami on temporary pastures from 25 to 110 lbs. In hush burns from 2.5 to 281bs per acre. 1 have seen less sown with good results, and I have also seen extreme!,v puor pastures due to scanty seeding.

For pastures of from .'1 to 0 years covered to a greater extent than .'SO to 10 per cent hy the Clovers. The smaller proportion being used in those which are intended to last longer. The rest of the ground, namely (it) to 70 per cent is covered by grasses which belong to the short lived, the other to the permanent species. For permanent pastures the amount of clover sown should not he such as will cover not more than 20 ]K'r cent of the ground, the remain-

ing SO per cent being taken up by i grasses of which between 70 and GO per cent should he permanent. GRAFS MIXTURES'. (ir-.-ivy to Al.'fii i;’.i mi l- > I’ercunia! Ryegrass 17fl> 'C , k, foot * O' Timothy 21V> Civ ; si D •gvtail !*'■ Boa Trivinlis 2]!> l Red Clover 211. j A Isike 3 Jib White Clover Ilb ■Lotus Major ' .4.1 b ' Total oar acre 3:51b j GRASS MIXTURES. (Permanent.) I Right lands inclined to be stoncy or ’ " ' sandy. I Perennial Ryegrass 121 b I 'Cocksfoot 101 b j ('rested Dogstnil 21b j I’on pratonsis ..(... 21b | Cliewings Fescue -Rh I White Clover I Hb I Trefoil ..' - Hb | I ”t"s Major lO' T->t"l oer rcr'' :{ 2lb GRASS MIXTURES. (Temporary.) Perennial Ryegrass U-Mb Italian Ryegrass U.’lb R oil Clover *1 lb 'Alsikc Total acre SOU, D ili u Ryegrass 201 b Red Clover :,n ' Total per acre The above are very suitable for diiry stock feed. GRASS MIXTURES. HUSH BURNS. (Second to Third Class .Lands'). Perennial Ryegrass Sil. Cocksfoot h". Timothy Ih’ Crcsbcd Dogstail D’* • ,Fiorin or Brown Top ;iM ' Hot Pratonsis 21b , Cliewings I'esi uc —'l • Tall Fescue “ib White ('lover *'b Trefoil •'b lotus Major Hb

Total per acre ‘-’Bib GRASS MIXTURES. BUSH BURNS. (Heavy to medium lands). Perennial Ryegrass BUb Cocksfoot "’b Timothy ‘-’ll. Crested Dogstail Gb Poa Trivialis 1 1: • ~ •n- l ( owgrass • Alsikc 21b White- clover I h' l.ntus Mtjjor 'lb Total per acre L’t.tlb GRASS MI Xl'l' It ES. (Drained Swamps). Perennial Itw'gia-- I' 1 )!. Italian Ryegrass U l ' Timothy '-’lb Poa trivialis 21b Meadow foxtail 51b Real clover 2!b Alsikc 21b lotus Major Ilb Total per acre , 281 b PARTIAL OR UNDRAINED SWAMPS. (Second Class). Perennial Ryegrass Bib Italian Ryegrass Uh Timothy Poa trivialis 2” Fiorin ®lb Alsikc -’lh Lotus Major IH’ Total per aero i'l’ib POOR BEATTY SWAMPS. (Pml rained). Fog b’h Fiorin Lotus Major 21V Total per acre H’ 1 '