TALL FESCUE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4802, 26 January 1925, Page 3

TALL FESCUE.

A PEST ON THU PLAINS.

SERIOUS MENACE TO FARMING.

The increasing difficulty and high cost of maintaining drains when the banks have become overgrown with tall fescue has caused the Hauraki Drainage Board a great deal of concern. From' Orongo/ where it is in absolute possession, this grass is spreading rapidly along every roadside and main drain banks, and is crowding out all other grasses. On farm lands this pest is treated as it deserves, but roadsides and drainbanks* are too often classed as no man’s land. At the present time the pest has assumed such proportions that united action alone will prevent, it spreading all over the Plains. Already clumps may be seen in all parts—even in the deep peat near the Waitakaruru-Maukoro canal. That it should be declared a noxious weed has often been suggested, and it is probable that representations will be made from widely separated areas to the Hon. Minister for Lands on his visit to the Plains.

On account of its ability to spread rapidly and thereby crowd out all other grasses, tall fescue grass is, in some districts,’ considered one of the worst weeds. It is particularly susceptible .to infection with the fungus disease ergot, which poison, when eaten by cattle, lodges in the extremities. causing gangrene, and in advanced cases the feet fall off. The mortality among stock from ergot poisoning is well known to Hauraki Plains farmers.

Many methods of eradicating fescue from farm lands. have been tried with varying degrees of success. At Oronge deep ploughing has been undertaken by .the Lands Department, and while this method may be successful in small areas, i articularly if the furrows are thoroughly rolled with a heavy roller to ensure complete burying of the plant, it has not made much difference at the soldiei settlement owing to seeding from the greater portion of untreated areas. Very deep ploughing and heavy rolling followed by the surface sowing of some quick-growing and dense catch-crop to crowd out any stray shoots of fescue until a permanent pasture is established, has proved successful in some districts Given a sta't, paspalum will beat tall fescue. Close inspection should be made at frequent intervals, and any fescue plants should be rooted out, otherwise the area may revert to fescue. For that reason only small areas which can be given proper attention should be attempted until the whole area has been treated.