THE RURAL WORLD.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 383, 2 August 1911, Page 3

THE RURAL WORLD.

THE SPIKED BLUE-GRASS OP AUSTRALIA.

A VALUABLE PLANT FOR

DENUDED LAND

A. H. Cockayne

The problem of regrassing much of our sheep land in the semi-arid interior of the South Island, especially in Central Otago and the Mackenzie country, is one the solution of which will mean much to the future prosperity of the wool-growing industry. In the Vincent County alone the diminution of the sheep-carrying capacity of the land is shown by the fact that whereas in 1789 the flocks totalled nearly 500,000, the present number gazed on almost exactly the same acreage is just a trifle over 300,000—a shrinkage of well over 30 per cent. In many places, especially in Central Otago, there are large areas that have been completley denuded of their original plant covering, and at present typical deserts in so far as their sparse and characteristically desert vegetation is concerned.

Up to the present time any attempts at regrassing made on these denuded lands have resulted largely in failure; and the experiments at present being conducted by the Fields and Experimental Farms Division of this Department have not as yet been in operation a sufficient time to have produced any permanent results. I do not propose here to deal with the factors that are involved in the regrassing of denuded areas. I merely wish to call the attention of runholders in those districts where the natural pastures are deteriorating to the probable value of an introduced grass thfca bids fair to become of great importance. The grass in question is a native of Australia, and is called "Agropyron pectinatum." There is no regularly used common name for it, but it might be called the "spiked blue-rgass," on account of the peculiar spiky nature of the seed-heads.

The genus "Agropyron" is a largp. one, containing many species, the herbage of which provides valuable cattle and sheep feed. To the New Zealand runholder the best - known species is the native blue - grass, "Agropyron scabrum" The grass was at one time the must valuable of all the constituents of the natural tussockpastures, especially in the South Island, and was exceedingly abundant at all levels from that of the sea to the subalpine reigons. It, however, appears quite incapable of withstanding burning and overstocking, and has largely disappeared, especilly in districts where the annual precipitation is small. The common twitch, "Agropyron repens," so well known as a most pernicious weed on arable land, but probably a very valuable grass for regrassing work, is also a close ally of the Australian spiked blue-rgass. Many of the bunch grasses of the American prairies, such as the bluestem and the western wheat-grass, also belong to the same genu?. The spiked blue-grass is a very easy grass to identify even by the layman, owing to the characteristic appearance of the seed-head i, which are very harsh, and each flowering glume is provided with a rather long, sharp point. The leaves are quite fiat and hairy, and are considerably shorter than"the flowering stems, which stand well up above the foliage. In outline the seed-spike is not unlike that of sweet varnal.

The following is the botanial description:—Stems from under Ift to Hf thigh; Leaves chiefly to the base of the stem, narrow, fiat, usually hairy ; spike raised on a long peduncle, lln to 3in long, the rhachis pubscent, not notched; spiklets not very distant, spreadingor at length reflexed, mostly about Jin long including the short points, 3 to6-flovvered; glumes spreading, the two outer empty ones shorter, with only the mid-rib or 3-nerved; flowering-glumes 4 to 5 lines long, rigid, 3 or 5 nerved, tapering into a rather long pungent point.

The spiked blpp-grass ssetna to have been accidentally introduced into New Zealand, but there are no records as to how or in what year it was first brought into the Dominion. It was «rst co lected by Mr Petrie in 1892 in the Central Otago district, and was reported to be naturalised in the Manuherikia and Waitaki Valeys, but was apparently not common. About eighteen years ago Mr A. Hamilton also collected this grass in the Lower Valley, Petane, in the North Island, but not ing is known concerning its spread in that locality. For my part, I am inclined to the opinion that the plant as first introduced through seeds attached to %Y\a wool of sheep imported into New Zealand from New South Wales. The seeds with their sharp-pointed coverings could easily become entangled in wool, and be carried f r long distances.

During the past few years many lants of the siked blue-grass have been sent in for identification, and it now areas to be distributed over a considerable portion of th South Island, and in certam districts seems to be spreading with fair rapidity. The following are the localities from where I have seen specimens, or its occurrence has been reported to me:—Central Otago—D. Petrie, A, Simpson, AH.C—Clyde, Alexandra; Black's, Ida Valley; Maniototo Plain; Rock and Pillar Range—very abundant, of ten in areas of several acres in extent; Waitaki' Valley Kurow, A.H.C; Otekaike, A.PLC; Hakataramea, F. Morrison; Kaikoura, W. S. Goodall; inland slopes of Seaward Kaikouras —in patches of half an acre or more; Marlborough - -Awatere Valley, J. Stevenson, A, H.C.; Upcott; Middlfhust, in large patches; and Molesworth. From the above it will be seen that as yet this grass has not been recorded between the Waitaki Valley and Kaikoura; but it is more than probable that it is becoming established in certain places between these two pointg. In Australia this blue-grass is restricted to New South Wales, Vic-

toria, and Tasmania, In New South Wales it is common in many parts of the Monaro, ascending to 6000 feet on Mount Kosciusco. In Victoria it is confined to Northern Gippsland, and in Tasmania it is chiefly found on the Hampshire Hills and Thomas Plains. In Australia, it grows on black-soil flats and in swampy places, stations that are essentially different to those on which it is found in New Zealand. A very important point in regard to the spiked blue-grass is the type of ground country on which it is growing in New Zealand. It appears to be able to estabilish itself on any sunny faces which have become denuded of vegetation, and on which there seems no likelihood of the native grasses reappearing under the present conditions. In such a station it does not grow to any height, but it seems to hold well; and, owing to the fact that stock do not eat the spiny seed-heads, which are developed in large numbers, every opportunity is given to the plant to seed. This character is one which I consider to be of the utmost importance. The poor seed-development of many of our native grasses has undoubtedly been in some measure responsible for their failure to hold on certain ground. On better ground the spiked blue-grass may grow to high to about loin, with leaves from Sin to Tin long.

In dealing with plants for regrassing work it must be remembered that the object to be aimed at is to secure such as are likely to cover the ground well. In many cases their nutritive value is of much less moment than their adaptability to hold on the ground and spread rapidly. If, however, at the same time the plants used are of superior feeding-value, so much the better; but a plant must not be condemned because it does not give high-class feed. A case in point is the winged thistle, "Carduus pyenocephalus," at present the most valuable winter and spring feed of all the plants growing on the denuded areas. This thistle is in many localities in New Zealand rightly looked upon as a weed, usurping, as it does, the ground on which a more valuable crop could be produced, but in Central Otago it is growing on ground that would otherwise be producing absolutely nothing, and is therefore under such conditions a most valuable plant.

The spiked blue-grass, however, is apparently a high-class sheep-feeding grass, as well as being suitable for growing on ground on which there seems little likelihood of re-establish-ing either the original vegetation or any of those pasture-plants that are commonly cultivated. Mr F. Morrion, of Te Akatarawa Station, Hakataramea, writes as follows concerning this grass: "I have been all over the run, and find the spiked Australian blue-grass has got a very good hold of all sunny faces on our Wither Run, which is nearly all sunny country. The sheep from this run came in looking very well, and I think it is due a great deal to this grass, as they seem to have eaten it down as much as its spiny nature will allow. lam certain sheep like this grass, as I have found big mobs of them on the sunny face where it grows. I consider it a very valuable sheepfeeding grass, as its spiny nature will allow it to be closely eaten in the winter; and it is still gives plenty of feed for sheep." Inspector W. S. Goodall, Kaikoura, also state, "This grass is growing in patches of half an acre on the inland slopes of the Seaward Kaikouras at a fairly low level. These parts are in a very dry area " Mr J. H. Maiden, Government Botanist of New South Wales, says, "We know very little about its value as a fodder. It produces a fairly leafy bottom, and is probably eaten by stock with the other grasses when young, but while still perfectly green and only in inflorescence. I have seen acres of pasture in which it predominates with scarcely a spike bitten oft". Nevrtheless, arguing from analogy, it is probably a nutritious grass." Mr Stevenson, of Upcott and Middle hurst, reports that this grass is well eaten by sheep, which appear to do very well on it. From the above it will be seen that the grass is undoubtedly of value so far as feeding-quality is concerned. The only injurious quality that can be urged against, spiked blue-grass is the effect of the sharp-pointed seed-heads on young lambs in the early summer; but this objection is only a small one in comparison with the various good qualities of this grass in regions where the natural pastures have become exhausted, or are rapidly deteriorating. When it is considered that this grass is establishing itself on stations where the adverse condition have resulted in the almost complete destruction of the original vegetation, it naturally would be considered that it would possess certain special adaptations for this purpose. An examination of the plant shows that it is not particularly deep-rooted, and the first leaves are certainly not such as one would expect to find in plants suitable for wind-swept, exposed dry slopes. Neither does it possess protected underground stems. The one special feature seems to be the development of the sharp-ririted seed-heads, which stoop the plant from being eaten out, especially in winter, and which allow an ample" seed-production being maintained each season.

In conclusion, more information on the distribution of this grass in New Zealand is required, and notes on the rapidity of its sprpad would be of great importance. The accompanying illustrations, should enable any one to recognise the. grass without difficulty, and any information from those having a practical experience of its qualities would be most welcome. During the past season several hundredweights of the seed of the spiked blue-grass have been collected, and thus there will be an opportunity of thoroughly testing its value for surface sowing. So far, it must be remembered that no attempt whatever has been made to spread the grass by artificial means. It is to be hoped that this article Will help to awaken some interest in a 1 grass which at present, is giving de-

cided indication of becoming in the near future one of our most valuable sheep-feeding grasses in those reigons where the rabbit, overstocking, and burning have played such important parts in the havoc wrought on our natural pastures.—From Journal N.Z. Department of Argiculture.

! IMPURE TIMOTHY-SEED

The following analysis of a sample of New Zealand-grown timothy recently offered for sale and examined by the Government Biologist gives a good indication of how noxious weeds may spread through the use of impure seed. The sample contained by numbers 5.7 per cent, of seeds other than timothy. consisted of: 1 -Ragwort, "SenecioJacobaea": 2—mouseeared chick-weed. "Cerastium viscosum": 3 —Yorkshire fog, "Hoieus lanatus"; 4 —smooth-stalked meadowgrass, "Port pratensis"; s—curled5 —curled dock "Kumex crispus'': 6-—sow-thistle, 'Sonchus asper" ; 7—Californian thistle, "Cnicus arvenssi."

If the sample were a true index of the bulk lib of the latter would cos.tain the following omurities by number: Ragwort, 41,374 seeds; Yorkshire fog, 9513 seeds; chickweed, 0060 seeds; "Poa pratensis," 2416 seeds; dock, 453 seeds, sow-thistle, 453 seed; Californian thistle, 151 seeds: total, 63,430 seeds. It is hardly necessary to point out the worthless pasture such seeding would produce. A better example of the importance of using nothing but guaranteed seed could hardly be provided.