THE SELECTION OF GRASSES.

Manawatu Herald, 22 March 1889, Page 3

THE SELECTION OF GRASSES.

(Button's Permanent Pastures.) (Continued.) Dactylis Glomerate {ro^ Cocksfoot) is one of the mo=t widely distributed of all tIM grasses. On dry calcareous laud it U stunted and wy, while m fertile valleys and rich lands it gvows to au immense aize. Its proper place is in '.ood, strong, damp soils in low lying district -But oven m pasture land, which best suits th. l8 gtaad, I Mould sow less of it tna-j, is generally advised, aud use lai :,er proportions of Meadow Fescue a >»d Foxtad fustead. The valuable quantities of Cocksfoot^ even ■ better realised in-^ jhre^br four years ley than in i^rmjnent pasture- With Bye grass a^p3lover it » forms a superior feeding lay, and a very bulky crop for cnn«umpturn on the farm,. where its cojfrseneus as not objectio jable. It thrives under trees. Cocksfoot almost ' disappear* when it is not liberally fed. Festuca Pratensis (Hudson), Meadow Feseus. This grass is common in Grpat Britain and on the Continent of Europe, and its presence is a pretty certain indication of good land, it flourishes in strong, deep land, especially in low lying meadows and valgpra .where a moist atmosphere prevails ; and in this country it is rarely successful at an elevaion of 800 feet above the sea level. Professor Buckman says — "In an agricultural point of view Festuca Pratenais is indicated for best lowland pastures not Ikb^rto floods." Scarcely any grass equals this for land under irrigation, although it is entirely unsuited to » waterlogged soil. 1 regard it as one ot the landlords grasses, to be used principally" for permanent pastures. Festuca pratensis is a midsummer grass, rarely flowering until the end of June, or ripening seed until the first week in August. The ripening of seed lowers the nutritive quality, but it does not greatly diminish the bulk, as is the with jfcxtail. Although Meadow FeßcuP^ccasionally grows rather rank^bhe herbage is always , tender and succulent, and the quality of the hay first rate. With cattle the plant is ever a favourite, and, if i possible^ is even more relished than IFoxta ; J.. These two grasses flourish, under the same conditions, except that, the Fescue scarcely stands heat as as Foxtail. For practical P/Oraoses I am inclined to regard Pcxluca pratensis as the better grass, especially as the germination of the seed is more reliasLe, 'and experiments have showii its decided . tsuperiority in bulk. Up to the Rtime of ripening seed an acre pro- ■ duced two hundred and nine pounds I more nutritive matter than did a nacre ■of Foxtail in the whole year. The ■pearly growth of Meadow Fesoue is Knot large by comparison, but before ■the end of June it leaves Fox- ■ tail far behind. Stock show a Bmakked preference for Meadow ■ Fescue over Cocksfoot, if the latter ■is allowed to grow the least old. B[The one is invariablv eaten down ■Jclose, the other is frequently per■jmittedto develope into large tufts ■and send up wiry culms which the ■[animals refuse to touch. It is im■portant to^bear in mind that under ■different conditions of soil and ■/climate no grass alters in character ■more than this. It appears to be a ■moot point amongst botanists Hwhether Festttca pratensis actually ■changes into Festuca loliacea and HEWufti elatior after two or three Byear's growth in the soils more suitHable to the production of those types ■of Fescue than to the support of Buckman is ■confident that this change actually All points considered, this properly be regarded as one of Hftflie most valuable, perhaps the most Hbaiuable grass that can be sown.