SELECTION OF GRASSES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume VII, Issue 260, 18 April 1889, Page 2

SELECTION OF GRASSES.

Sutton's Permanent Pasture!. (Continued.) Festuca duriuscular (Hard Fescue) The herbage is tender, succulent,and much liked by all kinds of cattle. Hard Rescue is widely distributed, and forms one of the principal constituents of the sheep pastures of this country. On all suitable soils it is of importance in forming a close bottom to the turf among the stronger growing vaueties, and in this respect is of especial service for upland pastures. Sinclair found Hard Fescue to thrive best in cornpa' y with Festuca pratensis and Poa trivialis, and my own experience confirms his view. On moist aud rich soi s it affords an immense amount of herbage, and the plant will stand drought we 1 when the hind is in good condition. In hay the presence of this grass is generally indicative of superior quality, and mountain grazers insibt that Hard Fescue contains more proof than many varieties that receive a higher character from the chemist. Festuca rubra (Red Fescue), de rives its name rom the reddish brown cjf Jshd lower lea* es. The dif I.1 '. ficulty pi o taining pure seed of this grass his fostered the frequently expri ssed opinion that it i» only a form of t«'. duriuscula. But besides a more rolust habi it is fuither distinguished by its oreeping roots, which enable the plant to remain green and succulent when other grasses are burnt up. For this creepiug tendency it has sometimes b-en wholly condemned, andy although I cannot go that length,. I am quite of opinion that Hard. Fescue is infinitely superior, except for j oor dry harsh soils, and on upland pa-turis where the employment of Red Fescue may fair.y be considered essentia , especially for its great power of withstanding dr ught. This quality fits it for its use on railway slopes, for all burning soils and hot climates; yet it will endure both cold and shade. On deep snils it is comparatively oi so little value that Mea low Fescue may advantageously be allowed to replace it. Bed Fescue shoots rather later in spring thau Sheep's Fescue, and produces an abundance of small herbage which fills up the bottom of a pasture, and also renders it s rviceable in ornamental grounds. All cattle ike it, and it is so great a favourite with hares that it should beg>ovvn in quantity wher^ this game is preserved in large numbers. For hay it is of small utility, and the latterma h is considerable. Bed Fescue must be regarded as exclusively a pasture grass.