AFRICAN WONDER GRASS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2817, 4 March 1908, Page 23

AFRICAN WONDER GRASS.

*We have received from Mr B. Harrison, Burrington. Tweed River (says the Queensland Agricultural Journal), the following account of a new fodder grass, which was originally introduced into West Australia, and has now found ite way into New South iWales. Mr Harrison says of the grass : — This is the heaviest yielding grass in Australia, and it has also proved one of jthe best drought-refiistinar species. To those who own poor soil, or live in the dry dktricte, it should prove a great boon. It is readily propagated from roots or portions of the procumbent stem, which roots freely et the joints. When well established, it forms a mass of the richest green foliage, about sft or 6ft higli, gradually lower .ng to the outer border, where a network of shoots and runners cover the ground; it roots at the joints, and sends arj then a mass of the softest and most lusciou6 fodder. It is one of the best pasture grasses ive have 5n Australia, and it should also make pood ensiiage, but is rather too coarse for hayIt is spoken of in the highest terms of praise by all those who have grown it, on account of its rapid and luxuriant growth. A writer in the W.A. Journal of Agriculture says — "As a result o£ numerous experiments, the African wonder grass has proved the best of all the grasses yet intro'duccd to the State; it has in. almost every place where it has been tried, both m dry and moist situations, and the introduction of this grass 'for the stockbreeders of this State is worth several times over all. the money that has been spent (for grass seeds and experimenting with jgra9eeß during the last lew years." At the Bathurst (New Soutfc. Wales) Experimental Farm " this grass has -proved a .vigorous grower, is unaffected by frosts, and sheep like it woll." TWa grass has been grow i several of the JV.A. experimental

farms, and "Eas given most promising results ; in fact, it seems to stand the dry weather better than any grass we have yet had growing. From reports received, it appears to be doing well in sandy and clayey land, as also in dry places." This grass growe most luxuriantly, and, as well as the upright growth, it -sende out long, lateral stems, -which form fresh roots at the joints or nodules, and cause the grass to spread quickly.