CULTIVATION OF GRASSES.

Southland Times, Issue 544, 20 August 1866, Page 3

CULTIVATION OF GRASSES.

(From the " Australasian,")

"Wfl have almost gone over tho Hat of our inusfc uaeful grassen. There aro muny more vvo could name, and whioh are always placed iv the mixtures in England, I ut they are 80 little known here, and so seldom obtainable that ib is not, for the present, at all aveats, worth while to mention their characteristics. We will not conclude, however, without just naming one or two others, fashionable passes we may term them, such as the " sweet-scented vernal " for one. This grass is one of England's earliest sorts ; it is far from being an equally productive grass, and as far as regards bulk cannot be very highly classed ; but it accommodates itself to almost any soil, and good in a mixture, especially for hay. In a green stage it is not so good a grass as many would imagine from the name even, for it is not a favorite with either sheep or cattle. It is very early, and, unlike most grasses, retains that pleasant scent for over twelve months when made into hay. The fact is, we have to go to the horse, cow, or sheep, before we can place a reliable value upon any grass ; their opinion is never disputed. How often have we seen a grass showing superior strength of stem, rough appearance in leaf and herbage, condemned |as unpalatable and unfic for our pastures ; but as soon as the opinion of a horse or cow is taken upon the subject the matter is settled, and we may sow it. Even the Loliwn Italicwm, was among those disapproved of upon its first intodrucbion ; and the sweet vernal is a grass which, from appearance and scent, would warrant anyone being a strong advocate for its introduction wherever it would grow. Its strong aroma during its growth is supposed to be the very and only objection to it on the part of the cattle. The smooth-stalked meadow fescue (Poa pratensis) is one of our most useful grasses, and -gives a very early bite, as well as a good swarth and aftermath ; it is a great favorite with all grasseating animals. Its creeping root is objectionable in England, but the objection does not extend here. This grass in a mixture with, say, Italian ryegrass, meadow foxtail, and the sweet vernal, would give as eariy a crop for either grass or hay as any mixture we could recommend. The JPoa pratensis lasts much longer than most grasses, which may be imagined from the character of the root ; but it must not be depended upon as a perennial if even any ordinary drought occurs. It loves a moist bottom, and would be a most suitable and profitable grass for the districts of Sale or Warrnambool. We could wish for a series of experiments to be carried out at the Model Ea-rin, or elsewhere, and the results published for the benefit of the grazing community. A number of grasses, might be sown on the same day, under, similar treatment, and on the same soil. Let the plots be of equal size, and as many species of grasses sown as we have. When the plants have arrived at maturity, let an equal portion of each plot be cut, and the produce weighed, in the preface of those appointed; then let them be dried if possible, and weighed again, that the respective values as hay as wellas fodder may be ascertained. Of this we are certain, that by-and-by this must be done, and if not done by any local society, we feel sure that the experiments will be conducted by private enterprise. To the Australian farmer there is no subject of more importance to study than that of increasing our weight of growth of grass per acre. At the present time half our ground is idle ; our pastures look well sometimes at a distance, but let a judge of what a good pasture ought to be just walk over our so-called grass lands—sorrel, Cape weed, anything but grass is occupying the ground, and when the grass is the sole occupant the plants are far aud wide apart, and this will continue to be so until common sense be brought to bear upon the subject, and the squatter has the heart or inclination to place a email portion of his capital in as legitimate and profitable a channel as we know of. Almost every one admits that artificial grasses must be extensively cultivated, but at present there is a diversity of opinion as to the best way of doing it on an extensive scale ; ploughing is expensive, and in many suitable spots the cultivator or scarifier could not be used ; again, where the plough could be advantageously introduced the upper thin crust of vegetable mould (with which we are not on many runs super-abundantly supplied) would be. turned in and buried ; such mistakes in judgment frequently condemn a good system ; of course we are speaking now of land blessed with only a thin crust of mould or decayed vegetable matter; ta plough such^in wouldjbe opposed to the judgment of a practical farmer, who would, upon determining^ " lay down " such land, use the scarifier instead of the plough, or he would obtain, if possible, and if his means allowed it, ; the use of a subsoil plough. The whole surface could then be loosened to a greater ■ depth than by a common plough, and not turned over ; but this is an expensive process, and will seldom be adopted excepting by owners of land or tenants with long leases. The scarifier may, upon the whole, especially for the purpose of the squatter, be the most advantageous implementforextendingthegrowth of our grasses and fodder plants. Its use dispenses with the usual necessity of harrowing, as after the' scarifier the roller may follow in a most effective manner. We do not wish to be misunderstood upon this point, ploughing and good tilth throughout is the best treatment for lands to be laid down; but we know that the squatter, who counts his thousands of acres where the farmer counts but one, cannot spare the time necessary to carefully convert his bush-pasture into permanent English pasture lands. In such an owner's case it is pardonable to use the scarifier. Mixtures of grasses, except in very few instances, and upon some of the poorest and most refractory lands, are very superior to solitary species, Mixtures of many

kinds, toy »i^ of ten, ard g<mei*alh> auperiQ? to mUturea of 'ttftly two, We cannot at present have all the various kinds of grasses cultivated in England-*' half of them are not to ba had in this market even had they been in demand, ■and some we can get are very doubtful iv name and soundness. We are yet in our infancy in grass-growing; and when we do ripen our seeds for market from our mixed pastures we shall not have the cheap method of gathering each kind separately, as is done in # England,- by thousands of women and children, in early summer and autumn. This is a vocation followed only or chiefly by the laborers 1 families, who usually dispose of it to a middle man ; the latter dries and prepares each sort for the larger seed merchant. The difference in soundness depends entirely upon the care taken during the drying process — a very little carelessness at this stage usually ensures a few hogsheads of damaged useless seed to the Australasian colonies.