ON THE GRASSES BEST SUITED FOR PASTURAGE IN THE COLONY.

Southland Times, Issue 1144, 19 April 1869, Page 3

ON THE GRASSES BEST SUITED FOR PASTURAGE IN THE COLONY.

A VSIZZ ESBAY, BY KB «. S. TEO. pebenniali btb &UA3B fSoluwn PereneJ. This is a very good grass for fattening purposes. All kinds of stock eat it when y oung in preference to most other grasses ; but when it begins to. Jteed^sheep neglect it for most'of the others.. Care should be taken in selecting this seed, that the Italian is not taken for the perennial rye. Many make a mistake, and think the two identical. The former, although a very good grass, and capable of producing well here for a time, will not stand more than two years, and consequently, is not suited to this country, where we require ; a permanent pasture. In laying down this grass for pasture it might be sown with white, clover with advantage — the same soil answering well for both kinds, and they appear to thrive well together. It produces well in the spring, from July to October, but unfortunately it will not stand the neat of our summer months. The soil, time, and manner of sowing are the same as laid down for white clover. If sown with white clover, 12 .lbs, rye to 7of clover ; if by itself, 20 to 25 lbs. per acre. i GOGtMVOOTfEactylus GHomertttaJ. This is an excellent oermanent pasture grass, all Km&s 'of stock are ifond of it, sheep eat it yery readily and fatten well on it. It grows well on high ridgy land, in orchards, or in shady places, and stands our summer heat well, which makes it a valuable grass foje this climate. . Itiaveigt productive duringthe summer, say from September <tti ifobruarr ; if onco ifc gets «. goo h. root, it wiUatan^b'dth d*bH^ht"-aiid floods. This grass will do well on high

light land, which Would holb bie' suitable for most of the grasses already mentioned ; consequently, it should be generally sown by itself, but if mixed with any kind of grass, prairie would be preferrable ; for although these grasses are not suited to the same kind of Boil, still, the one being a winter and the other a Bummer grass, the mixture would give a good lasting paatiire all the year round. If sown by itself, from 25 to 30 lbs, with a corresponding quantity of the other sort. Bxjtbjllo Gbass. (Stenotaphrum GlobeumJ. No grazier should be without some of this grass on his land as a standby during our dry summer months. Perhaps its fattening qualities are not so great as most of the grasses previously rnentionedj but all kinds of stock eat it readily, arid thrive well on it. To dairymen it is particularly valilatflef, growing well in a drought, when dairy produce i» generally very high, and cows milk well on "it. It is very productive from | September to March, and unlike the couch, it does not die away in the winter, but produces a good quantity of fodder. This grass thrives well on sandy loam. It is easily propagated from the root; every little root growing ; and after taking root, it spreads very rapidly where the soil is suitable. The land should be ploughed and worked^ to allow the roots to run freeiy through the Boil. Plant | the roots any time from March to August, if the land is not too dry, in rows 3 feet bv2.