KUDZO-THE GREAT FORAGE PLANT.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 February 1917, Page 2

KUDZO-THE GREAT FORAGE PLANT.

To the Editor, Sir,—l read an article in your valuable paper of the 17th re the great fodder plant Kudzo, the botanical name of which is Pusniria Thuiiborgiana. This is not a new plant, but has been grown in Eastern eountt'es for many years, and is in Japan the principal foir.se crop, for all kinds of stock. This plant Is an economic plant in the highest sense of the word, the leaves, branhcos, krk and tubers all. serve some useful purpose. A valuable starch and a medicine is made from the roots. Lustrou-hemp-like fibre is made from the bark, known ns the grass cloth, and the vines Riid foliage are used for feeding all kinds of stock, being twice as rich, as lucerne and five times as prolific. It is also a perennial and grows so strong that nothing can smother it, not even the blackberry, but is easily got rid of by simply ploughing it under should tiic ground be required for other purposes, nnd beinsf a letrume it leaves the soil very rich in nitrogen, insuring a heavy emu of gnuiii. root, or grass crops that follow it. I grew' this plant about twelve years ago on a small scale. 1 am trying it this year on a larger scale ar.d will report results later on. I am quite sure that if dairy farmers bad a few acres of this wonderful forage plant now that it would mean many hundreds of pounds added to their milk cheques, especially in a dry season like the present.—l am etc., THOS. ROWE. Bell Block, Jan. 25, 1017.