GRASSES: THEIR SUITABILITY FOR WAIKATO SOILS.

Waikato Argus, Volume IX, Issue 719, 3 August 1900, Page 4

GRASSES: THEIR SUITABILITY FOR WAIKATO SOILS.

TilK following piper was read at the meeting of the Tamahere branch of the ' Waikato Fanners' Club : All farmers should be able to discriminate species of grasses, which though similar in appearance, possess widely different properties and values. Such a knowledge is nocessary to enable them to intelligeutly manage grass lands or to wisely carry out any system of farming of which grazing forms a pirt. One now sees in Waikato pastures a greater variety of grasses than were visible a few years ago, and as time goes on the number is bound to increase, whether sown iutentiomilly or not, as very little of the seed which we buy can be considered even approximately pure. A point worthy of Brent attention, but which has been greatly neglected by farmers, is that a paddock sown with a number of species of grasses will grow both better and bulkier feed than one sown with one or two kinds on'y. Experiments have proved conclusively that when one or two kinds of grasses or clover only are sown, not more than 450 plants to the square foot can thrive, when, however, eight to twenty different species are sewn together a thousand plants will be maintained on the same space and the quantity of herbage increased in proportion. Animals thrive far better when provided with a variety of food, and a point worthy of note, is that neither man nor beast can remain healthy for any length of time on one article of diet. Different species of grasses of the same botanical tribe, and of the same adaptations and value for feeding purposes, have very different seasons of leafing, flowering and maximum nutriment ; and it ought to be .the aim of farmers sowing grass seeds to select such an assortment that, in our mild fVaikato climate, some of them ought to be at the perfection of their growth in almo3t any month of the year. An ever-wise Creator has ordained that in both the animal and vegetable kingdoms the desire to propagate the species is paramount, and anyone who has taken the trouble to observe will have noticed that the whole energy and strength of grasses seems to be expended in sending up seed culms or stems in their proper season. The seed is the very essence of the plant, and until the seedling acquires root and strength sufficient to draw its nourishment from the soil and air, it is sustained by the seed in the same manner as the young of animals are supported by their mothers' milk. This being the case, it is reasonable to suppose (and indeed it has been conclusively proved by analysis) that grasses are richest in nutriment at the flowering and seeding period. Previous to the time when the plant sends up its culm it is absorbing from the soil and atmosphere the constituents required for its seeds, and it stores this matter in its -leaves until wanted to complete the maturity of its seeds. A matter in this connetion worth attention, is the fact that although grasses have been proved to contain the greatest amount of nutriment at their flowering and seeding time, yet it appears as though some chemical change at this period made them distasteful to stock, as it is noticeable that animals will not touch flowering plants it they arc able to get a sufficiency of grasses at an earlier t>tage. After the seeds reach maturity the plant shows every sign of exhaustion, and if an annual, it shrivels up and dies. If it is a perennial the plant grows very little for some time after seeding aud if it is expected to retain its vigour a top dressing of some fertilizer is necessary. The seeds of the annual grasses ate larger and heavier than those of the perennial, and one would conclude from this, that, after seeding, the leaves and seed culms of the latter must retain a greater proportion of nutriment than the former, and consequently must be more valuable as stock food. Many of the -best known English grasses, which, in a more severe climate could be relied on to ripen their seeds'at a certain date, in our prolific Waikato seasons are found to be sending up seed culms from early spring to autumn. A number of the better kinds of late grasses do not shake their seeds readily on account of our moist climate, but as all the early ones do, it follows that without preventive measures pastures must become overrun by the stronger, aud, as a rule, less valuable early species. A good plan to prevent this is to use a mowing machine on paddocks, whether stocked or not, early in the season when Yorkshire fog and sweet vernal and such grasses are flowering. By this means these eirly grasses are kept in check, and their herbage retains its maximum amount of nutriment without becoming distasteful to stock as it would do if allowed to seed. The mown grass if allowed to lie is of much more value as a fertilizer than many think, and there can be no question about the increased annual value of the pasture being many times greater than the cost of moving. Of course some fanners stock so heavily that even "fog" and "vernal" never yet a chance to sied, but such a practice is of every doubtful gain as it is certain that grasses grazed down incessantly neither grow the bulk nor the value of feed. This can be proVed by sub-divid-ing a paddock into two portiens and keeping one half heavily stocked all the time while the other is stocked with double the number of animals half-time only. If both portions are shut up together it will be found that the half which has been stocked all the white lakes some time Before it starts to grow, and then in a half-hearted manner only, while the other shoots away at once. It almost seems as though the continually fed down grass despairs of ever being able so fulfil the object of its existence, viz., the propagation of its species, and becomes tired of making vain efforts to do so. It is true that the leaves of young grass are more tender and cast', r chewed than those of greater maturity, but it is only reasonable to suppose that the latter contain the most nutriment in propoition to their bulk, and such has been proved to be the case by analysis. Au important rule in the management of grass lands, particularly when of a retentive nature, is never to allow them to be stocked when, either from saturation with rain or from other causes, they cannot firmly resist the pressure of the feet of animals. The lighter portion of Waikato soils arc always firm enough to be stocked, but the clay lands and heavy loams suffer very scveiely from being stocked during wet seasons. On such lands every hoof leaves a depression which holds water like a cup and destroys the herbage, not only in the hole, Imt that also which surrounds it. With reasonable care, our heavier Waikato laud 6 are quite capable of holding permanent pasture, consisting of all the best and most nutritious English grasses, in addition to some of the best colonial sorts which are well worthy of attention. Permanent pasture is a subject which demands special atleution from Waikato farmers—particularly as dairying is followed so extensively—and the sootier the idea that grass is good enough to fatter, during the first one or two years is dissipated the better. It has been proved time after time that good old pasture will carry not only more stock, but will fatUn quicker than new. And when it is considered that many of the best grasses take several years to develop, this can easdy be understood. Stock on good old pastures are fed on a variety of twenty or more kinds of grasses of which always a fair proportion should be at perfection all the year round, while on new pasture they have the choice of two or three kinds only. It would be foolish to attempt to turn our lighter landt into permanent pasture, as they are naturally uu-

fit for the purpose, hut, for a rotation in which B\wle turnips ami clover should play an important part, our average Waikato lands would he htxl In htat. To row down i: r-ss properly, requ o.s not only a huge •' "oiint of euro M.d labour, but ii is » very expensive nntt-i for feeds, pit l , it faimen hud t< (1 vide this amount, amongst ihu few years 'lie grass last-, in uy of them would he astonished at the amount tiny should necessarily add to their annual rent. If our stronger lands were judiciously so«n down With tin assortment of the b>st permanent graces and top-dressed with a jjood fcrtil ; z?r the second year, and, say, eveiy three years thereafter, it, would be Inntid that the laud would grow more abundant, better, and cheaper grass than by ploughing up every few years. Our best heavy lands are always a month earlier than the light foils, which is very often a most important matter, both from a fattening and dairying standpoint ; Imt this is the very class ot mil which snfT.-rsfr.im early stocking with heavy cattle, particularly the first season. {To be Continued )