Letters to the Editor. IMPORTANT TO GRAZIERS.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 573, 22 January 1876, Page 3

Letters to the Editor. IMPORTANT TO GRAZIERS.

Sib, — Iwinh to announoe through your columns that I huto growing in perfection at this tirar, m i my garden, and on paiture land at Hamilton, the undermentioned herbs, both of which are in the opinion of graziers of Home and Colonial jxpenenoe suitsble for »heep grazing, and 1 believe, well adapted to tho climate and toil of Waikito. Both of these herbs seed freely. In relation to them, I extract the following from a *' General Dictionary of Agriculture" : Edited by tho Rev John M Wilion, Edinburgh, 1851. The fii-it, " Narrow" or "Milfoil" is thus written of; botanieully, " Acbilled." " ihe common narrow abounds on banks, on the sidci of foot paths, on the border* of ifielcJi, and in many pasture* and inoado \ * in most parts of Britain. It 19 an evergrn,u herb. It's roots are •powerfully creeping, and send out smooth, reddish, subterranean shooti ; it's stems are erect, furrowed and from ten to twenty-five inches high ; it's leares are slightly hairy, it's flowors are numerous, and are generally white, but occasionally pink, red, or purple, and bloom from June to October. The whole of this plant (possesses some Mtringent and slightly aromatic properties. The narrow creeps so powerfully by its roots and multiplies ao rapidly by lU swdi, M soon to bvorae a troublesome weed in situation* which it loves, And whore it is not kept down. In spite, however, both of ;U aitringcnejr *ad ill

woedinoss, in i* found to be ft, groigfufc end Talutble ingredient in. ab'eop pastures, end is therefore generally sown by we'l informed moder i agriculturalists in lujvfcure, with such grasse* and olhi'r |>a»luro plants, aa are best adapted foi p>r maiient »hc,op pasture on ml hinds of a ills which nre li,'ht aad dry &i\" My experiments with the above on li^lit laud, high Kind, and low Lvnd, in swamps, wholly aixl pirtnlly (iuuiitd, litve been enlirely successful. I notice nlao that the exti Pine cli v went her, sui h at, as jet, wo hivo seen in Waikato docs not perceptib'y check its growth. What I now h'ivo growing is tho pi-o-dnce of soruo half dozen plant* thufc I proem ed fioin Mr Miieon of Auckland lotne threw yearh ago. Again in reference to the second, nam.-lj, " Burnet," the same authority states " Burnet, botanical ly, Poterium, a genus of evergreen herbaceous plants of the rosaceous tribe, the common specie* constitute a large portion ef the natural herbage of tho South Dowm, and grown wild in other chalky ln.ls of England. It is of considerable importance as a forago plant. Its atom is angular, smooth and leafy, and usually attaint a height of about two feet, its loaves are smooth, pinnato, and {jlaucaus-green ; and ito flowers aro greon, and appear m July, some of them barren and having elegant crimson «tamens somewhat like siPk taisels. It naturally delights iH calcareous soils, yet thrives in either sandy ground or fino graTel ; when propagated from •cod it had better be »own in Autumn. It was brought into notico as an agricultural plant about the middle of last century. Tho truly valuable properties of ' Bumat ' as an agricultural plant aro its adaptation to ver-y poor soils ; its sturdy resistance of the aeveroat frosts of winter, and its yielding early spring herbage to stock. It ie mufh grown by atock farmers particularly by upland shcop farmers, as an important elen.( nt of .food in the scaroe and pinching season of early spring, it enjoy* a just reputation as the very best adapted of all known forage plants for maintaining a winter verdure and resisting the leterest frosti iv bleak and exposed sitin« tioni, and when grown mixcdly with the grasses of hill pastures it is alwryv eaten oloso to the eround by aheap aad cattle, and is b hevecl to gxeri upon them the influences of a tonic and an aromatic." Hy experiments with the above also are satisfactory 30 fur as its growth is concerned Ib apparently grows strongest in reclaimed swamp limd, but that growing in dry land is also vigorous looking. I have not yet had shoep with in reach of it. The seed of this plant I prooared iv Canterbury lome f! r teen months ago, it i* very generally cultivated there, and I au» tjld with-iuccesi. These herbs aro now growing side by side on tho lako and may bo seen by unyone taking an intjrest in tho matter. And to anyone desiring to tast its usefulness for hinzjolf, I shall be pleated to give tome seed, of either or both. Your insertion of the above, I think may be useful to the graziers of the diitriot, and will oblige Yours &c, Alfbid Cox. Hamilton, January 15th, 1876.