AGRICULTURAL NOTES.

Waikato Times, Volume XV, Issue 1309, 18 November 1880, Page 3

AGRICULTURAL NOTES.

Prairie Grass. Prairie grass is, as most people know, a native of America. It takes it's name from large tracts of country hundred of miles in extent, and almost entirely destitute of trees, which are in North America called prairies. This grass, in its native land, grows to a height of seven or eight feet, and so thick and strong that horsemen can only make their way through it by following the buffalo trails. For the benefit of any who are not acquainted with the appearance and habits of prairie grass we will here give a short description of it. The seed germinates in about the same time as oats, and the first, or seed blade, is nearly as broad and strong as that of the plant. It grows very rapidly in good soil, with a rank, coarse leaf, which is slightly coated with fur on the inner side. In the third month of its growth seed stalks begin to run up. In moderately r:oh land in Otago, these stalks will grow to a height of from two to three feet, and are surmounted by a branching head similar to the Canadian oat. The seed is large and light, and is enclosed in a husk, from which it cannot be separated without destroying the germ. Prairie is an annual, inasmuch that it will come to maturity in one season, but if it is not reaped it will grow good feed for grazing for several years. If sown in September it will ripen its seeds about February or March. A good crop will thresh out about 70 or 80 bushels of seed per acre. The seed though largo aDd ccarse is very light, a bushel by measure weighing only 151b. There is at present very little demand for the seed in New Zealand, but the grass is much esteemed as a fodder plant in some parts of Australia, and is cultivated very extensively on account of its dpep rooting and tenacious character, enabling it to withstand severe droughts better than other grasses. It is well adapted for swampy land also, if the land can be ploughed. It will take entire po«sassion of the land to the exclusion of that worthless grass commonly termed Yorkshire fog, which generally abounds in rough swampy paddocks. As prairie grass monopolises all the surface tn itself, it is of no use to sow anything with it but white clover. The land should be ploughed deep, and the seed sown on the furrow and well harrowed in, The aeed i» too light and bulky to run freely through a sowing machine and is usually sown by hand. Three bushels an acre are required to ensure a good thick plant. Prairie grass, alone, makes good hay, and on rich land gives a great weight per acre, being nearly equal in bulk to a crop of oaten hay, grown on the same description of land while it is much more nutritious. If well made, the hay is very sweet and succulent ; all kinds of stock are very fond of it, often preferring it to good rye grass aud clover hay. A heavy crop of prairie hay is rather difficult to save in good order. Being very coarse and heavy, its weight makes it lie very close on the ground when cut, and if not spread out very loosely and turned often, it will not be fit to put in the stack for ten days or a fortnight. Care must be taken that it is thoroughly dry when stacked, for it is liable to heat so much that all the nutritive matter is turned into dust, leaving the straw dry and tasteless. As it grows very fast it may be mown a second season and a considerable weight may be obtained very little inferior in nutriment to the first crop. As before remarked, prairie grass, if not allowed to run seed, will stand grazing for a year or two ; but is not to be recommended for forming a permanent pasture. On account of its rapid growth it may be considered a stolen crop, for if it is sown early in the spring it may be. cut for hay in time to plough the land again for a turnip crop.