Oct. 2, 1908.] Agricultural Gazette of N.S.TF, 849 



The grass was always a rich green colour, soft and nutritious. It sends its numerous 

 fibrous roots well down into the ground, and these spread below the surface ; the seed 

 stems shoot out round the plant all tlie way around. From wliat I have seen of it this 

 appears to be going on all the year round. Prior to the plants seeding the stems shot up 

 higher than the leaves, and longisii heads formed about % inch in diameter at the bulb, 

 tapering sligiitly at the top, and about 2 inches in length. At the top the seed stems shot 

 up, and as they ripened they dried off, but otlier young stems kept coming on. 



At Littlebourne, aboiit 4 miles out of Bathurst, on a hill, Mr. E. T. Webb sowed 

 his packet in two lots, one in a hothouse, the other in July out in the open. This did 

 much better than the other. The land is hard, light, clayey stuff, mixed with decom- 

 posed granite, and cakes very hard in dry weather. It was just the place for a test in 

 comparison with the test at Hathrop. The grass grew well, although only watered twice 

 during a dry time, and all ran up to seed nnich earlier than the Hathrop plot. The 

 stems died off in the hot summer after seeding, and very little grass showed. The rains 

 and cool weather brought the green shoots up again, and tliey are green no'V. One plant 

 that he had sowed in the garden, and had well watei'ed, kept green all through. 



Phalari>( commutata is an Italian gi-ass, and the original of that mentioned herein was 

 imported from America for the Toowoomba Experimental Farm in 1884, with a lot of 

 other grasses, and on account of the great drouglit none did any good ; hence all were 

 dug out, and thrown away on a rubbish heap. Some years afterwards a beautiful grass 

 was observed doing well where the roots, &c., were thrown. This was Phalaris com- 

 mutata. We have not yet tested this grass practically as a fodder. 



Interim Report from the Experiment Farms. 



HaivTceshurij Agricultural College. 



No accurate experiments made to ascertain feeding qualities or value for 

 hay. Leaves and stems are soft and succulent. It grows to a height of 

 2 feet 6 inches, can easily be plucked, and cures into what is apparently a 

 good hay. Is a splendid grass for winter or spring feed. Resists frost 

 exceedingly well, and is not equalled in this respect by any of our other 

 grasses. The roots were transplanted early in June, and fresh leaves 3 to 4 

 inches in length formed during an almost unbroken succession of heavy frosts. 

 Grows well up to about December, when it seeds. Appears to resist drought 

 well and is not easily killed by heat. Has not been grown under ordinary 

 pasture conditions. 



Waqga Experiment Far in. 



Without irrigation do not think it likely to make a good hay grass, but as 

 a pasture grass it proves very promising. Rainfall for last three months was 

 little over .5 inches, and the grass has stooled very well during that time. 



Bathurst Experiment Farm. 

 The grass made a desirable growth throughout the summer ; it grew con- 

 tinuously during the winter and withstood severe frosts ; no signs of frosting 

 were apparent. It grows a compact crown which withstands considerable 

 tramping ; from this crown, seed stems are sent up, which are harsh and 

 comparatively sparse. For this reason, under the local conditions, it could 

 not be a desirable grass for hay-making. Sheep eat the grass readily. Owing 

 to unfavouraljle conditions none of the plants produced seeds. 



Wollongbar Experiment Farm. 



Is an excellent winter and good summer grower. As a winter grass it 



should prove of considerable value in Richmond River district, is unaffected 



by frosts, grows freely, remains green riglit through the winter, and carries a 



soft, flat, succulent leaf, readily eaten by stock. Sliould make palatable hay. 



