,OcL 2, 1908.'] Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. 851 



Paspalum dilatatum and Clover. 



c. r. JULIUS. 



Central Bucca. 



The necessity of providing some auxiliary grass in our predominant paspalum 



pastures is yearly becoming more evident. The excellence of paspalum as a 



good strong reliable grass under every circumstance has been already proved, 



and it deservingly holds with us first place. Yet it is much a disappointment 



to the stock owner that, even witli abundant paspalum, something seems 



lacking to make a complete grass feed for liis stock ; while, in the spring, 



paspalum does not respond as prom})tly as could be desired, and therefore w^e 



are at this season continuall}' at a disadvantage, and unnece.-sarilv so. To 



make a perfect ration paspalum requires the addition of some leguminous crop, 



such as lucerne, cowpeas, or clovers ; and passing over the first two named as 



presenting some ditficulties in cultivation, we come to clover, and in cloAer we 



see the promise of certain relief. 



Whilst almost every other grass is compelled to give way and perish before 



the development of paspalumj it is remarkably noticeable that clover is 



almost, if not altogether, the only exception to the rule. This delicate-looking 



plant, the joyful herald of spring, seems to find in the midst of the paspalum 



stronghold a protection for its own bloom. .Surelv "out of the strong comes 



forth sweetness," in other words, if paspalum is "king" of the graminea?, may 



not clover be termed the " queen " of the leguminossx?. In any case paspalum 



seems to cherish the society of clover as its necessary consort, and the sight 



of a strong combined growth of paspalum and clover has often aroused much 



wonderment in the beholder. Probably paspalum cultivates a clover growth 



for the sake of its nitrogenous element. However tliat maj' be, the paspalum 



grower should adopt nature's suggestion, bui-n his old paspalum paddocks 



and sow clover — White clover preferably — also in every new sowing nevei' 



omit a jDruportion of clover seed. 



Note. — The Editor would strongly emphasise this sensible advice : Neither paspalum 

 nor any other grass or fodder-plant is a complete food for production of meat or milk. 

 It is a badly balanced ration, and must be supplemented Ijy some leguminous plant. At 

 the present time the paddocks along the Tweed and Brunswick Rivers, and less sti'ikinglj- 

 in the Richmond River district, are wdiite with clover blossom, and all cows on sucli 

 mixed pastures are doing well — if tliej^ are watched and not allowed to take too much 

 clover and get "hoven." All dairy farmers, who find that paspalum iias taken complete 

 possession of their paddocks, sliould sow 3 lb. of White Dutch Clover and 1 lb. of 

 Perennial Red Clover per acre. If clover does not thrive, it will pay well to top-dress 

 with 5 cwt. of lime per acre. Lime made from the burning of shells will probably be 

 cheaper, and cj^uite as effective as stone lime, in the coastal districts. Dairj' farmers 

 cannot he too strongh' urged to sow a legume with every fodder crop, vetches with barley, 

 lucerne or red clover with oats and wheat for hay, cowpeas witli maize and teosinte. 

 To supplement the fodder, increase the feeding value, bring mineral matter from tlie 

 sub-soil with their deep roots, gather nitrogen from the air l)y means of the bacteria in 

 tlie root-nodules, farnish a second bite of green food after the main crop is cut, and 

 improve the soil both mechanically and chemically, giving a riclicr and more friable sod 

 for the succeeding crop — whether roots or grain. iStudy the composition of the best 

 pastures— natural and artificial, and you always find trefoils, medic, vetches or clover 

 present. Learn the lesson, and put it into practice. — Ed. 



