Vol. XIII. No. 310. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



85 



TROPICAL FODDER CROPS. 



RHODES GRASS AND ITS INTRODUCTION 

 INTO THE WEST INDIES. 



Rhodes grass is a useful fodder plant known botanically 

 as Chloris Gai/ana. It is a native of tropical Africa, but 

 has been introduced into Australia and various other parts 

 of the world. Towards the end of last year seeds of this 

 fodder plant were imported into Montserrat, where, owing 

 to its drought resisting powers it was thought that the plant 

 would be an acquisition in the matter of providing food for 

 live stock. Shortly afterwards, the question aro.se as to 

 whether the introduction of a new species might not give 

 rise to difficulties in regard to the control of its spread into 

 places where it was not required. An examination of all 

 the more recent literature dealing with the economic value 

 of this grass leaves little room for doubting its great useful- 

 ness, but caution must be exercised to keep it under experi- 

 mental control at first until its is seen what it behaviour is 

 going to be under a new environment. 



Before proceeding to deal with the economic character- 

 istics of the plant, it may prove interesting first of all to say 

 a few words about the distribution of the different species of 

 this interesting genus. According to Indfj- Kewensis, there 

 are some species of Chloris which are indigenous to ditierent 

 parts of the Tropics, but chiefly Africa. There are nine 

 species and several varietie.s of the genus indigenous to 

 Australia. In the West, there are several indigenous to 

 tropical America, whilst C. brevijluma is a native of Cuba, 

 and what is more interesting, C. propiii-/ud is indigenous to 

 (Guadeloupe. In the present connexion it is worth noting 

 that the well known West Indian grass Ci/nodon Dacli/lon 

 has been described on one or two occasions wrongly as 

 C. inarititna. 



According to the K' in Bulklin (1908, No. 1) most ol 

 the Australian species are excellent forage grasses, having 

 a high reputation with stock owners, who know them as 

 'Blue star grass' and 'Dog's tooth star grass', as well as by 

 other popular names. But according to the Qmtnsland 

 Agriculttiral Journal (Vol. XXVI, p. 1C)4) it is the intro- 

 duced species, Chloris Gayana, that has given most 

 satisfaction. This grass has not only survived, but 

 has grown luxuriantly through the long dry summer 

 months, and has Keen regarded in many parts as a sort of 

 nursery crop for any animals lacking in condition. In one 

 place, the seed of this grass was sown at the rate of 2 lb. to 

 the acre together with 2 lb. of Paspalnia dilatatiun — the 

 well-known fodder grass which is gradually being ousted by 

 C. Gayana. It is stated that Rhodes grass, unlike other 

 quick-growing ones, is relished at all stages of development 

 by stock, and does not deleteriously affect dairy products. 

 It has proved a wonderful grass for resirting drought, and 

 will grow and remain green when all other grasses, natural 

 and artificial, arc burnt up It requires a less rich soil 

 than PasjjahtDi dilalalnm. When harvested, it has an aroma 

 that is not easily defined — very ^ong, but not unpleasant. 

 It is said to make good chaff, especially when mixed with 

 lucerne. In one trial, the yield per acre li hay was at the 

 rate of 5 tons 7 cwt. 



The comparative feeding values of the two grasse.s are 

 discussed in the Agricultural Gazette of Neio South Wales, 

 (Vol. XXII, p. 238) where it is regarded as established that 

 Rhodes grass has a greater nutritive value than Paspalum 

 grass, being richer in protein and poorer in crude fibre. In 



this account it is mentioned incidentally that C. Gai/ana 

 has a creeping stem which roots at the joints, but in a thick 

 stand the stems are upright This power to perennate must 

 be borne in mind in any considerations bearing upon the 

 danger of this plant in the West Indies as a weed. At tke 

 same time the undoubted nutritive value and great drought- 

 resistant powers of the grass are not likely to make its 

 spread undesirable on stock farms. 



In Florida and the intermediate region of America 

 a good hay grass has long been a desideratum. It is stated 

 in the Annual Reports of the Department of Agriculture of 

 the United States, 1912, that Rhodes grass, secured from 

 Africa, promises practically to solve the hay question for 

 that portion of the south. Field tests of Rhodes gra.ss are 

 being conducted in Florida in order to determine its climatic 

 and soil requirements and the yield of hay which may be 

 expected. One field of 20 acres has been established near 

 Brookesville, from which results on a commercial scale are 

 expected. This plant has also been introduced into Arizona 

 where it promises to give much satisfaction, and it is under- 

 stood that it is also being tried in Porto Rico. The results 

 of these experiments will be awaited with interest. 



Whilst discussing forage crops, it may not be out of 

 place to conclude this article with a few remarks concerning 

 other drought-resisting grasses, which have attracted much 

 attention during the last few years. In the Monthly Bulletin 

 of Agricultural Intelligence and Plant Diseases (June 1913) 

 a note says that Telf (Eragrostis abyssinica) was introduced 

 into the Transvaal in 1903, and has since proved itself 

 a complete success, and is fast becoming a staple hay crop 

 throughout civilized Africa, its qualities being: palatability, 

 high nutritive value, heavy yield, rapid growth, drought 

 resistance, and ability to smother weeds. Another well- 

 known grass, namely, Soudan grass (Andropogon halepensis) 

 is reported in the same journal for July 1913 to have been 

 imported into the United States from Soudan in 1909. This 

 grass yields well, especially in dry seasons, and the fodder is 

 much appreciated by stock.* The last grass to which we 

 invite the reader's attention is known as Elephant grass or 

 Napier's fodder (Pennisetum purpureum). The cultivation of 

 this plant is described in the Monthly Bulletin of Agricul- 

 tural Intelligence and Plant Diseases (November 1913). It 

 has proved a very drought-resistant and heavy-yielding 

 fodder crop in Rhodesia. Owing to its succulent character 

 and coarseness of stem it does not make good hay, but as 

 green fodder for stall-fed animals, it can hardly be excelled 

 by any other crop in Rhodesia. In damp situations, where 

 water is liable to stand, it wilts, and is then best replaced by 

 Paspalum, or by Rhodes grass. In dry situations or in cold 

 localities, it is much to be preferred to sugar-cane, and will 

 give better results both in weight of fodder and in food value. 



A copy of the rainfall returns for Dominica for 1913 has 

 just been received from the Curator of the Botanic Gardens. 

 The mean rainfall for thirty- three stations was 11809 inches; 

 for twelve Leeward coast stations 75'49 inches; for three 

 Windward coast stations, 131'94 inches; for twelve inland 

 stations, 161'03; for six La Soye coast stations, 110'47. 



* A word of caution, however, is here necessary. Andro- 

 poyon halej>eiisis is synonymous with Sorghum halepense 

 (Jiihiison grass) — a plant which wlien introduced into many 

 places has eventually become for a time uncontrollable as 

 H weed, and has only been eradicated after much diffi- 

 culty and expense. Di-ought-resisting grasses are not always 

 unmixed blessings. 



