Feb. 2, 1920.] 



Agricultural Gazette of N .S.W . 



109 



" Apart from the ease with which a good stand of this grass can be secured 

 and its free seeding habits, there is little to recommend it at present for 

 the New England district, where Lolium peremie and Lolium italicum make 

 excellent early spring growth, and produce a greater abundance of fodder. 



" A palatability test with the grass was carried out, other grasses included 

 in the test being perennial rye-grass, tall oat-grass and Phalaris bulhosa. All 

 grasses were at the one stage of maturity. 

 The test was carried out on the 18th December, 

 1919, with two bulls and six calves. All the 

 animals showed a decided preference for the 

 tall oat-grass. Phalaris hulhosa was also readily 

 eaten by the two bulls, who preferred perennial 

 rye-grass to Wimmera rye-grass. The calves, 

 after the tall oat-grass was removed, divided 

 their attention between Phalaris hulhosa and 

 perennial rye-grass. The Wimmera rye-grass 

 was practically left untouched by all animals 

 till the other grasses were finished, some, in fact. 



li 



IS- 



IS 



remaining over until the following morning." 



13 



Mr. W. M. Dill Macky, Experimentalist, 

 Hawkesbury Agricultural College, reports : — 



"About the beginning of June this year a small I- fflfiPi _'?. 



quantity of seed of Wimmera rye-grass was 

 received by the Principal for trial._ ^^ This seed 

 was supplied by Mr. Barnes, from Minyip, 

 Victoria, as a grass that has recently come 

 into great prominence there, on account of its 

 promising value as a pasture in the wheat belts 

 of that State. Apparently it has been tried 

 by a great number of farmers in and around 

 the Wimmera and Mallee districts, and in other 

 parts of Victoria with more or less varying 

 degrees of approval, although perhaps the 

 majority, from all accounts, favour it. One 



farmer describes it as the ' best grass ever introduced into the Wimmera, 

 whilst others again contend that to the hona-Jide wheat-grower it is 'a 

 curse.' Nearly all agree as to its high feeding value. However, from our 

 point of view in this State, very little is known about it, or at least very 

 little notice has been taken of it. 



" The sowing was made on 24th June in a soil of a white sandy loam 

 nature. Five light drills, each 3 chains long, were run out 3 feet apart, and 

 the seed sown by hand along them. A light application of superphosphate 

 was made with the seed, which was then covered lightly with a rake. The 

 soil at this time was very dry indeed, consequently germination was slow, 

 and the season was so far advanced that the grass had a poor chance of 

 displaying any good qualities to advantage. Although the germination was 



Wimmera Rye-grass from 

 Minyip, Victoria. 



