512 Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. [July 2, 1920. 



und also eiulure more constant grazing than the Rliodes. Data, however, 

 are absent as to the comparative milk-producing qualities of the two grasses, 

 and it would not be surprising to find, if all the facts were ascertained, that 

 Rhodes is a superior all-round grass to paspalum. 



Rhodes Grass versus Paspalum. — There is no doubt that paspalum has run 

 riot throughout the greater portion of the coast of New South Wales, mainly 

 because of its remarkably vigorous growth under moist summer conditions, and 

 its habit of quickly spreading throughout river flats and other low-lying 

 areas. That it will cari-y more stock in ordinary seasons than Rhodes grass 

 cannot be denied, but at the same time it can be confidently stated that it 

 will not maintain stock in as good condition as the Rhodes. Paspalum will 

 grow well in America, yet its cultivation is not recommended by the Amer- 

 ican Department of Agriculture, while Rhodes grass is strongly recommended 

 for certain localities. Farmers' bulletins have been issued there on Rhodes 

 grass, but no bulletin has been published on paspalum. There are many 

 farmers in New South Wales who regret the day paspalum was introduced 

 to their farms, owing to the manner in which it crowds out everything else 

 its i-apid entry into their summer crops, and the manner in which it mats 

 the soil after a few years, and diminishes rapidly in carrying cajmcity and 

 nutritive quality. 



Rhodes grass, however, can be grown on any farmer's property, and, if 

 not grazed too strongly, will hold its own with the paspalum. A plot of 

 Rhodes grass at Wollongbar Experiment Farm, with paspalum alongside^ 

 has now been growing for some years and hardly a single paspalum plant 

 can be found in the plot. It is a good practice to have the Rhodes grass on 

 the higher ground rather than the lower, because paspalum is most aggressive 

 on the flats. A paddock of Rhodes grass on the property of Mr. J. Giblin, 

 Nambucca River, was laid down in 1913, and in spite of constant grazing 

 and cutting is still in splendid condition, and similar results could be 

 obtained on pi'actically any part of the coast. 



Chloris virgafa is not recommended for cultivation owing to its annual 

 habit and (compared to Rhodes grass) its less palatable character. It has 

 become very aggressive wherever established, the light seeds, which are 

 easily bloAvn about by the wind, helping toward this end. It will encroach 

 rapidly on lucerne land, and materially affects the stand. So far it is con- 

 fined to coastal districts only, and is very common on parts of the northern 

 rivers. It appears also to have become fairly well established ai-ound 

 Penrith and Richmond. 



(To be continued.) 



" I CANNOT express to your Department what a help the Gazette is to us 

 returned soldiers, who for the last four or five years have got quite out of 

 touch with the strides that have been made in farming." — A Wyong corre- 

 spondent. 



