800 Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. [Nov. 2, 1920. 



soft. It produces a good yield of fodder, which may be cut two or three 

 times in a season. It is more suited for grazing with cattle than with sheep. 

 The seed germinates fairly readily and may be procured from various seeds- 

 men. A great defect is that in wet seasons it is liable to ergot ; but clean 

 strains of seed are procurable. 



Schedononis Hookerianus (Hooker's Fescue). — This is very similar to Giant 

 Fescue, but of native origin, and the seed is not procurable in any quantity. 

 The grass produces a greater abundance of leaves than Giant Fescue, but it 

 is also liable to ergot. 



DantJionia semiannularis (Wallaby Grass). — This is probably the best of 

 the native grasses suited to this district. It is a small tufted perennial, 

 making excellent early spring growth, growing quickly after cutting, and 

 being at its best about mid-summer. It withstands frost well, and in all , 

 stages of growth is relished by stock. 



It forms a large proportion of the pastures of this farm and district, but 

 can only be distinguished by laymen where it has had protection from stock. 

 Under these conditions it flowers freely, producing a sufficiency of seed to 

 largely counteract its poor germinating powers. 



Dactylis glomerata (Cocksfoot). — This is an introduced perennial of 

 tussocky habit. It withstands dry weather fairly well, and frosts to a large 

 extent, remaining green throughout the winter. It makes a fairly good 

 start in early spring, attaining its best growth in early autumn. It is 

 palatable and stands stocking well. After a few years, if understocked in 

 good seasons, it has a tendency to become rather harsh and tussocky, and is 

 probably more s;iited for sowing in a mixture than alone. It makes very 

 fair headway after cutting. Seed of this grass is easily procurable commer- 

 cially, and to obtain a good stand in the field is no problem to any farmer. 



Waipu (from New Zealand). — A prostrate perennial, this grass spreads 

 rapidly by means of underground stems. It produces a fair quantity of 

 soft, light green leaves, attaining its maximum growth in autumn. It 

 withstands frost very well, but makes little progress during the winter. A 

 minimum quantity of seed is formed, which is of doubtful germinating 

 qua] ity . 



Phalaris hulhosa (Toowoomba Canary Grass). — An introduced perennial, 

 which has had continuous trial at this farm, under both plot and tield 

 conflitions. It withstands frost very well, and even during severe winter 

 weather it makes fair headway. Its growth during a dry spell is very 

 marked in comparison with other grasses. In a normal season it grows 

 3 feet to 4 feet in height, being at its best toward the end of the summer. 

 Patches under the best of conditions on this farm have reached a height of 

 7 feet without becoming harsh or woody, the leaves reaching to more than 

 half this height. It is palatable, stfvnds stocking well, but under some 

 conditions it has a tendency to run out after a few years, producing leaves 

 only on the outer edge of the tufts. Best results would be obtained by 

 grazing this grass with both cattle and sheep. 



