lo Sept.. 19 12.] Paspalioii for Hill Pastures. 563 



PASPALUM FOR HILL PASTURES. 



Bv P. ('■ Tlircljall. Dairy Supervisor, Yea District. 



During a season of drought such as the greater portion of this State 

 has hUely experienced, the question of improving the natural pasture by the 

 introduction of drought-resistant grasses cannot fail to Cimmand the serious 

 attention of every one interested in the breeding and keeping of stock. 



While the cultivation and conservation of fodder crops in the form of 

 hay and silage is absolutely necessary to enable stock-owners to carry their 

 herds and flocks safely through a prolonged period of drought, yet it is 

 plain that much may be done in the way of increasing the stock-carrying 

 ■capacity of the pasture lands. There are thousands of acres of grass land 

 ill this and other districts which could^ be made to support at least twice or 

 three times the quantity of stock carried on the natural grasses. That this can 

 be done was clearly demonstrated to the writer while recently inspecting 

 several paddocks of Paspalum dilaiatitm grass on " Glenmore " sheep 

 station, owned by Colonel McLeish and his brother, Mr. Thomas McLeish. 

 The station is situated about 12 miles from Yea, and that portion of the 

 land referred to is fairly typical of thousands of acres in the Upper Goul- 

 burn district, being composed of high flats of second quality soil, overlying 

 a dense and. clayey subsoil, with very little natural drainage. 



About four years ago, the Messrs. McLeish Bros, had a small paddock 

 ploughed and sown down with Paspalum dilatatiim, and so successful did 

 the experiment prove that they have since added one paddock after another, 

 until up to the present time 120 acres have been planted, and it is intended 

 to considerably add tO' this area in the near future. 



The method of planting was to plough and harrow to a fine tilth, then 

 sow on the surface from 6 to 8 lbs. of the .seed, and lightly cover with 

 brush harrows. It is recommended that a few pounds of some of the 

 winter-growing grasses, such as the Subterranean and Alsyke clovers, rye 

 grass, and PJialans coiumutata, be sown with the Pas])alum to provide feed 

 during the months from May to September, when the last-named grass 

 is making comparatively little growth. 



Spring or earlv summer is found to be the best time for sowing the 

 Paspalum, as the hotter the weather the quicker the seed germinates, pro- 

 viding, of course, that the necessary amount of moisture is present in the 

 soil. If. after sowing, the land remains in a drv state for the greater 

 part of the summer, the .seed will not be lost, as it will be found to sprout 

 safely the following season. Even in swampy and rough places that could 

 not be ploughed, but where the seed was lightly scattered among the tus- 

 socks and grass, the Paspalum has taken complete possession. Where the 

 grass has been growing for three or four vears. it has formed a complete 

 mat of herbage which, during the spring, summer, and autumn months, 

 has carried stock equivalent to a bullock to the acre. Owing to the matted 

 nature of the crown and stems, it is found that no amount of heavy stock- 

 ing will eat it out ; in fact, it appears to spread much better and be more 

 succulent when kept eaten close to the ground than if allowed to grow in 

 the form of tussocks. Though little growth takes place in the winter, the 

 severest frost or flooding will not kill it. The writer was shown a swamp 

 where the Paspalum is fa.st killing out the tussocks and reed.=5. The grass 

 has been known to be under water for weeks at a time in the winter, and 

 then strike into luxuriant growth when the water-level was lowered in the 

 summer. It is also growing well on the more hilly land, where the seed 

 was scattered among the bracken fern. In many places the ferns are found 



