30 Dec, 1917.] Victorian Grasses. 723 



subsoil, too, must be taken into account, for sooner or later its influence 

 ■will tell decisively upon the existence of certain grasses. 



Then tlie purpose of the grass ero]) must not be overlooked. Whether 

 it is cliiefly for hay, or entirely for grazing, will prove an ini]iortant 

 consideration in determining the sorts to be sown. Even the kind of 

 cattle the land is intended to carry is worth more than a passing thought. 

 Milch cows, fattening stock, sheep and horses, or a combination of these 

 can be provided for if a definite object is held steadily in view." 



In old and well-settled districts there is much accumulated experi- 

 ence among farmers, of which a beginner desiring to avoid mistakes 

 should avail himself. Still, an observing and progressive man will 

 sometimes depart from established rules and practices in the introduc- 

 tion of new kinds of cultivation, and it is only thus that progress and 

 improvement can be made. In this respect only some attempts have 

 been made at the culti\ation of our gras.ses, and these trials have not 

 been sufficiently exhaustive to give absolute proof of their value for 

 general systematic cultivation, and we are still very much in the dark 

 as to their worth. 



It is advisable that cattle and sheep be not put upon grass too early 

 in the spring, before it has fairly commenced to grow. This rule par- 

 ticularly applies to sheep, that will in such cases eat the heart out of 

 the grass crown, to its entire destruction. No precise date can be given 

 for beginning to graze pastures in the spring. Cattle may be turned in 

 when there is enough grass to meet their wants, and when the ground is 

 firm enough to prevent their hoofs damaging the young shoots. Many 

 passes are prevented from seeding, owing to overstocking of lands, and 

 consequently propagate only from the roots. It is a very important 

 point that all possible endeavours should be made to preserve our native 

 grasses, as they are by nature fitted for the particular region, where they 

 grow, and it is improbable that introduced grasses can take their places 

 satisfactorily. Many of the native grasses are benefited by a judicious 

 application of water. Our rainfall is usually enough in the spring, 

 and if sufficient water could be stored to keep up a strong growth as the 

 dry, hot weather advances, a plentiful supply of summer forage would 

 he assured. 



The annual report of the director of the Californian Experimental 

 Station states that, in order to determine whether barley has a tendency 

 to dry up milch cows, as is sometimes claimed, five cows in the 

 University Farm dairy herd have been fed rolled barley as exclusive 

 grain feed for varying periods during the past two years. The produc- 

 tion in one cow during the past two lactation periods on barley was 

 considerably increased over that during the first lactation period when 

 mixed grain was fed, while the other cows produced somewhat less milk 

 or butter fat on barley than during corresponding periods when fed 

 mixed grain. The results do not indicate that the feeding of barley 

 tends to dry up milch cows, but they suggest that most cows do not do as 

 well on barley alone as on mixed rations. Three of the cows had 

 heavier average body weights when on barley than when fed niixcd 

 grain, while the opposite was true in the case of one cow. — Farmers' 

 Union Advocate, "N.Z., November, 1917. 



