its drought-resisting qualities, has led to its introduction to India 

 on as large a scale as possible. Finding that very little seed could 

 be spared by Australian correspondents of the Garden, the assist- 

 ance of the Agrostologist to the Department of Agriculture of the 

 United States was invoked. Thanks to the kind help of that 

 officer, a large supply of the seed of this grass was obtained from 

 America, and has been freely distributed throughout India." 



The attention of South African agriculturists has recently been 

 directed to the valuable properties of Paspalum ditatatum &s a. 

 fodder-gras?. A few plants were found at Newcastle (Natal) by 

 Mr. J. Medley Wood in 1897, though when or through what 

 channel introduced is not known. It is now found to be fairly 

 abundant in the neighbourhood of Newcastle, and, in all pro- 

 bability, numerous patches occur in various parts of the Colony. 

 In New Zealand it has been in cultivation since 189G, at the 

 Momohaki Experimental Station, where it has produced a yield of 

 grass equal to 9^ tons an acre. It is, however, killed by the cold 

 of the New Zealand winter. The plant is found also, as a weed 

 or escape, in Porto Rico, Mauritius, and the Straits Settlements. 



This grass is a coarse leafv perennial, with a tendency to grow 

 in clumps ; it attains a height of 2 feet and over— in favourable 

 situations even reaching 6 feet. It thrives best upon rich moist 

 land, and grows very luxuriantly in black alluvial soils. It is 

 said to succeed also in sandy soils, even when a considerable pro- 

 portion of salt is present. Being a very deep-rooted grass it has a 

 remarkable capacity for withstanding conditions of drought. In 

 Western Australia it flourishes in poor mountain soils. When 

 once established it withstands frosts, if not continuous, and, m 

 Victoria, is successfully cultivated up to an elevation of 2,000 feet. 

 It is, in fact, admirably suited for cultivation in tropical and 

 sub-tropical climates. 



As a permanent pasture grass, Paspalum dilatatum holds a high 

 position among tropical grasses. Notwithstanding its luxuriant 

 habit, its tissues are soft and succulent, and contain only a 

 normal proportion of woody cells. There is " no part of it, from 

 the crown to the head, that stock will not eat." When well-estab- 

 lished it endures long periods of drought without injury. It 

 starts its neAv growth early in the spring, and continues to grow 

 vigorously until late autumn. It thus affords excellent late 

 summer and autumn feed. Its permanence on suitable soil is 

 undoubted, for at Wollongbar, after four years' grazing, " the pad- 

 docks are still improving, and giving an increased quantity 

 of feed." (H M. Williams, in .V.^^.T^. Agricultural Gazette, 

 1898.) Excellent results are obtained by using Paapahim 

 dilatatum as a constituent of a mixed pasture, which contains also 

 Cocksfoot {Dactylis glomerata) or other grass which makes growth 

 in the winter, at which time the Paspalum is at its worst. The 

 pasture should be allowed to seed during the second year, that 

 the Paspalum may distribute its seed, as it spreads very slowly 

 from the roots. For dairying purposes, Paspalum is of great value, 

 as it has great milk-producing properties. 



For hay, this grass is rather coarse, and usually has a bad colour 

 when dry. It is, however, of excellent quality, and the yield is 

 very large. A sample grown on the Wollongbar Experimental 



