&8 
(5) There is a likelihood of a Kikuyu pasture becoming 
sod-bound and if this should happen, the field should be 
disked and ploughed or harrowed. 
(6) It is only natural that a plant of such vigorous 
growth as Kikuyu would soon impoverish the soil. 
Kikuyu responds generously to manure, for where there are 
animal droppings on a patch it will be noticed the grass grows 
there higher than anywhere else. 
Lawns have been grown from this grass around the labora- 
tories of the Botanical Division and on the terraces of the Union _ 
Buildings, Pretoria. The bright, light green colour of the foliage 
forms a lovely setting for ornamental gardening. It will also 
make an excellent field lawn as it forms a dense, soft and springy 
turf when closely grazed or clipped. 
On account of its ability to grow on practically any type of 
soil and its creeping characteristics, it should be an excellent 
soil binder, on dam walls, on sandy soils and on eroding slopes 
and dongas. 
Then again it can be recommended as a grass for planting 1 in 
a poultry-run. Fowls seem very fond of the leaves, and owing 
to its scale ed nature it can withstand the ravages of the fowls’ 
peda te c. 
ikuyu is easily propagated by cuttings it may be either 
pingtel by cuttings or ‘roots.’ Our practice is to take the 
grass out in sod, then cut it up into pieces about 3 ins. square 
and plant it out 6 ft. by 6 ft., or 6 ft. distant between the rows 
and 3 ft. distant in the rows. Our results have shown that when 
planted 6 ft. by 6 ft. on fairly good soil it covers the ground in 
a single season. 
Kikuyu being a summer grass the best time of planting is 
dircite tha spring and summer rains, but it can be planted as 
late as April when the frosts do not occur before May. 
In order to recover the cost of preparing the ground for 
Kikuyu it is possible after the last cultivation of mealies to put 
down Kikuyu between the rows.’ 
Subsequently an attempt was made to introduce the grass 
into Mashonaland. The success seems to have been complete, 
as may be seen from the following note in the Rhodesia 
Agricultural Journal, vol. xv. (1918) p. 327 :— 
= Kikuyu Grass.—-As late as a year ago it was mentioned in 
an article in the Rhodesia Agricultural Journal (June, 1917) that, 
despite all efforts up to then, no pasture grass had been discovered 
suitable for Rhodesia which formed a thick bottom and might 
prove useful for grazing purposes. Since that date, however, 
our trials with Kikuyu grass (Pennisetum longistylum) on the 
prevailing red soils of Mashonaland have shown that this grass 
adapts itself perfectly to local conditions, and fulfils all the 
expectations that have been aroused from reports concerning 
its behaviour in the Union. The first lot of roots introduced by 
the Department of Agriculture were obtained from the Potchef- 
