79 
- 
Phalaris commutata.—In the Agricultural Journal of the Cape of 
Good Hope, January, 1909, pp. 26, 27, an account is given of 
“another new fodder grass — Phalaris commutata,” with an 
illustration of a growing plot of the grass. 
This grass has been introduced to the Cape and into Natal from 
Australia as a drought resisting grass. The plants were raised 
from seeds sent from Australia which were sown in J anuary, 1908, 
When about 18 inches high, at the end of April, they were trans- 
planted and the plants were placed 2 feet apart in rows three feet 
from each other. 
of the driest spots on the farm; but although the spring was a very 
dry one and the surrounding bush was brown, this plant at the 
beginning of December was still green and in full ear, standing 
From another stool which was taken up at the beginning of 
September and subdivded, 76 plants were obtained; these were 
planted 18 inches apart, each row being a foot apart. The 
photograph in the paper shews one of these plots with stems over 
eight feet high and no thicker than oat straw. Over 150 stalks 
were found to arise from a single stool. 
Tt is stated that the Phalaris stools planted last April are much 
bigger than Paspalum plants, planted three years ago. 
The ears appear to get badly broken by the wind and in the 
photograph the plants are shewn protected by wires to prevent 
attening : 
According to the Analysis by the Government Agriculturist, 
“ Phalaris commutata” shews the following composition in com 
parison with other grasses :— 
- 
| ; g | Buel value 
| a Ba calori 
S ER per ib, s 
ee =| eee Ne nw gga 
| S tp | 1. | # 
nas , | A | Fat | Ash.) ef |Fibre| se “i |S 
eae | ss | ctu uh. 
EB 3 43 | ae (ee i 
ee ee 2.4 | a tod a 
= - | er oe a 
| | 
Phalaris commutata | 13°77 | 10°37 | 294 | 14°60 | 58°32 | 23°96 | 1369 
Italian grass... | 14°30 | 954 | 2°91 | 8°62 | 64°63 | 19-48 | 1427 
Perennial rye grass | 14:30 |.10°29 | 2°70 | 8°85 63°91 28°65 at 
Phalaris canarionsis | 14:15 17°30 | 2°05 | 7°47 | 58°83 | 40°13 | 1472 
Timo grays -. | 1430 | 631 | 1°93 | 4°29 | 73:17 | 28°25 | 1625 
Kentucky blue grass 14°30 | 975 2°29 552 | 68°14 33°88 1610 
An account of this grass is also given in the Natal Agricultural 
Journal, November, 1908, p. 1436, with five interesting gies ial 
Its drought-resisting properties appear to be ver ae ee e fs 
the dry parts of Natal, and its rate of growth is remarkably se ‘ 
One of the illustrations shews aes —: grass 21 days after 
cutting which had reached a height of 21 inches. 
The ss will end frost, and horses and cattle are said to be 
very fond of it, 
