28 



PASTURE PLANTS AND PASTURES OF N.Z. 



Fig. 16. 



(after Percival). 



Tall Oat Grass has a certain popularity in 

 parts of Europe. In England it is called 

 ' ' French Rye Grass. ' ' It grows very quickly 

 and produces a considerable amount of fodder. 

 Further it will withstand the very driest 

 conditions, but it is apparently unpalatable 

 to the highest degree. A horse confined in 

 a paddock of less than one tenth of an acre 

 every day for several years had bared all the 

 ground except that occupied by a few tufts of 

 tall oat grass, which were left to grow in full 

 vigour, and several similar examples might 

 be quoted. However, when forming a con- 

 stituent of a mixture sheep will eat it, but 

 it is probable that if it were introduced into 

 a mixture in sufficiently large proportions to 

 be of any importance, its unpalatability would 

 make itself apparent in the falling-off in 

 condition of the sheep. Even in France and 

 Switzerland where the grass is largely used, 

 it is recognised that cattle will not eat it green, 

 but when mixed up in hay it is not rejected. 



All the seed used in New Zealand is im- 

 ported. It has long twisted awns like that 

 of wild oats. The price is about Is. 3d. per 

 pound. 



Canary Grass (Phalaris bulbosa). A very 

 tall, strong growing perennial grass, with one 

 or more swellings less than the size of a 

 pea, above the roots. From these swellings 

 very numerous branches are given out. The 

 blade is broad, and flat, and bluish, and the 

 ligule one of the longest in our farm grasses, 



