GRASSES. 



28a 



Apart from the cereals, the most nnportant cultivated 

 grasses in the Union are : — 



(1) Teff (Eragrostis ahyssinica) . 



(•2) Sudan grass {Andropogan sudanense). 



(3) Kikuyu grass (Pennisetum clandestinum) . 



(4) Phalaris bulbosa (Toowoomba grass). 



(5) Napier or Elephant grass iPennisetum purpurcm). 



(6) The various millets. 



Essential Factors.— C. V. Piper: " Among the char- 

 acteristics a grass must have to be valuable under cultivation 

 are a satisfactory yielding capacity for the purpose employed, 

 whether pasture, soihng, silage or hay; good feeding quahty, 

 ie., palatable, not too woody, and without any injurious 

 effects; good productive characters, such as abundant easily- 

 gathered seed, or ready multiplication by vegetative methods;, 

 and aggressiveness, or abihty to maintain itself under the condi- 

 tions of culture, and yet not be too troublesome a^s a weed." 



Under South African conditions, because of our uneven 

 distribution of rainfall, grasses not grown under irrigation must 

 be drought resistant. Cultivated grasses should be high in 

 protein, and low in crude fibre, constituents in which grasses 

 vary very appreciably. 



TEFF. 



Teff {Eragrostis ahyssinica). — More extensively grown 

 than any grass in South Africa. At present teff hay is second 

 in importance and in price to lucerne hay. 



History. — Teff has been grown by the native Abyssinians 

 as a cereal foodstuff probably for centuries. It was introduced 

 into Natal about 30 years ago, and, although favourably 

 reported on, it attracted little attention until again introduced 

 from California by J. Burtt-Davy in 1903. Seed was distri- 

 buted among farmers in the Union in 1904 and subsequent 

 years ; favourable reports were received, and the grass was soon 

 established as one of the Union's important crops. It is 

 supposed to be indigenous to Abyssinia. 



Description. — It is a summer annual of very rapid 

 growth, as it can be cut for hay six to eight weeks after sowing, 

 and matures seed from eight to twelve weeks. The plant is 



