21 



running underground stems as the normal species, but it differs in its 

 narrower leaves, erect stems, and in being only met with in coast 

 swamps. It thrives best in brackish swamps." 



Value as a fodder. Although not a forage-plant of the highest 

 class, it is valuable because it supplies nutritious food for stock in 

 damp, muddy localities, where valuable grasses are not usually found. 

 Its creeping, joint-rooting habit enables it to stand close feeding. 

 O'Shanesy says the kangaroo is particularly fond of it. 



That it will endure such a cold situation as Walcha (New England) 

 shows that it need by no means be confined to the warmer coast 

 districts. 



Mr. A. R. Crawford writes : " It is becoming quite a common grass 

 on the table-land. I noticed it five years ago in the town of Walcha 

 (3,500 feet). It is now all over the town. Twenty years ago I intro- 

 duced it on our station (Cunderang, on the eastern slopes). It is now 

 to be found in many places along the river. It makes a rough-looking 

 but valuable hay, much esteemed on the Macleay River. I have seen 

 a horse leave corn and chaff in his manger to eat hay made of this 

 grass. For pasture it is one of the most fattening kinds." 



This grass has been so carefully studied in the United States that 

 the experience of American observers in regard to it is especially 

 valuable. 



For example, " Several species of Paspalum have received attention 

 in the South as being useful pasture grasses, and very durable from 

 their creeping and rooting habit. P. distichum is one of these species. 

 It grows principally in low, moist ground. Its stems and culms are 

 mostly prostrate and running, sending up here and there a few flower- 

 bearing culms." 



Mr. W. A. Sanders, of California, writes : " Are you aware of the 

 value of P. distichum for seeding pond-holes that dry up, or nearly so, 

 in autumn ? Such ponds are usually spots of bare, stinking mud, but 

 when well set to this grass will yield all the way up to 80 tons (in the 

 green state) of autumn feed for stock, especially valuable for cows 

 first, then follow with sheep till every vestige is devoured. Surely 

 it has an immense food value in such places/' (Vasey.) 



" Joint grass is adapted to warm, moist, alkaline soils, and in New 

 Mexico is most abundant in low lands that are flooded occasionally, 

 and upon the ditch-banks late in the season. In this latter place it is 

 more or less of a nuisance, though possibly of some little value as a 

 soil-binder. So far as I am able to state, it is not used as a pasture 

 grass or as a hay crop. It is cut by the Mexicans much as Barnyard 

 grass (Panicum crus-galli}, and other grasses, to be fed green to 

 stock before corn has matured. Its nutritive ratio of 1 to 16*7 indi- 

 cates that it is not a very valuable feed, and its manner and place of 

 growth are not such as to make it a desirable grass to cultivate." 

 (Some New Mexican Forage Plants, Bulletin No. 18, p. 63.) 



Having enumerated some of its good qualities, we must not forget 

 that it is not without drawbacks. It mats together, and to such an 

 extent does this sometimes occur on land prepared for crops, that 

 farmers have the greatest difficulty in ploughing through it. It often 



