September 1, 1888.] 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



237 



The next we noticed was Agrostis vulgaris var. 

 nigra, a valuable variety with abundance of good 

 foliage, promising to give a remunerative amount of 

 hay, and excellent for feeding. 



Our ordinary Anthoxanthum odoratum (Sweet 

 Vernal grass) is nowhere considered a very valuable 

 variety for hay, notwithstanding the delicate aroma it 

 imparts to the hay-rick, for it gives but a thin and 

 scanty crop, and the seeds are most frequently shed 

 before the crop is cut. Messrs. Sutton are, how- 

 ever, trying their skill upon a later and more pro- 

 mising variety of this grass, having much broader and 

 more robust and abundant foliage, with flowering- 

 spikes nearly 3 inches in length. 



One of the most important items for the conside- 

 ration of farmers is the time of cutting their grasses. 



some new pastures is doubtless traceable to grave 

 faults in the prescription of the grasses sown, and to 

 the difficulty of obtaining reliable data upon this 

 point. Six beds have been laid down, which are 

 now of three years' standing. 



In three plots the mixture included 6 lb. of 

 Lolium perenne (Rye grass) and 2 lb. of Dactylis 

 glomerata (Cock's-foot). 



In the other three plots the mixture included 

 6 lb. of Dactylis glomerata (Cock's-foot), but no Eye- 

 grass, and it is a significant fact that, in each case 

 when Lolium formed part of the grass-seeds sown, 

 the herbage is superior, containing a larger proportion 

 of clovers, while Dactylis and the Fescue grasses 

 are now a distinct feature of the plots, whereas on 

 those where Lolium was excluded, Cock's-foot and 



Fig. 27. — lithospermum graminifolium : hardy perennial : flowers deep blue, (see p. 230.) 



This, of course, must always vary in different 

 localities and in different seasons, but from numerous 

 experiments made in the trial grounds of Messrs. 

 Sutton, it is found that the best hay is made from 

 grass just before the flower-heads have begun to turn 

 colour. At this period also many of the varieties 

 have been found to contain nearly double the 

 quantity of nutritive matter than after they have 

 shed their seeds. 



The next series were arranged forthe purpose oftest- 

 ing the comparative value of sowing grass seeds with 

 or without a corn crop, the grain selected being Oats. 

 The present season is the third after laying down, 

 and the total weight of hay in each case has been 

 much the larger, and the quality of the herbage better 

 without than with a corn crop, as many of the finer 

 grasses and clovers were driven out by the exhausting 

 character of the Oats. 

 One prevalent cause of the early deterioration of 



the better quality of grasses have almost died out. 

 This is a matter of great importance, and the 

 inference to be drawn from these experiments is, 

 that Rye-grass fosters the growth of other varieties, 

 and aids the general progress and development of 

 those grasses which are slow in coming to maturity. 



Experiments with Manures on Permanent and 

 Temporary Pastures. 



This branch of agricultural practice has within 

 recent years occupied a considerable share of the 

 attention of both proprietors and tenant farmers ; 

 and although much knowledge upon the subject has 

 been gained by the elaborate grass experiments of Sir 

 J. B. Lawes and Dr.' J. H. Gilbert at Rotham- 

 sted, vet there is much to be learnt, and great 

 need for improvement in our meadows and pastures. 



For the purpose, therefore, of ascertaining by actual 

 trial what manures were best for such poor land as that 



surrounding the residence of Mr. Martin J. Sutton. 

 he by the aid of Dr. J. Voelcker inaugurated a series 

 of experiments on six grass fields at Dyson's Wood, 

 Oxfordshire, with such quantities and combinations 

 of manures as might be reasonably applied in ordi- 

 nary agricultural operations, and such as any grass- 

 land farmer might be expected to be willing to go 

 to the expense of in the event of their proving 

 successful. 



The present is the third year of the investigations. 

 and the lessons taught may be briefly summarised as 

 follows : — 



1. The absence of manure means corresponding 

 absence of leaf, and concurrently the early maturity 

 of flower-heads. 



2. The quicker action of nitrate of soda as com- 

 pared with sulphate of ammonia. 



3. The stimulating effect of ammonium salts upon 

 Cock's-foot grass, this species yielding, when so 

 manured, from 80 to 90 per cent, of the total herbage. 



4. The suitability of gypsum as a manure for 

 maintaining a Clover plant. 



5. The lasting effects of muriate of potash and bone 

 manures contributing largely to the successful 

 growth of bottom grass and Clovers. 



G. The evanescent action of guano on such porous 

 soils as some of those at Dyson. 



7. The phosphates of coprolites are more readily 

 taken up by the mixed herbage of grass land than are 

 the phosphates of basic cinder. John J. Willi* , Harp- 

 iiulat. 



Colonial Notes, 



ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY OF QUEENS- 

 LAND. 



A Botanical Museum has been erected at Brisbane 

 intended for the display of specimens of economic 

 botany and illustrations of agriculture and horticul- 

 ture. The garden under the management of Mr. 

 Soutter is well stocked, and the distribution of useful 

 and ornamental plants has been carried on successfully, 

 not fewer than 17,000 plants having been distributed 

 to members. 



The maximum shade temperature was in February 

 !)2°'6; the minimum temperature 37°'4 in August. 

 The rainfall of the year amounted to 81 inches, 23'3 

 of which fell in January, while in June little more 

 than a tenth of an inch was measured. 



Jamaica. 



The Bulletin of the Botanical Department, Jamaica, 

 for June, under the editorship Mr. Fawcett, contains 

 full reports on Annatto-culture and Sugar-boiling. 

 The Director remarks that the Kew Bulletin will be 

 found indispensable by tropical agriculturists. 



Cold Weather in Natal. 

 On the night of May 23 we experienced a sharp 

 frost — I noted 2°, an amount rather uncommon for 

 this locality, which is 2300 feet above the sea. 

 The effects on a few plants in an open exposed situa- 

 tion are noted as under: — 



Leaves Blackene I. 

 Bauanas 



Brugmansia suaveoloni 

 French Beans 

 Fieus natalensis 

 Caladium esculentum 

 Hydrangea hortensis 

 Leonotis leonurus 

 Physalis edulis 

 Sweet Potato 

 Toniatos 



Untouched. 

 Cyrtanthus Macke 



now 



Cape bulbs (Babianas, Fr.'e- 

 sias, Ornithogalum, Ixia, 

 Sparaxis, Nerinrt, in leal' 



Gerbera Jamesoni, in flower 



Kabrothamnus elegans, do. 



Heliotrope, do. 



Lachenalia tricolor, do. 



Poinsettia pulcherrima, do. 



Salvia Van Huuttei. do. 



Solanum jasminoides, do. 

 Tuberoses Tecoma verrasta, do. 



Tea Roses, >I". 

 In a wet low-lying place a few miles from here, 

 much more cold was felt — not less than 3° to 5°. 

 Crinum capense, which grows thereabouts, was 

 quite safe, dormant underground. The cold snap 

 was Accompanied by a dry raging north-west 

 wind coming from tiie snow-covered Drakensberg 

 Mountains, SO miles away. Poinsettia pulcherrima 

 bore wind and frost well, and now (second week in 

 July) it is still perfect in leaf and flower. The soil 

 everywhere is ankle deep in dust, hardly any rain 

 having fallen in Natal since March. The total rain- 



