THE AGRI C U LT U EAL JOURNAL. 



735 



Paspaium 



f "TIOUR years ago," writes "J. K.Z." in the 1 



Jj " Queensland Country Life," "I sowed 

 my first seed and also planted a few 

 thousand roots to form a seed bed. My 

 farm is now practically sowed with pas- 

 paium, and the more I see of it the better 

 I like it. Of course I mix other grasses 

 and clovers as a change tor the stock, but 

 paspaium is the basis of the pasture ; it 

 has proved itself a mainstay for the stock, 

 growing vigorously when the fierce heat 

 had withered up the other grasses. I 

 have carefully observed it in all stages 

 and variations, and I have come to the 

 conclusion that paspaium dilatatum is the 

 very best grass for the farmer to rely 

 upon as a permanent pasture. I say per- 

 manent advisedly, for after four years' 

 grazing the paddocks are still improving 

 and giving an increased quantity of feed. 

 It is with us carrying a beast to the acre 

 all the year round, and yet, during this 

 season, I have in rotation been able to 

 shut up every imddock, allowing the 

 grass to grow and shed its seed. By this 

 method a perfect turf can be obtained ; it 

 does not spread from the roots and joints 

 like some of the other paspaium grasses, 

 of which there are great variety. It 

 stands any amount of grazing, and the 

 trampling of stock does not injure it. In 

 this district it grows nearly all the j'ear 

 round, but naturally a little slower 

 during July, August, and September. It 

 stands drought well, the frosts do not kill 

 it, and I have cut it dowa and run a fire 

 over it, and after this severe treatment it 

 grew as vigorously as ever. There is 

 nothing hard or wiry about this grass. 

 It is soft and succulent, and there is no 

 part of it from the crown to the seed- 

 heads that the stock will not eat. My 

 observation of grasses has extended over 

 many cpuntries, as well as over most of 

 the Australian States, but I have never 

 met with any grass that would equal pas- 

 paium dilatatum. 



' I have no knowledge as to its value 

 for sheep, but ail other animals are fond 

 of it, and keep up condition. Its qualities 

 for dairying purposes are undoubted, and 

 every cow is kept in such condition as to 

 enable her to give her standard of 



Diiaiafuntm 



1 quality in the milk produced. My aver- 

 age test at the milk separating station is 

 amongst the very highest, ranging from 

 3.6 to 4.3 for butter fat. I have found 

 the proper times to sow are — middle of 

 July to middle of October, first week in 

 December to first week in February. In 

 the former it catches the spring rains, and 

 in the latter the summer rains, both ac- 

 companied by heat which appears very 

 necessary. The quantity of seed to sow 

 per acre varies with the requirements : 

 5 lbs. to 8 lbs. per acre on well-prepared 

 ground will soon result in a good pad- 

 dock. If 1^ lb. to 2 lb. per acre is sown, 

 after grazing it should be held up about 

 October, and allowed to grow and shed 

 all its seed naturally. It will soon spring 

 up, and the young grass, if anything like 

 a favourable season takes place, will be 

 fit to graze in May. I consider that 

 allowing the grass to shed its seed 

 naturally is the very best and sarest 

 method of thoroughly establishing the 

 pasture. 



As soon as the stalk begins to bend 

 over, and attain a light greenish straw 

 colour is the time to commence picking. 

 ■ Deal very lightly with it or you will lose 

 t'le bast of the seed. Fhe haads should 

 then be taken into a barn and shaken. 

 This shaking may be repeated two or 

 three times next day, by which time all 

 the matured seed will be obtained. In 

 leaving the heads in heaps be very care- 

 ful not to allow them to heat, or the 

 seam will be spoiled. The heads may 

 now for a day be turned and thrashed, 

 and although the quality of seed obtained 

 by this second manipulation is very in- 

 ferior, still a percentage of it will ger- 

 minate. It may be used, therefore, for 

 tliickly scattering over rough ground. 



" A great feature, too, in its favour is 

 that it is not difficult to eradicate if a 

 paddock should be required for cultiva- 

 tion. Ploughing alone would not do it, 

 but by cultivation and bringing the plants 

 to the surface, rolling and harrowing to 

 free the roots from the soil, it quickly 

 dies by exposure to the sun. It is very 

 tenacious of life if soil should be left on 



