October i, 1891.] 
Supplement to the “ Tropical Agriculturist.’' 
293 
A writer in the North liritinh Agriculturist 
speaks of it in enthusiastic terms na “llie plant 
which in course of years will cover throughout 
tJie world the vast areas of arid, uncultivated, 
ami at present mostly uncultivahle land, sup- 
plying ahundance of the most nutritious, sweet 
fodder to countless millions of horses, cattle and 
sheep ; the plant wliich will ])romote the per- 
manent prosperity ami progress of stock-farm- 
ing and agi’icidl lire to a certain degree unknown 
before; the plant which in due course will form 
the greatest source of national wealth in every 
laud." 
Accox’ding to a rejiort made on Lathyrus Sylres- 
trk by ilr. Charles Hope, the plant is said to 
resemble the everlasting pen in habits of growth 
and in general appearance, and the blossoms are 
of a reddish puriile colour. The seed takes 
rather a long time to germinate, and the jdant 
takes Hiree years to come to maturity, multi- 
plying freely by means of creeping underground 
stems. It is said to yield remunerative crops 
for tifteen years, when its natural vigour declines, 
and it is necessarj' to plough up and re-sow. 
The expense of seed and labour per annum is 
consequently very small. Th<‘ quality as shown 
by analysis is twice as good as any otiiar fodder 
plant at present in cultii ation, weight for weight, 
in the natural green state. The small quantity 
of water naturally present in the green plant 
is a very conspicuous item, helping not a little 
towards the foregoing statement. The rest of 
the extract does not show very much chlorophyll, 
and is more like oil than wax. The great ad- 
vantage is in the very high percentage of 
albuminoids which is the more fortunate, seeing 
that the natural order is not henetlted to a 
remunerative extent by direct applications of 
nitrogenous manures. The jiercentage of indi- 
gestible fibre is naturally lower in the young plant, 
and the tissues of the plant should not be allowed 
to grow old. The ash is very high, and will no 
ilouht afford plenty of hone-forming material for 
young animals, and he veiy suitable to cows 
yiehllng a tliiiil which is intended to nourish 
the young. The albuminoid ralio is wonderfully 
high, being ns I ; •I'.’), and mo.st nearly wsemblos 
the concentration of bran, which shows a ratio 
of 1 : 4 2, than any other simple foml. Hence 
it must be considered a very concentrated food, 
tiricc as concentrated ns any green fodder in 
cultivation. It will jirobably be found ecenno- 
micnl to dilute the food, feeding along with it 
.some straw or roots, until the desired ratio he 
obtained. The most aiiprovexl ratio for cattle 
is 1’7 at the commencement of feeding for fatten- 
ing, and this is gradually raised to 1'.5.') to 
linish. The albuminoid ratio of oats being 
1 : and the ratio for a horse according to Wolff 
being 1 : il, it follows that Lathyrus tiylvestris 
is more than sufficient to maintain a horse at 
Work. It is customary to purcha.se concentrated 
foods, and by mixing to make the ratio for 
houses and cattle more nitrogenous, but here is 
a plant in which the reverse process ajipears 
to he the proper' course to pursue, the hay of 
which reminds one of the composition of cotton- 
cake. Cattle are reported to eat the fodder 
freely and at once, .so that there is no ques- 
tion of its palatability. Tlie German reports ])nt 
the produce at 17 tons per acre. If any manures 
are to be added with a view to beneflting the 
crop they should be pho.sphates and potash, ns 
nitrogenous manures are not likely to yield a 
lirotitable return. It is stated, however, that the 
plant will never require any manure of any 
kind. As soon na the crop attains a sufflcieiit 
length for the scythe, it should l>e cut ; tjie 
same plot may be cut from to « times in a 
season. It should not he allowed to bloom, and 
should not he pastured. The plant is being 
tried at various places, and is surely -worth a 
trial. Kapeciallj' in this Lsland where there is 
almost a total absence of cultivation of fodder 
crop.s for cattle, will the introduction -of ioMy- 
rxis ftytrestris prove of incalculable bt'nefit. 
TIIK GRACE VINE. 
(Vitis I'iui/era.) 
7. Plaiitiiiy iiut,ijrc.— After Hie soil has lieen 
broken up and exposed to the mellowing action 
of the air for at least a month, the clods should 
he pulverized and the land levelled before it is 
ready for planting. If it is flat and free from 
rocks the iron plough may laj used for ploughing 
it, and the harrow or the native jilough for 
breaking down the clods. If, however, the land 
is rocky and uneven, the mamoty will have to 
be used for Isith puriioses. 
When the cuttings strike and have grown to 
a sufficient height, say two feet, they are fit for 
transplanting. The sjiots 'Where they are to be 
planted may he previously marked out by means 
of peg.s, A’c. The vines should not he planted 
too close to each other. No false economy with 
a view to saving land shouhl lie allowed to spoil a 
vineyard, which is to last for more than a life- 
time. The Rev. Father .\ssauw, of Wahakotte, 
in reidy to empiiry made on this head, has 
kindly favoured me with the following piece of 
infonnation : — “ The vines I have are 12 feet 
iqiart ; and those planted last year 8 or 9 feet 
apart seem to thrive well.” 
An extract from the .Vnnnal Report for 1889 
of the Agricultural Department of tlueensland 
Is also well worth quoting in this connection' 
Speaking of Mr. Rassetfa vineyard it says ; — “ Mr. 
Hassett states that, like many others when first 
entering upon this industn,', he was possessed 
of very little knowledge of grape vines, or the 
pi-ojier method of laying out a vineyard ; conse- 
quently after planting the lirst portion, he found 
that he had iilaced the vines too close together, 
and the rows also too near to each other, viz., 
.I feet between and 4 feet in the rows. In the 
second portion of the vineyard planted he im- 
proved Ids system of planting by placing the 
vines wider aiiart, viz., ti feet iii and C, feet 
bet ween the rows, ilore experience was gained 
by his second planting, the result being that in 
the last portion planted ho ndo|ited what ho con- 
siders to be the projier space in the Roma dis- 
trict, viz., 10 feet het ween and ti feet in the rows." 
In a country like tleylon where plants grow 
so vigorou.sly and luxuriantly, the distance, I 
daresay, ought not to be any less. 
ilanure may be useil rather sparingly at 
first. No raw or hot dung should he used at 
all. Half-rotten cowdiing of the appearance of 
black mould should be mi.xed up with the soil 
