364 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 May, 1899. 
Remarxs.—This vine is much esteemed in some districts in France for its 
great cropping powers, as, with intense cultivation, it gives 10 tons and over to 
the acre. This grape is much used for making white wine of a Chablis 
character, exported largely to England. The grapes have to be quickly crushed 
aud pressed to’ avoid any colouring of the juice; about 60 per cent. of the 
must being turned into white wine and the remainder into claret. 
The Aramon makes a light clean red wine of rather low alcoholicity, from 
15 to 19 per cent. of proof spirit, but undoubtedly in this climate the strength 
would increase considerably. This grape would be very useful both for making 
_ light white wines and for mixing with coarser varieties for clarets ; its cropping 
powers also recommend it. 
It resists disease well. 
Botany. 
PANICUM COLONUM. 
Mr. H. Tarvent, Manager of the Biggenden Experiment Farm, sends us a 
specimen of a grass which is apparently unknown to stockowners generally, 
and gives the following account of it:—. 
We often import at great expense and trouble foreign grasses and plants, 
This is right enough in its way. But I am inclined to think that often better 
results would be obtained by cultivating and improving some of our indigenous 
grasses which for wons past have adapted themselves to our soils, climate, and 
circumstances. When visiting farms in this newly settled district (Bigsenden 
and the surrounding neighbourhood), I was struck by the luxuriant appearance of 
a grass which was quite new to me. itis leafy and succulent, stooling well, 
growing very thick, and reaching from 3 to 5 feetin height. Itis mostly found 
on rich land, suchas, for instance, old sheepyards and camping places, and in one 
instance at least I saw it healthy and thriving well at the bottom of a hill where 
there was a soakage, rendering life impossible for corn and other plants, which 
were there stunted, yellow, and dying out. A local dairyman of great experi- 
ence (Mr. Fowler) told me he considered the grass unsurpassed as a cow fodder. 
As nobody in the district could tell me either the vernacular or the botanie 
name of the plant, 1 sent a handful of it to the Government Botanist (Mr. 
Bailey) who writes thus about it:—‘‘ The grass of which you forward a sample 
is Panicum colonum (Linn.). It is indigenous in Queensland and most tropical 
‘and sub-tropical parts. In India it is considered one of the bestfor fodder, all 
kinds of stock being fond of it, and the abundant quantity of grains which it 
produces is considered to add greatly to its nutritive qualities.” 
Mr. Bailey adds that it is not so widely spread as a close ally, the P. 
crus-gallt, but is probably better, and would be more easy to manage in. 
cultivation, requiring, however, a good and probably damp soil. 
From what I have seen so far of the grass, it seems to me to be a summer 
fodder, coming into seed in February and March. When depastured or 
mown down, it grows again very rapidly. I think it would stand a great 
amount of moisture, being thus well adapted for dairymen to grow on the 
coast during the wet season. 
At Mr. Bailey’s request, I am now gathering some seeds of it for 
distribution to those desirous of giving it a trial on a small scale. One should 
be careful, though, to keep it well under control. Like all good fodder grasses, 
it is likely to become a nuisance amongst other crops.’ It does not extend by 
means of rhizome roots, like couch or Johnson grass; but its tiny secds are 
yery numerous and shed easily, so that it becomes difficult to eradicate it once 
it has got established. : 
[On Plate CIY. we give an illustration of this grass. We should be glad 
to hear from anyone who may have had experience of the grass as a fodder or 
otherwise.—Ed, Q. A.J. | 
