1 Ocr., 1901.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL, 385 
PASPALUM DILATATUM. 
“Oxonian,”’ Bundaberg, sends the following account of his experience of 
this fodder grass:—We are constantly reading in the agricultural papers 
notices of the grass Paspalum dilatatum, many of which I think are very 
misleading. A. tew notes, therefore, on our own experiences with the same may 
prove acceptable to some of your readers. We commenced in a small way with 
a parcel of seed some five years ago, and have had it constantly under observation 
during the whole time. We now have several acres of it, and find that it grows 
readily from seed sown in hot and moist times, seldom germinating in cool 
weather. It is very easily transplanted from the seed bed, grows quickly in 
summer time, does not make much growth in cold weather, turns a brown 
colour with 6 degrees of frost, and, during the hot day and trying time of the 
present year, was just as much done up as many of the indigenous grasses. 
It is noé easily destroyed by ploughing, &e. It is impossible to kill it with an 
ordinary horse cultivator in the summer time ii there is any moisture in the 
soil. In showery weather it seems to grow better for being knocked about by 
the horse hoe. Owing to the lightness of the seed it is constantly turning up 
in unexpected places in the cultivation paddocks, and a fair stool of it will 
throw out of ground an ordinary 2-horse plough. Stock are fond of it. We 
consider it a good grass, but would advise any of your readers thinking of 
giving it atrial to keep it clear of their cultivated land, or sow in some out-of- 
the-way and lowest corner where it cannot so readily spread. I believe it will 
yet prove a great nuisance to farmers. I am aware that this is very 
different to what we generally read, but those facts are given from our 
experience with it. 
THE WHEAT CROPS. 
From all the wheatgrowing centres we hear the same bright accounts of 
the growing crops. From personal observation we have reason to think that, 
given seasonable weather, and. consequent absence of rust, the coming crop may 
be reckoned at fully 25 per cent. more than that of last year. In the Warwick 
district the crops are expected to be 30 per cent. greater. Some of the wheat, 
in consequence of so much showery weather, appears to be too rank, but many 
of the fields have been eaten down by sheep, and give promise of a bountiful 
harvest. The crop of grain totalled in 1900, 1,194,088 bushels. The coming 
ene » under favourable conditions will probably not fall far short of 1,500,000 
ushels. 
Barley and rye are doing equally well, the rye being well in the ear. Here 
and there a little summer rust may be seen, but this will not affect the crop. 
During the year 1900, the production of wheat in Queensland equalled 33°7 
per cent. of the total requirements of the State. The present outlook indicates 
that there will be a considerable diminution in the imports of both flour and 
wheat. What the price of wheat will be is as yet matter of conjecture. At 
eset it is very low, whilst in New South Wales the price is about 2s. 9d. per 
usnel. ‘The prices of Australian wheat in the British market are as follow :— 
South Australian 28s. 6d. \ BS 6#d. per bushel. 
Victorian... ... 288. 88. 6d. 
New Zealand ... 99s. 3d. ( Per 480 Ib., or < 3s. 7°8d. a i 
(a 
New South Wales 26s. 9d. 3s. 4d. ,, = 
THE RABBIT PEST. 
In the Southern States of the Commonwealth the rabbit and hare pest has 
been turned to such good account that during the past twelve months no less 
than 1,500,000 pairs of rabbits, valued at £94,290, were exported from Victoria. 
From New South Wales the export of hares is expected to reach 100,000, 
whilst from January to July this year already 64,600 hares have been exported. 
