1 Ava., 1902. |} QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 97 
PASPALUM DILATATUM. 
From all parts of the States we are constantly receiving letters in praise of 
this fodder grass. It thrives equally in the Far North, the South, and West, 
notwithstanding the dry state of the country. We have now additional 
testimony to its value in a letter addressed to the Principal of the Agricultural 
College by Mr. Geo. W. Wright, of Bald Hills, who writes: “ Respecting the 
plants I received from you (2,000) and planted last September, although there 
has been a terrible drought, I may state that I have cut the crop twice, which 
shows how well it has grown under the adverse conditions. You may depend 
that I am satisfied with it, and do not fail to recommend it to dairymen and others. 
L have, in addition, saved nearly 40 lb. of seed, ready to sow when you think is. 
the best time.” 
A variety of this grass, known as Paspalum conjugatum, is widely distributed 
on the Johnstone and other tropical rivers in the Far North of Queensland, as 
well as in the Old World. Our valued contributor at the Daintree, Mr. Th. 
Pentzcke, describes it as being “more valuable than a goldfield” and a wide- 
spread blessing. ‘The seeds are carried about on the hoofs of horses and cattle 
and on the soles of men’s boots, and thus the grass is distributed wherever 
civilised man dwells. Mr. Pentzcke says that an ounce of seed will, when 
grown, smother the useless turpentine grass. ‘Time was when, on the Daintree, 
there was not a blade of grass for the cedar-getters’ cattle, but the Messrs., 
Freshney brought up bales of hay, amongst which were thousands of fertile 
seeds. These became scattered along the timber tracks, and grew and 
flourished. Panicum is everywhere to be seen along the banks of the anabranches 
of the Daintree River, and tive different varieties of Paspalum afford abundant 
food for stock. We may here remind Mr. Pentzecke that the Paspalum 
conjugatum was discovered in 1772, and named by Bergius. 
Other grasses rapidly spreading on the Daintree clearings are Natal grass 
(which the cattle do not much care for); Panicum spectabile; Phalaris canariensis, 
or canary grass, a very useful grass where poultry are kept, as it seeds very 
freely and the chickens are very fond of it. 
Mr. Pentzcke mentions the matter of sisal hemp, of which he had intended 
to plant 10 acres, but the constant heavy rains have prevented him from burning 
off the felled scrub. The patch of plants has thriven marvellously, and presents 
such a mass of threatening bayonets that no hawk would attempt to pick.a 
chicken out of it. 
As for Fourcrova gigantea, he advises farmers not to plant it unless they 
have the means of regularly turning it into hemp, and thus preventing its 
arrowing. The seeds of the flowering stems are scattered far and wide, and the 
resulting plants threaten to become a serious pest. This, at’all events, proves 
the suitability of the soil and climate of the North for the growth of the 
plant. The fibre content may, however, suffer from a too great succulence and 
luxuriousness of the plant. 
THE BRITISH BARLEY SOCIETY. 
The importance of the. proper management of a barley crop has been 
clearly shown at the late Agricultural Conference at Toowoomba, by Mr. V. C: 
Redwood, whose paper on the subject deserves the careful consideration of 
growers of that cereal. So great is the importance attached to the barley crop 
in England that a society has been formed in London (11 Queen Victoria street, 
E.C.), known as the British Barley Society. The objeets of the society are 
stated as follows :—To improve the character and quality of the barley; to aid 
growers in every way by furnishing the fullest information as to soils, seed, 
rotation and manures, stacking, threshing and dressing ; to encourage the better 
use of barley, and to foster arable cultivation of the soil, &c. 
