KIKUYU GRASS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24250, 16 April 1942, Page 4

KIKUYU GRASS

Sir, —"It isr'a wise policy to play > safe," concluded the instructor of agriculture at Warkworth in his broadcast on Monday night about kikuyu grass, which nowadays- is spreading fast throughout North Auckland in particular. As he indicated, it will thrive all right. Years agp it was planted at Puwera Experimental Farm, in Whangarei district. Mr. Tom H. Patterson, then departmental expert-in-eharge and Auckland Rugby Union administrator, thought it was great—at first. And kikuyu even then very nearly became the principal pasture of all practically frost-free parts of Auckland Province. Doubtless it would have, but the first Springboks brought with them one Kruger, who held in Johannesburg, a iob similar to Mr. Patterson's, Tn ft , pair met at a Rugby function in Auckland and they talked shop. Kruger taked double Dutch to Tom, who gathered that his next and most urgent job was to eradicate kikuyu from every clod in this country. a Kruger gave sound warning then. a& knew of vast territories up Rhodesiaway where kikuyu is almost the only fodder for wild animals over an area within which Auckland Province could be "lost among the kopjes," to use his own phrasing. Patterson got busy and eradicated kikuyu from Purewa; or thought he had! Anyway, some farmers liked kikuyu, so easy to plant, so easv to grow- not so easy to stop growing. Time will tell. Spud "of NZ.