NEW FORAGE PLANTS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1315, 13 May 1897, Page 7

NEW FORAGE PLANTS.

Above, Mr T. Rowe, a well-known settler in the Bell Block, Taranaki, advertises for sale two new forage plants which he has cultivated. Mr Rowo has recently contri- * buted to the Taranaki Herald a description of the plants, from which we clip the following:— SACALINE. This plant is causing quite a sensation in tho United States, Erance and England. The reports from the several Governments state that this plant will yield from 150 to 200 tons of green food per acre per year without any manure or any cultivation whatever. At first I thought this yield so extraordinary that I was inclined to doubt it, but since growing and experimenting with it, I find that it will not only do all that is claimed, but will, in this more favoured climate, far exceed even that enormous yield. A single plant will throw up over a hundred young shoots at one time, growing at the rate of from four inches to seven inches per day, with large leaves, 12 inches by 8 inches, all the way up the shoot up to a height of 12 feet, if not cut or fed, and although it yields such enormous crops, it is one of the richest in feeding value for all kinds of stock. For dairy cows this plant cannot be excelled, yielding all the season young and succulent food of the richest quality. It i 3 also one of the easiest of plants to grow; needs absolutely no cultivation whatever; can be planted in grass fields, swampy ground, rough hilly country, in fact, anywhere; and will quickly outgrow any other plant near it. The seed of the true variety of this plant is bringing fabulous prices in Europe and on the continent at the present time. Seed has been sold as high as .£4O per ounce- of seed. The plant will produce seed the second year from seed. My plants are showing a heavy crop of seed although only two years old. The young shoots of this plant are also a splendid vegetable, served the same as asparagus, which they much resemble when young. Should be planted five feet apart each way, when it will cover the ground in twelve months. TAGASOSTE, OR TREE LUCERNE.

This is another wonderful forage plant, being a native of Siberia. 1 have a plant of this two years and three months old from seed, which is 20ft high and 72ft in circumference of branches. This tree started to bloom when only 18 months old ; kept in bloom for six months; and ripened its seed at two years old, yielding about a bushel of seed from a two-year-old tree. These seeds I planted in January last, and some of the plants are three feet high already. This is a magnificent tree if allowed to grow, reaching the height of 50 feet in about five years from seed; and grows just as fast in cold, frosty weather as ic does in spring. This plant is like the preceding one in high feeding qualities; it is also one of the very best honey producers in the world. The seed is also a valuable food for pigs and poultry, which fatten very rapidly on it. This beautiful plant bids fair to entirely supersede the pinus insignus for ornamental planting and shelter, seeing that it grows five times as fast as the

insignus, and if planted to the same extent as the insignus, would, in three or four years, produce enough valuable seed to feed all the poultry and pigs in the district. The plants, when in bloom, are one of the grandest growths in cultivation, with light silvery foliage and lovely white scented flowers, presenting a weeping fountain of surpassing loveliness for six months in the year. This plant is absolutely drought proof, sending its roots down to a depth of 20 or 30 feet, or until it reaches moisture. When used for feeding the stock should be turned in when the plants are about six months old, and the more they are broken about the more husky they become. All kinds of stock will fatten rapidly on this plant. Should be planted six feet apart for fodder purposes, and ten feet apart for shelter.— I am, &c., T. Rowe, Parmer, Bell Block, Taranaki. March 16, 1897.