A NEW GRASS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4211, 18 September 1874, Page 3

A NEW GRASS.

(From the Southern Cross.) Captain Cuves, of the barque Thames, from Adelaide, was a bearer of a small box of the roots of a very valuable drought resisting grass, known botanically as panicum spectabile. It is also known by the name of. Phillip’s -grass. It lias been acclimatised in South Australia, although it is a native of the southern portion of Brazil. The box containing the roots was brought on board the Thames during Captain Cuves’ absence, and bore the botanical name of the grass. When Captain Cuves came on board again, one of the crow drew his attention to the box which had been left during his absence, and told that it contained “pannikins and spectacles.” A glance at the label, however, showed Captain Cures that the sailor had been guilty of a slight misreading. The grass is coming into much favor in South Australia, as one of the best yet introduced into that Colony, for resisting the long dry and hot summers which prevail there. It seems to have been introduced quite accidentally. A bird fancier procured a quantity of canary seed and fed his feathered favorites in a cage hung outside the house. The canary seed° seem to have contained a few_ seed of the panicum spectabile, and some of it had fallen out of the cage and took root. The vigorous growth of the strange plant in the driest weather attracted attention to it, and Dr, Shomburgh on the matter being referred to him, was enabled to tell the. name and character of the stranger. Since then the greatest care has been taken to spread the grass in that Colony, as extensively as possible, and as it seeds freely and abundantly, and can be propagated 'also by the division of its roots, it bids fair -to become very general in South Australia before many years° have elapsed. Captain Phillips, by 'whom the package of roots was sent to our local Acclimatisation Society, causes his travellers and agents to take some of tire roots with them wherever they go and stick a few in here and there, by the waysides, and on public or private lands, whore an opportunity presents itself. It has been found in South Australia to produce a greater quantity of forage per acre than any other grass at present grown in that Colony, and it is believed that the introduction of it into this X’rovinco will be attended with equally beneficial results. The genus to which the grass belongs is a vci'y extensive one, Stendel having described' at least 850 species under this class. Their geographical range is extensive, but they are chiefly natives of the tropical and subtropical, regions of the earth. The species of which some roots have been obtained, grows to a height of from six to seven fcot in its native country. In many countries where these "revues grow they constitute the principal fodder, plants of those countries. There is every reason to believe that the grass will take well with the Auckland climate. A few months, however, will throw further light on this matter. Should it prove a success, it is to bo hoped that our settlers will take an interest in spreading it throughout the Province, although it is not oue of the grasses which they have been accustomed to grow in the cold climate and under the cloudy skies of Britain.