FOR POOR LANDS

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12566, 1 October 1926, Page 6

FOR POOR LANDS

DEPARTMENT SEEKS A GRASS DISTRICT BEING SOWN. When Mr W, J. Poison, Dominion president of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, returned to these shores some little time ago he hrought witn him some seed of the Harding grass, which ho described as “a fine, dark green, succulent grass with a wid% leaf than ryegrass and a greater inclination to stool out . . . which wag rapidly replacing, the less vigorous English grasses in the turf” and which he recommended to the Government as a likely grass to .keep down second growth and Weeds, , A statement just issued by the Minister for Agriculture (Hon. O. J. Hawken) is to the effect that all grasses likely to be of any use on deteriorated lands and at present available are at present being tried out in different experimental plots. Several grasses which Mr Poison sent from America during his recent visit have been .sown in the Whangamomona district, and some weeks ago the department of Agriculture sent to the United States for a further supply of Harding grass. This, it is hoped, will come to hand in time for sowing this spring, The department is sparing no effort, to obtain grasses whioh may prove useful, particularly in deteriorated country,