OUR WEED GRASSES,

Otago Witness, Issue 2200, 30 April 1896, Page 6

OUR WEED GRASSES,

Br Geobgb Brownleb,

V All plants growing out of their place may be considered weeds, and are more or less injurious." (Reawunged for the Otago Witness.) No. XXlV.— Yobkshibb Fog (Holcus lanatus). This weed grass is burdened with an abundance of common names — sucb as eoft grass, meadow soft grass, woolly soft gr»S3, fog grass, &o. — indeed, almost every county in the old country has a name for it', but it is invariably detested as a worthless weed. It is unpalatable and non-nutritive, either when made into hay or in pasture. We lately saw it mentioned in an Australian book, and recommended as a ♦' productive and easily cultivated grass." Had the writer added but erf no value »s food and little value as bidding, there might have been some excuse for the statement. Yorkshire fog is » perennial grats, growing from lft to 3ft bigh, with fibrous root», downy leaves, nnd light stems. It flowers from October to January, and is etsily distinguished by its early clusters of purplibh- white flowers. It grows naturally on inferior light soils, and if tbe soil is inclined to bo peaty it thrive* vigorously. In paddocks whera the ryegraas has died cub through frequent seed-saving the fog and goose i grasses will almost take possession. In patches | of cocksfoot where seed is saved every year (a thing which should never be done) the fog becomes vigorous. The Holcus grasses are easily distinguished from all other grasses by the woolly soft appearance of (he panicles, wliicE*

are oi a great vatiety of shades in colour, from pure white to a beautiful red ; the white tints generally prevail. j No. XXV.— The Beamed Fos (Holcua moltio). This variety, altbcugh not so common as the former, has found its way to Obsgo. A few years ago the price of ryegrass seed was very high here ; it was then pr< Stable to import from England, and the creeping or bearded fog was introduced with the cheaper samples of rypgrass. It is perennial, growing, according to the richness of the soi', from lft to sft in length. It has tower* ful creeping toots, which recommßud it for fowiDg upon shifting slopes and railway embankments. It produces few stalks, has rough, pale green leaves, loose white panicles, and long awns, flowering in December and Jacuary. These two grasses should be extirpated from all pastures where they abound, and samples of ryegrass tmd cocksfoot seeds in which fog is present should be carefully dressed before sowing. Nj». XXVI, — Thb Sweet-scented Soft Gbass (Holcus odorato). This pretty little sub-<lpme grass is eaid to ba indigenous to New Zealand aad the Australias, and also to the Northern Hemisphere. It is a pereLni-d, with fibrous, creeping roots, slender stems about lffc high, smooth, dab leaves, and thining paticles. It is seldom <een on the lowlands, but frequently mot wilh at an altitude of from 2000 ft to + 4000tfc. It is of little value in agriculture, but-»iaterealing from a botanical point. It is said to have an historical interest in some parts of Europe from an ancient custom of strewing it before church doors on holy days. In Norway ib has been hung over beds where lay patients afiTcted with insomnia, in the belief that it would induce sleep. It has been supetstitiously called " The Holy Grass." No. XXVII. —The Broad -leaved Cotjch Grass (Triticum repens). The couch grasses are among3fc the most troublesome and most common weeds with which tbe agriculturist has to contend. Mnny paddocks are annually sown down in grass in which the creeping roots of these pests abound. No farmer who has any regard for future ere pping will continue the practice. A bare fallow or a scrupulously clean drilled root crop is the cheapest and best course to pursue. Tribicum repens is a strong-growing, perennial gra*s, and is propagated both by root suid seed. It is a very variable plant, growing from lft to Mb higb, and coi<tinues flowering from' December to February. Its straggling underground stems oreep about tho luote soil in all directions. A root taken from a flower border the other day measured sft in length, and had over 50 buds, all ready to send forth numerous flower stems, and if allowed to ripen bear a large quantity of seed. Cattle aud cheep are very fond of the young blades, but do not care for* it as it becomes older. Horses are very fond of the creeping stems ; they are very sweet and juicy, and contain more nutriment than tbe beibage. In Italy these underground stems are gathered and washed, and sold as food for horses. In combination with other roots it is sometimes used in medicine. Tritsicuna is closely svllit d to ryegrass, but is easily distinguished by its broader leaf and darker green. The •pikelets of ryegrass are fixed edgeways to the axi% while the spike lets of couch are set broadside bo the axis, as is tbe case in a wheat ear. Tbe latter most useful plant also belongs to the genus Triticum ; this fact may compensate us for the troublesome weeds which belong to the tribe. The moat effectual means for their eradication, as before stated, are bare fallow or drilled rcot crop. "When fallow is adopted the ploughing should be deep, going below the roots of the plants, with a diligent use of the grubber and harrows, and hand picking. When treated with root crop the grubber must be used as long as the crop will permit, followed by hand hoeing and careful picking.