CHOICE OF SUITABLE GRASS

Taranaki Daily News, 11 September 1934, Page 11

CHOICE OF SUITABLE GRASS

EFFECT ON FUTURE PASTURES. VALUE OF CERTIFIED SEEDS. The importance of the selection of suitable grass mixtures is stressed in the following remarks supplied by Mr. J. M. Smith, Fields Officer, Department of Agrculture. He states:— “The selection of suitable grasses and clovers to put in a permanent pasture mixture is of paramount importance. In the light of recent pasture work it is now possible to definitely determine the best species to use. There are, however, local conditions met with in varoUs localities which must be considered, and the mixture altered or added to to suit such conditions. Perennial rye is the recognised foundation grass for a high-class darying sward, and high economical production will only be reached when rye is dominant in the sward. “This grass has a long growing season and is a highly palatable herbage plant. In conjunction With the rye must be a fair quantity of white clover, for no pasture is very productive that is weak to clover. A pasture good in white Clover is as a .rule a healthy pasture, the clover imparting a . vigour to the rye and other grasses that it is impossible to get with any manure. In the autumn a pasture deficient in white clover has a brown dormant appearance, and is low in production; These two then, perennial rye and white clover, should be the backbone species of the high producing dairying sward.

I “Next in importance comes cocksfoot, ■ a grass that is despised by many, but one that dairy farmers in general have ■ much to thank for. Cocksfoot is largely a summer and autumn grass, and this period of peak growth makes it a fit grass to sow in combination with rye, ; which latter grass eases up in growth somewhat during the summer months. “Timothy is also an important grass in . Taranaki, and one that does not always get the credit due to. it. It is an extremely palatable grass, and unless a paddock is closed up the stock seldom give Timothy a chance to become noticeable. “To ensure a close bottom in the sward, a very important feature of a high pro- : duction sward, a small quantity of : crested dogstail should be included in the mixture. Many farmers do not recognise this, grass until the autumn when it sends up its wirey Seedhead, but during the spring months dogstail grows a lot of feed for which rye is given credit. “At the present time the addition of cowgrass or red clover is quite a good thing, but these are, on the whole, only .temporary in habit, although within a few years this will probably be rectified. “These then form the basis of a high, production dairying sward, and the quantities to sow should be somewhat as follows:—Certified perennial rye, 20 to 251bs; N.Z. Cocksfoot, 10 to 121bs; Timothy, 31bs; Dogstail, 21bs; N.Z. certified White Clover, ■ 31bs; Cowgrass, 21bs. The quantity of seed to sow Will depend largely upon the seed bed. . If a good firm seed bed is obtained and the seed nicely covered, 401bs will be ample seed to sow an acre, but if the seed bed is rough or a big loss of seed is anticipated through other causes, 45 to 501bs should be sown. “The addition of other grasses and clovers for special conditions' is often advisable. For instance, paspalum is a grass that thrives well in those districts that are comparatively dry, as paspalum will grow rapidly during any dry autumn weather when the other grasses are at a standstill. “On any heavy rich reclaimed swamp land, such as raupo swamps, meadow foxtail will probably thrive, and should be included. “On the poorer rolling and hilly country where the sward is easily broken, the inclusion of a lb. or two of brown top keeps a sward that would otherwise break badly. Lotus major is a clover that can be used to advantage on much of our poorer country, or on the hill country, but where White clover establishes well there seems little need for lotus major. “Foe one or two paddocks, and particularly for those including paspalum, subterranean clover can be included to advantage. This is an early clover, and although only an annual, reseeds itself freely and remains prominent in the sward.