COCKSFOOT.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XVIII, Issue 5, 20 May 1919, Page 257

COCKSFOOT.

ITS ESTABLISHMENT AND MAINTENANCE IN PASTURE.

By

A. H. COCKAYNE,

Biologist.

AMONG the main grasses used in the formation of New Zealand pastures cocksfoot, owing to its many valuable characters, is perhaps the most important. The large yield, high degree of

palatability, great adaptation under varying conditions of soil and climate, and great permanence when rationally treated are among the many qualities that have rendered this grass essential in the production of much long-rotation and permanent grassland. In short-rotation pasture cocksfoot is not used to anything like the same extent as it is on leas of longer duration. There is very little doubt, however, that its use should be very greatly extended in all rotation grassland throughout New Zealand on soils where perennial rye-grass runs out within two to five years of sowing.

Although the value of cocksfoot is fully appreciated by New Zealand farmers, except those concerned only with short-rotation grassland, there are many points regarding its establishment and management that require elucidation. In this article it is proposed to deal with a few of the salient features regarding the production and maintenance of cocksfoot pastures, but in the first place it is well to outline some

of the weaknesses or disadvantages of cocksfoot, some of which are of general application, while others are connected with environmental conditions.

DISADVANTAGES OF COCKSFOOT.

Broadly expressed, cocksfoot possesses two grave disadvantages : these are its tussocky growth-form and its almost complete' stoppage of growth during the winter. Both these characteristics render it unsuitable for sowing down as a pure pasture, and, in fact, nearly all its defects can be primarily traced to one or other of these characters. Apart from these real disadvantages there are others more or less erroneously attributed to this grass that have hindered it from attaining an even more important position than it at present occupies in New Zealand grassland. One of the main defects commonly attributed to cocksfoot is that it is extremely slow in reaching maturity, and that the herbage produced is insignificant until after from two or more years from sowing. It is therefore considered quite unsuitable for shortrotation pastures such as characterize the grassland of the croppingareas of the South Island. There is a certain amount of truth in this contention, but in many cases it is based on irrational sowing and management rather than on any natural slow development of the grass.

So far as growth-form is concerned cocksfoot belongs to the tussockforming grasses as distinguished from the mat-formers. Under grazed conditions, however, the tussock form is more or less avoided by the plants being kept eaten down fairly close to the ground. Again, the tussock form can be largely stopped provided a very close growth of plants is secured. In the first case, where the tussocky nature of the grass is inhibited by close grazing, great damage is often done by many of the shoots being pulled up, especially in the winter. It is commonly said that cocksfoot is very deep-rooted, but this does not alter the fact that portions of each heavily grazed-down tuft can be more readily pulled up than is the case with almost any other grass. Where the tussock-growth form is avoided by the production of excessive numbers of plants, or, in other words, by very heavy seeding, the bulk of herbage produced is very seriously affected. This is especially true on soils of moderate or low fertility and on dry soils generally.

With regard to the poor winter growth of cocksfoot, this is characteristic of it in all parts of New Zealand; but there is, of course, a far more extended dormant period in the South Island than there is in the North. It is probably due to its poor winter and early spring, growth that cocksfoot is unpopular in many dairying districts in the North Island where very early calving is practised. Its excellent growth, however, during the summer, when the growth from rye-grass is low, makes cocksfoot quite one of the best of grasses for milk-production, especially on soils that suffer from any extended summer drought. This fact is now being generally recognized, and in consequence cocksfoot is often the main grass used in dairying-pasture mixtures.

EMPLOYMENT OF COCKSFOOT.

Cocksfoot can be said to be used in all long-rotation and permanent pasture mixtures except on those soils —such as the richer portions of the Heretaunga —where perennial rye-grass is truly permanent,

and on certain reclaimed swamps where meadow-foxtail may take its place. The amount used per acre varies from i lb. to as high as 12 lb. per acre. For my part, I can see no object in using very small amounts in any seeding. Where, say, only 1 lb. is used the chances of establishment are quite remote, and the grass will never occupy any important position unless natural seeding is allowed. As a general rule, I consider that never less than 4 lb. should be sown, even where the land is said to hold perennial rye-grass permanently. On land where the pasture desired is definitely of a cocksfoot type not less than 10 lb. and in many cases 12 lb. is not too heavy a seeding if continuous grazing is to be adopted. On much bush-burn country 10 lb. of cocksfoot is regularly used in a total seeding of from 24 lb. to 28 lb. per acre.

This is, in general, a much heavier seeding of cocksfoot than was formerly employed. The reasons for this increase are due to much of the bush-burn country being of distinctly inferior quality, and also to the fact that present-day bush-burn sowings are more heavily stocked in their earlier stages. At the present time the cocksfoot on new burns is rarely allowed to seed —a condition common in past times. I am inclined to think that the present system of close feeding of bush-burns during their first year is a great mistake, especially on second-class soils. In cocksfoot-establishment too much stress cannot be given to the importance of the production of vigorous plants during the first year following sowing.

This brings up the point as to whether turnips and rape —with consequent heavy stocking of the young grass —should be included in bush-burn mixtures. The practice, of course, is very general and applies to all grades of bush-burn soils. It seems clear to me that on second-class or worse land brassicas should be excluded, and all the manurial stimulation of the ashes should be available for the rapid and vigorous establishment of the grasses, especially of the cocksfoot. On such soils, if the cocksfoot-plants are not vigorously established in the first season they are never likely to produce much herbage, and the whole future production of the grassland will be seriously impaired. On better-class soils the inclusion of brassicas is probably sound, as the fertility of the soil itself is sufficient to allow of the proper establishment of the grass even when heavy stocking is practised. Once cocksfoot is properly established and has formed large plants it will continue to grow freely even on poor soils, but when checked in its early stages on such ground it is never satisfactory and is very liable to become eaten out.

CONDITIONAL NON-PERMANENCY OF COCKSFOOT.

On much bush-burn country, especially on steep slopes, cocksfoot, even when apparently properly established, does not last for more than a few years, after which either undesirable successions, such as fern, become dominant, or the pasture gradually turns into danthonia grassland. This non-permanency of cocksfoot is due to the plants being pulled right out of the ground by stock. The bare ground between the plants becomes washed or blown away, - and the cocksfoot-plants are left growing on the tops of little hillocks of soil. They are then pulled out with the greatest ease.

This condition is quite a common one, and can be avoided only by the initial production of a close and compact sward. The tussocky nature of the cocksfoot itself quite prevents this being accomplished unless a liberal seeding of grasses that will fill in all bare spaces is carried out in the original sowing. Such grasses must be of a matforming type, and for this purpose the value of Poa pratensis is often underestimated. Crested dogstail, again, although not a true mat-

former, is highly valuable in conjunction with Poa pratensis in binding together the cocksfoot-plants and preventing them being pulled out. On soils where cocksfoot is likely to suffer in the manner described at least 3 lb. of Poa pratensis and 2 lb. of crested dogstail per acre should be included in the mixture. -

It is also highly necessary that on such soils, the cocksfoot should not be checked in its early growth, and quite light grazing during the first two seasons is advocated. ' In many cases, againand this is particularly true of tussock country—continuous grazing results in cocksfoot being virtually eaten out. Under such conditions spelling the ground, especially during spring and early summer, has often a remarkable effect in regenerating cocksfoot.

USE IN SHORT-ROTATION GRASSLAND.

In the cropping-areas of the South Island, where short-rotation grassland lasting from two to four years is a feature, cocksfoot does not occupy an important position. The reason is largely the current opinion that cocksfoot does not yield sufficiently heavily in its earlier

years to warrant inclusion except in limited quantities. These shortrotation pastures, consisting mostly of perennial rye-grass, are eminently satisfactory during the first year, but the rye-grass soon becomes weak, and in general they require to be ploughed up before the end of their third year. This system of short-rotation pastures to be ploughed up as soon as they have run out has been general in the South Island for many years, and is highly unsatisfactory from the upkeep of soil-fer-tility standpoint. Rotation grassland, apart from the feed it produces, must be looked upon as the humus-renovator in the cropping system. The rye-grass pastures of the —and this refers more particularly to the lighter lands of Canterbury —are markedly inefficient in this respect. What is required are pastures that at the end of their third or fourth year will yield large amounts of organic matter when they are ploughed under. A more extended use of cocksfoot in shortrotation grassland would tend in this direction.* Without doubt, fairly heavy sowings of cocksfoot should be a feature over all the light land of the South Island, where this grass is at the present time studiously avoided. A typical Canterbury mixture would consist, roughly, of' 20 lb. of perennial rye, 3 lb. of clovers, with perhaps 2 lb. of Italian rye, and from 1 lb. to 2 lb. of cocksfoot.' The seed is generally springsown with a cereal — oats in the majority of cases — and often thecocksfoot, owing to the dry conditions engendered by the cereal tobe harvested, does not establish at all. ■ .

Apart from modifying the mixtures so as to make cocksfoot thedominant ingredient, it will be necessary in the drier soils of Canterbury to either spring-sow apart from a harvested cereal or autumn-sow if lasting and productive pastures are to be secured. The superior results following sowing grass with rape or soft turnips clearly indicate that, spring sowing with a harvested cereal is an unbound practice. However, as oats often end the annual crops of a rotation and grass of necessity has to follow, autumn sowing following oats is advocated for the establishment of pastures largely of cocksfoot, provided the season has not been exceptionally dry and the oat crop has not exhausted the water resources of the soil. Under such circumstances the late autumn sowing of green-feed oats followed by spring sowing of the grass should be adopted. The type of mixture I should advise would be somewhat as follows: Cocksfoot, 12 lb.; rye-grasses, 10 lb.; clovers, 4 lb.; and perhaps 21b. of crested dogstail.

■ On the Ashburton Experimental Farm the value of heavy sowings of cocksfoot for rotation pasture is well shown. The land is of a distinctly poor character, the soil being thin with gravel coming close to the surface. The ordinary rye-grass mixtures run out after , the second year, and give virtually no feed during the summer and autumn.. On such land excellent results have followed . the sowing in early March of the ’ following mixture : Cocksfoot, 15 lb. ; Italian rye, -3 lb. ; perennial rye, 5 lb. ; crested dogstail, 2 lb. ; cow-grass, 2 lb. ; ‘ white clover, 1 lb. At the end of two years this mixture has resulted in an excellent .pasture of cocksfoot, crested dogstail,- and clovers, and it is also noticeable that the rye-grass plants are markedly more vigorous

than in the ordinary rye-grass plots, which are beginning to thin out. The pasture, in fact, has a really good sole with virtually no bare spaces. I . would be inclined in future to increase the amount of white clover, as although there are large quantities of seed in the ground a good growth of white clover right from the germination of the cocksfoot appears to exert a remarkable effect on cocksfoot-development. Unfortunately, on much of the lighter land of Canterbury the growth of white clover is feeble except in seasons of more than average rainfall. A clover that will grow well on soils which normally dry out badly in the summer is one of our most urgent requirements. As Dr. Hilgendorf has pointed out, Lotus corniculatus should prove of great value in this respect. At any rate, the synchronous production of a clover of not too smothering a character appears to be extremely beneficial for the rapid establishment of cocksfoot.

THE EFFECT OF CLOVER ON COCKSFOOT.

At the Central Development Farm, Weraroa, remarkable results have followed the sowing of large amounts of white clover along with a liberal seeding of cocksfoot. Two adjacent plots were laid down in the autumn of 1917. In one plot 14 lb. of cocksfoot and 6 lb. of white clover per acre were sown, and in the other 14 lb. of cocksfoot and 3 lb. of crested dogstail. During the spring and summer of 1917 the clover plot, consisted of a very vigorous growth of dark-green cocksfoot and white clover, while the cocksfoot in the adjacent plot remained small and much lighter in colour. In the spring of 1918 the results were even more marked. The cocksfoot in the plot where clover was sown commenced growth quite one month sooner than in the other, and was superior in all respects. In February, 1919, both plots were cut for seed, that where clover was grown yielding at the rate of 250 lb. per acre, while the other produced 120 lb. Apart from this, the main growth in the no-clover plot occurred, as is usual, along the margins, while in the clover plot the growth of cocksfoot in the centre was equally vigorous with that along the edges.

This stimulating effect of large quantities of white clover indicates the great value of a good growth of clover right from the time of the sowing of the cocksfoot. It would appear to be highly probable that much of the benefit of phosphatic top-dressing of pastures, is due indirectly to the general clover response that follows rather than to any immediate benefit the grasses themselves derive from the fertilizer.

DEPRESSING EFFECT OF ITALIAN RYE-GRASS.

Owing to the very vigorous and immediate growth of Italian rye this grass has become very popular as the temporary filler in mixtures for pastures of long duration. In many cases the amount per acre has been as high as 10 lb., used, of course, in conjunction with the various other more permanent grasses and clovers. The idea is that the Italian will furnish an abundance of feed during the first year, and that afterwards the more permanent elements will take its place. This perhaps is true with regard to many grasses that are likely to seed under grazed conditions, but so far as cocksfoot-establishment is concerned excessive amounts of Italian have a most depressing effect. As is well known,

cocksfoot under more or less continuous grazing, which is the treatment generally accorded New Zealand grassland, rarely produces any seedheads. This is especially true on sheep pastures, and applies also to cattle and dairying grassland, except on the ungrazed patches surrounding cattle-droppings.

This non-seeding of grazed cocksfoot is one of its most important characteristics from' an establishment point of view. It emphasizes the fact that the amount of cocksfoot in a pasture will depend primarily upon the amount that is sown and on the number of plants that will be established during the first few months following sowing. In general, comparatively no increase in the number of cocksfoot-plants occurs in the seasons following sowing, and, as will be pointed out, a reduction in the number of plants generally occurs. Thus any increase in the amount of ground occupied by cocksfoot will in all cases be due to increase in size of individual plants alone. Again, the ability of individual cocksfoot-plants to cover any considerable area depends very largely on whether or not vigorous plants have been developed during the season following sowing. Where excessive amounts of Italian rye are used the cocksfoot-plants are . in general small and weak in the year following seeding. As the cocksfoot is kept hard grazed down it stands little chance of developing vigorous plants after the Italian has disappeared. There is no doubt that the failure in many parts of the North Island to establish good cocksfoot pastures in the renovation of bush-burn grasslands is due to the excessive use of Italian rye coupled with overstocking before the cocksfoot-plants are properly established.

Some very instructive examples of the depressing effect of Italian rye-grass on cocksfoot-establishment are afforded at the Central Development Farm. In one paddock of temporary pasture 4 lb. of cocksfoot per acre was included in a number of plots where Italian rye and prairie-grass were the main grasses used. In the rye-grass plots Italian was sown at the rate of 24 lb. per acre. In the first year the plots were heavily grazed in the winter and spring, and two hay crops were alsoharvested. The amount of cocksfoot in the hay was nil, what plants there were in the plots not being sufficiently high to be cut by the mower. In the prairie-grass plot, where the same amount of cocksfoot was used and .60 lb. of prairie sown, considerable amounts of cocksfoot were present in the second crop of hay, and the plants were large and vigorous. In the second year the plots were again grazed, mainly with cattle, during the winter and spring, and another hay crop harvested in December. On going over the field shortly before cutting, very few cocksfoot-heads could be seen in the Italian-rye plots, while the prairieplot contained ten times the number, and the cocksfoot-plants were strong and vigorous, yielding an abundance of herbage.

Again, in the autumn of 1918 a field was laid down in various plotsin each of which cocksfoot at the rate of 14 lb. per acre was sown, together with other grasses and clovers. Two plots of 4 acres each were sown with the same mixture, except that one contained no Italian, while the other had 10 lb. included. * The difference in the cocksfoot in these two plots has been most marked. In the December following, or eight months after sowing, a splendid thick growth of cocksfoot had been produced on the no-Italian area, while where Italian had been used the cocksfoot-plants were small and scattered. Any one viewing

the two areas would have said that at least four times as much cocksfoot had been used on one area as on the other. As the paddock had been grazed almost entirely with cattle, there were numerous patches on both plots marking droppings where the grass had not been eaten. In no case on the area where Italian was sown were there any seed-heads of cocksfoot in these patches. On the other hand, in all the ungrazed patches on the no-Italian areas the cocksfoot was seeding freely. At the time of writing (end of April), just twelve months from the date of seeding, the cocksfoot-no-Italian area is a splendid cocksfoot pasture, and in combination with crested dogstail, which was used at the rate of 4 lb. per acre on both blocks, forms an excellent even sward. The cocksfoot-plants in the Italian block, on the other hand, are still small, and under heavy grazing would never form a sufficiently compact sole to remain permanent.

It is probable that small seedings of Italian rye would -exert no harmful effect on cocksfoot-establishment, but - I am inclined to think that in no case should the amount exceed 41b. per acre. Again, on ground of only moderate fertility I' should omit Italian altogether. On bush-burn country where perennial rye-grass does not hold longer-than from two to three years, and where if possible cocksfoot should be the dominant grass, I should include Italian rye-grass rather than any perennial, using, say, about 4 lb. per acre. The depressing effect of Italian is not so marked on bush-burns, as in general the whole seeding is much lighter than on ploughed land, and competition is not so keen in the early stages of the development of the land into grass.

THE TOP-DRESSING OF COCKSFOOT.

As has been mentioned, on pastures that are continually grazed cocksfoot rarely produces any seed-stalks. This is in marked distinction to such grasses as the ryes and crested dogstail. Again, on soils of low fertility cocksfoot may not flower until two or three years after sowing, even if left unstocked. The same phenomenon also occurs on the short-rotation grassland of Canterbury, where small amounts of cocksfoot may be included. Much of this grassland in its first and second years is harvested for rye-grass seed, but cocksfoot is rarely found in any appreciable amount in farmers’ dressed seed from such crops. In cocksfoot-establishment rapid growth from germination onwards is always a factor of intense importance. If the early growth is slow, unless the soil is of exceptional fertility, further development is unsatisfactory. On soils where cocksfoot appears naturally difficult to establish, top-dressing with a nitrogenous manure so as to stimulate growth seems to be necessary. The wonderful results of heavy seedings of clover with cocksfoot seem to point to this, and an experience at Weraroa appears to support such view. In the autumn of 1917 a block of 6 acres of pure cocksfoot was laid down on some very stony ground on the farm—so stony, in fact, that one end of the area is used as a gravel-pit. : On this ground considerable extents of the cocksfoot did not produce any seed-heads even nearly two years after sowing, the plants remaining about 6 in. high. The area was stocked for a few days in the winter of 1918, and in January of this year it was noticeable that over all the area where the cocksfoot remained stunted there were vigorous patches of cocksfoot with seed-

heads over 2 ft. 6 in. in height, marking the site of droppings from the stock that had been grazed on the area the previous winter. In order to test the effect of top-dressing a definite series of experiments is being conducted on this area, and the results should prove of great value.

SEED-PRODUCTION.

Roughly about .2,000 tons of cocksfoot-seed is sown annually in New Zealand. The majority of this is produced locally, the larger portions being grown in the Canterbury District. When harvested by hand in the' Banks Peninsula, area it is termed “ Akaroa cocksfoot,” and when machine-harvested on level ground it is traded as Plains cocksfoot ” and generally contains considerable amounts of perennial rye-grass. When the rye is in large quantities a high bushel-weight is obtained without the amount of blowing necessary to raise a farmers’ dressed Akaroa line to the 16-17 lb. standard.

The germination of New Zealand cocksfoot when germinated under the methods adopted at the Department’s seed-testing station is often considerably lower than is looked upon as satisfactory in Europe. This is due to the fact that local seed generally contains a large percentage of empty husks. In many cases quite 30 per cent, by numbers of the apparently mature seeds are devoid of kernels. Since 1908, when the price of cocksfoot began to increase considerably, cleaning has not been satisfactory. It is true that the separation of extraneous seeds has improved, but far too many empty husks are left in the average machinedressed line. So long as the dressed line is comparatively free from extraneous seed and the weight reaches a 16-17 lb. standard no attention is given to the quantity of empty husks remaining.

This is not such a serious matter, so far as local consumption is concerned, provided the buyer purchases on a germination test, but for export the case is very different. At one time New Zealand was one of the main countries exporting cocksfoot to Great Britain, but before the war Denmark was occupying the position previously held by New Zealand. in this respect. . The reason for this was almost entirely owing to the Danish seed being better blown and freer from empty husks than our local exportations. Before it can be expected that New Zealand shall again occupy the premier position on the London market more care will have to be taken in removing the empty husks from the lines that are exported. ■ , ’ .

Taken as a whole an average good crop of cocksfoot will yield from 150 lb. to 200 lb. of- seed per acre. Of this amount anything from 10 to 20 per cent, will represent weed-seeds and other rubbish lost in the cleaning, so that an average good crop will yield from 130 lb. to 170 lb. of dressed seed. The Danes secure yields far in excess of this, and it was largely due to their large yields that they could afford to undersell New Zealand seed on- the London market. In general, . the Danish cocksfoot is grown in rows and intercultivated when necessary. The result is that the individual plants grow to great proportions and in consequence yield heavily. Yields of over 6 cwt. per acre are said not to be unusual. As the areas are kept free from weeds, the loss in dressing is not nearly so great as it is in New Zealand. Apart from this, Danish seed is generally larger than that grown here, and the germination is more vigorous. During the past few years very large amounts

of Danish seed have been imported into New Zealand, and its high germination and bold appearance have enabled it to be sold at higher prices than the best local lines could command. At the Central Development Farm there is an area of cocksfoot of one of the pure strains selected at Moumahaki. This is being grown on the Danish system in rows 3 ft. apart. This season the plot yielded at the rate of 500 lb. of farmer-dressed seed, weighing 14I lb. per bushel. The example gives a clear indication of the large yields that are possible when cocksfoot is grown in this manner. It has been found,

however, that a space of 3 ft. between the rows is too much, and better results would follow a spacing of, say, 28 in. So far as intercultivation is concerned, this would not be necessary to any extent after the first two years, as the plants would finally meet between the rows and keep down weeds. After harvesting the ground could be stocked, and excellent late summer and autumn feeding would be secured. Heavy stocking of areas devoted to cocksfoot-seed production should, however, not be encouraged, and in order to secure the best results no late spring feeding-off should ever be carried out.

Noxious Weeds. — Ox-eye daisy has been declared a noxious weed by the Kowai County Council. Gorse has been similarly declared by the Ohura County Council.

* Dr. Hilgendorf, in his book on New Zealand pastures, well points out thevalue of cocksfoot for largely replacing rye-grass on the short-rotation grassland, of Canterbury.