Please wait. Contacting image service... loading

Article text

:.BRACKEN FERN
Kikuyu Grass Control
SBecause of its smothering ef
Cect' on all other plants in a pas
'ture, kikuyu grass has been found
,of considerable value in the con
trol of bracken fern.
The fern country on which it is in
tended. to grow klkuyu should be
ploughled, and woriked prior: to plant
ing in the spring, orif the soil be of
anl open, free natuie the fern fronds
should -.be .cut in the eairly' spring;
Uttri a'n d 4arts rn rocts .had in. 0
large areas .drills 3 feet apart should
be' strick: out , itl' a. single furrow
plough;:, the ,kikuyu': being dropped
every 38 feat In ,the lbottom the drill,
and; covered 'iith a ilight furrow, or
i? the: directiond in-.hicl?ithey. run. If
thie weather is at Iall :favourable, the
kflkuyu ginass makes lheadcwy' as soon
as, or before, the' fern, and by winter
there is only sufficient fern showing
to :protect the: grass from frost. By
the' following spring a mat of grass
.hasiformed over the blank spaces, and
the fern is gradually choked out.
This grass provides excellent qlial
tty feed, and although mainly a sum
mer 'grower it witlhstands dry condi
tions better, remains greener for a
longer period, and provides a greater
bulk of feed. during the winter months
than does paspal-um. Kikuyu is par
ticularly useful for planting on hill
sides, as it binds the soil together and
thus prevents washing of the surface
soil.
In very cold districts its growth
period is limited to'a feiv:sionths of
the year; 'consequently siaeibe.sful re
sults can only be looked for in areas
where the rainfall is fairly plentiful
and where a long warnm growth period
is possible.
Large areas of klkuyu grass are
now established 'at the coastal experi
ment farms of the Department of
Agriculture, and cuttings are avail
able at very reasonable rates.
$