The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1881-03-02
A Fodder Scrub for Dry Land.

The Pacific Rural Press gives the
following account of All Australian
fodder scrub which might be intro
duced into this State with benefit:
"Our Australian exchanges bring
accounts of shru0 which has been
grown extensively in the dry regions
of Victoria and South Australia and
found of value as a shrub tor yield
ing fodder on lands where ordinary
forage plants will not grow. II
might prove of value in some parts
of this country. The Adelaide OF
SerUer has this account of the plant:
Among the new fodder plants re.
ceived recently at the Melbourne b.
tanic Garden is the Pentzia virgata,
or African sheep bush. This plant,
though not generally known, has
been cultivated in our Botanic Gar
den for very many years past, and
has also been very extensively cult
waited by few sheep farmers in the
far north. The following is Mr..
Guilfoyle's report upon the matter:
Much attention has hitherto been de-
voted to the introduction and propa-
CATION of various kinds Of fodder
plants, such as herbs, grasses, etc,
which have been freely distribut ed |
from time to time to applicants, in
accordance with the rules of the es-
adjustment, in exchange for seeds,
plants, herbarium specimens, etc.
A good opportunity is now afforded
those who may wish to experiment
with the celebrated Pentzia virgata,
or African sheep bush, a large parcel
of the seed OF which has just been re-
ceived from Mr.. Z. j. Dunn, of
Butfels Kloot, South America. In
his letter he says: "By this mail l
send yon bag of seed of the Schaaf
bosh (sheep bush) or true Karoo
bosh, plant that provides some mil
ions of sheep with food in the driest
portions of this colony. Sheep,
goats, cattle and horses are all fond
If this small bush, and rapidly fatten,
,hough there should be no other
where they are depast-
lred. The great value OF this bush
S that it fourishes best where the
ainfalI averages from six to eight in
hes per annum only, and it should
heretore be applicable to much OF
, agssS ,Sss5hern and western territory
81 u ksss,s ssf'es w6ufd
thrive well ia Riverina. Il grows
freely from seeds, and also from lay
ers, and prefers deep reddish loan
in which lime and iron abound it ID
not injured if the ground is bracklsh.
1t is quite possible that in the inter
Tor this plant might become very use
full and profitable to cultivators, as 1t
hourishes where grass cannot I'VE on
account of the arid nature OF the eli
mate. There are several plants SINH
lar in appearance, but this is the
genuine one which is OF such i'm
mense value in this colony" There
can be no doubt that Pen:zla vlrgata
is a most estimable fodder plant in
South Africa. and is we'll worthy OF
trial in all parts of Australia. From
experiments made in the Melbourne
Botanic Gardens it strikes freely
from cuttings, and grows luxurlantlI
in moist situations, though its chief
recommendation seems to be That IL
tlourishes in arid soils. In letter
received two years ago from Mr.
Moody, Ojago, New Zealand he
states: Il have tried the plant
(Pentzia virgata] here, and find it to
be a good grower, and also capable
Of standing a considerable degree OF
frost. 1t is sometimes as low as IL
and 130 Fair, on the ground here IN
winter" The plant belongs to the
order -4Sterdceg. The seeds are
small, and should not be buried 100
deeply in the soil IN tact, scarcely
as much as one-tourth of Sn inch. "A
moderate amount of moisture should
be applied until termination takes
place.