South African Herbage Crops

Abstract

THE grasslands and forage crops of the British Dominions and Colonies have been the subject of various issues in the Herbage Publication Series, New Zealand and Australia being dealt with in Bulletins 11 and 14 respectively, while papers on research in India and Canada have appeared in Herbage Reviews. The most recent addition to this series published by the Herbage Bureau, Aberystwyth, is Bulletin 18 entitled, “Pastures and Forage Crops in South Africa” (Aberystwyth: Imperial Bureau of Plant Genetics. 35.) in which contributions are made by such recognized authorities as I. B. Pole Evans, A. R. Saunders, J. W. Rowland and S. R. de Villiers. The four distinct types of natural pasture, namely, parkland, grassland, desert shrub and sclerophyllous bush are described in detail so that the special problems associated with each of them are clearly indicated. The discovery that the general decline in carrying capacity of the veld had resulted from faulty grazing management has led to a research programme being developed on national lines to enable the natural pastoral resources to be more efficiently utilized. At the same time, the progressive nature of the livestock policy has brought the question of fodder crops to the fore, and more attention will have to be paid to the production of legumes in the future. The importance of breeding work is also recognized, and as a result of the intensive botanical survey recently undertaken, a large and valuable collection of indigenous grasses has been made. From this it is hoped to build up the types of herbage most suitable for the various districts, introduction of grasses from Europe or America being largely ruled out owing to the differences in climatic conditions.