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PRELIMINARY REPORT ON THE NUTRITIVE VALUE OF CERTAIN 



AUSTRALIAN GRASSES. 



By Margaret H. O'Dwyeb, B.Sc, Science Research Scholar in the University 



of Sydney. 



CONTENTS. 



i. Introduction. 



ii. Material. 



iii. Value of Digestibility Experiments. 



iv. Discussion of Methods. 



V. Experimental. 



vi, Discussion of Tables. 



i. Introduction. 



In this paper it is proposed to embody the results ol' some research work 

 which has been carried out by myself in the Research Laboratory of the Agri- 

 cultural Department in the University of Sydney. As yet the work can only be 

 regarded as being in a preliminary stage, but it is hoped later, in further, pub- 

 lications of the series, to discuss more fully the economic aspect of the question 

 and to be able thereby to increase the value of the results to pastoralists and 

 agriculturists in this State and in the Commonwealth. 



In view of the amount of attention which has been given to this subject in 

 the United States within the last two decades, it is remarkable that, in Aus- 

 tralia, which depends so much on its pastures, the value of the native grasses 

 should not have received greater recognition from the "Man on the Land," for 

 experts have often drawn attention to their drought-resisting qualities, and have 

 emphasised the value of their cultivation. 



The experience which has been gained in the United States should be in- 

 valuable to us. There, also, they have suffered from the results of overstocking 

 (Pammel, 1901), many native grasses having died out from this cause. Great 

 efforts, however, have been made there to renew the worn out pastures by the 

 systematic cultivation of their most valuable indigenous grasses (Lawson-Scribner, 

 1896; Pammel, 1901; Sampson, 1914). These pastures show continuous im- 

 provement from year to year. 



Something of the same kind must be attempted in Australia at no very 

 distant date if we are to retain the valuable heritage we possess in our native' 

 grasses. A beginning has been made, for most of the State Experiment P"'arms 

 possess experimental grass plots. The enormous value of these in stimulating 

 interest in the formation of permanent native grass pastures will be evident. 



