500 



Journal of Agricultm 



ictoiui. 



[10 Aug., 1917. 



green and hi.xuriant becomes their growth. To one enemy do they 

 succumb, and that is the pastoralist who overstocks his land. But for 

 this greed he loses tenfold, as it is well knowii that stock thri^-e in 

 drought periods on land where salt plants abound, besides escaping 

 many diseases, while animals pastured on lands where salinous plants 

 have been eaten out, frequently die of starvation. 



Pastoralists would be well repaid if they were to re-disseminate the 

 saltbush on their lands where it has been eaten out, or to cultivate it on 

 parts where it was previously unknown. The great variety of species 

 and their extreme hardiness lend themselves well to these general pro- 

 positions, as plants could be found which would thrive in any climate, 

 and on almost any soil. For instance, Ehaf/odin BiUnrdieri and A tri- 

 plex einerea would thrive well on the barren, wind-swept ridses cf the 

 coast. Korhia sedifolia, the famous Australian Blue Bush, would flourish 

 in most arid districts, but its drought-resisting qualities are closely 

 rivalled by its relatives, the Cottony Saltbush, Kochia lanosa, and 

 Grey Bush, K. pyramidata. The latter plant is found principally near 

 the Murray River in Victoria, and like many of its congeners, it affords 

 excellent pasture-fodder. 



Analysis of Kochia pijramidata, Benth. — "Gbey Bush." 



In the p)roceedings of the Royal Society of Kew South Wales, 1880, 



p. 133, Mr. W. A. Dixon gives the following analysis of this plant: — 



% 

 Oil .. .. .. .. .. .. 2-14 



Carbohydi'atfs 

 Albuminoids 

 Woody fibre 

 Asli CO 5 . . 



Nitrogen . . 



Woody parts of plant 



Edible parts of plant 



.32-63 



19-94 



8-04 



37-25 



100-00 



3-19 

 37- 

 63- 



Ash Analysis. 



Probably one of the best saltbushes is the half-berried Atriplex 

 (Atriplex semibaccata), a procumbent, many-branched plant which 

 spreads in a dense mat on the ground, and which could be grown 

 indiscriminately. One plant will often cover an area the size of a cart; 



