39 
apart. Perhaps the two species hybridise, which adds to the difficulty 
of the situation. P. crus-galli prefers moister situations than does P. 
colonwm. 
Value as a fodder.—lIt is a large, coarse, succulent grass, which may 
be cut like Sorghum, as it produces great bulk of feed. It has shown 
great adaptability to climate and soil, flourishing in most places which 
are not too dry. It grows luxuriantly along river-banks, and will not 
object to moderate alkalinity in the soil. 
It is scarcely an exaggeration to say that, during the last few years 
it has been sent to the Department of Agriculture for inquiry almost 
as frequently as all other grasses put together. It has been sent from 
the Coast districts, from the Dividing Range and table-land, and from 
the Lachlan district. It may also be found in almost every suburb of 
Sydney, usually at the edges of roads which have not been kerbed 
and guttered, generally in damp places, and sometimes actually 
growing in water. It often appears in freshly broken-up land, 
rubbish-heaps, &e. 
Although a recent introduction into many of the localities in which 
it is now found, it is a real Australian native, although it is also found 
in many parts of the world. , 
What is the explanation of its appearance in so many places during 
the same season can perhaps only be guessed at, and it really does not 
very much matter. It may have been distributed in seed sent by a 
Sydney house. 
All who express any opinion in regard to it are loud in its praises 
as a nutritious grass, which produces an enormous quantity of feed. 
It seeds sometimes at a foot high, but usually it is a much larger 
plant, attaining a height of 6 feet and even more. 
In Rajputana, India, Duthie states that it 1s considered a good 
fodder, though not plentiful. 
“ At the Hatch Experiment Station, in Massachusetts, U.S.A., the 
crop of this grass was very uniform, averaging 7 feet in height. The 
yield was at the rate of 11,207 lb. of straw per acre, and 66-7 bushels 
of seed. When sown for silage or for soiling, at the rate of 1 peck 
of seed to the acre, the yield was at the rate of from 15 to 18 tons per 
acre. A field sown on 26th July, after a crop of hay was removed, 
yielded 12 tons per acre. It is very much liked by stock, and is a 
valuable forage plant for feeding green or for the silo. It is not so 
well adapted for hay, as it is a coarse, succulent grass, and rather 
difficult to dry.” (Lamson-Scribner.) 
“In New Mexico it is found only as a weed on irrigated land, but 
one which is not difficult to keep down. The Mexicans cut it and 
feed it green while waiting for corn to mature. 
“Opinion differs very much as to its value as a hay crop, some 
saying that it is an entirely worthless and troublesome weed, while 
others are as sure it is a valuable forage plant. In a moist climate it 
would have the disadvantage of being hard to cure, but in New 
Mexico’s hot sun no such difficulty need be experienced. A field 
once sown to this grass would always supply a good crop of nutritious 
hay, since it re-seeds itself. Sown with Hriochloa punctata and Pant- 
