54 THE WEEDS OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 



The Melilot which comes most closely under the head of a weed, is the 

 so-called King Island Melilot (Afelilatus parriflora), which, though of some use 

 as a humus-former on poor soils and for green manuring, is not a good grazing 

 plant, and is an unmitigated weed on good land, especially among corn. 



Mr. W. C. Grasby (Western Mail, Perth, W.A., of 20th July, 1912) states 

 that it is well known in that State, particularly on the coast between Bun- 

 bury and Busselton, where it is esteemed as at King Island, and is known 

 as "Naninup Weed." About Mandurah it is known as " Norris's Weed." 

 He points out that it is found along the railway lines and in the older settled 

 parts of the State, but it is not as valuable as the " wild clovers and trefoils." 

 He adds that : " Experienced King Island landowners believe that Clustered 

 Clover and common Burr Trefoil give better results under such conditions 

 in King Island than does Melilot. This opinion was given me by a gentle- 

 man who owned 1,800 head of cattle on the island." 



Experience in New South Wales. Following are extracts from notes pub- 

 lished by me in the Agricultural Gazette for 1895 and 1902, respectively : 



Owes its smell to the presence of cumarin, contained also in Tonka Beans. 

 The odour is therefore agreeable in its proper place, but people object to it in 

 their flour. When mixed with grain causes decrease in price. 



" A very prolific seeder. Introduced into the district through the agency of 

 winds and birds. Careful agriculturists experience little or no difficulty in 

 keeping it in check." (Rothbury.) 



" Frequents good alluvial lands, either cultivated or non-cultivated ; also the 

 public roads, by which means many weeds are spread. Many farms in the 

 district are perfect seed-beds for noxious weeds, and this weed is spreading 

 with great rapidity." (Comobello.) 



" Introduced in seed grain. First observed about two years since, and is now 

 spreading rapidly throughout the district. It is asserted that the seed of this 

 weed becomes mixed with grain from which it cannot be separated, and the 

 result is that it imparts to the flour an unpleasant taste and smell." 

 (Armidale.) 



" A very bad weed." ( Woolomin, Tamworth.) 



" Very troublesome in wheat crops. While many of the farmers cut it down, 

 others make no attempts to keep it in check, thereby seeding their neighbours' 

 clean lands." (Mudgee.) 



The following note on this weed is from the pen of Mr. Thomas Wall, 

 junior, Model Farm, Woolomin, Tamworth: 



" Hexham Scent " has been a nuisance here for the past twenty-five years. 

 It grows splendidly in wet seasons. Frost will not injure it. It thrives best 

 in cultivated land. If milch cows are fed on it in the spring, September or 

 October, when sappy, the odour of the milk and butter is most objectionable 

 to taste and smell. If at night I chance to be walking among the milkers 

 that ate " Hexham " the day before, their breath is not very sweet. Milk 

 drawn from the cow also smells. If " Hexham " is cut with any hay, such 

 as wild oats or wheat, horses will get hungry before they take to it (the 

 hay). If reaped with a crop of wheat, and bulked for some time for the 

 thrasher, millers will be short of wheat if they buy it, as the flour smells. 

 In fact, in new-baked bread the smell is most pronounced. I have seen crops 

 of wheat growing some years ago in which the " Hexham Scent " took sole 

 possession of patches in the paddocks. It was a plague to farmers during 

 past wet seasons, but it is getting scarcer the last two or three dry seasons 

 we have had. (1902.) 



