GRASSES. 



All the grasses and pasture plants described in the follow- 

 ing pages are of perennial duration unless otherwise stated. 



Australian Millet (Panicum decompositum) is found all 

 over the continent from the coast to the centre, and in some 

 districts is very plentiful. It withstands dry weather to a 

 remarkable degree, and has wonderful recuperative powers, 

 being amongst the first native grasses to start into growth 

 after rain supervening on long drought. It is a perfectly 

 smooth grass of spreading habit, generally growing from 

 two to three feet high, but on rich moist land it may occa- 

 sionally be seen growing four feet high. In the latter 

 situation it has long, flat and rather broad leaves, but on the 

 inland plains its leaves are narrower. It yields most valuable 

 herbage of which stock of all kinds are remarkably fond, 

 and on which they fatten. I have had this grass under 

 experimental cultivation for several years, and the amount 

 of herbage it yielded in a few months was really astonishing. 

 The hay that was made from it was equal to three tons 

 per acre, and horses and cattle were very fond of it. I 

 can highly recommend it for systematic cultivation either 

 in the coast areas or in the interior. When allowed to 

 grow undisturbed for a time it produces a great amount of 

 seed which germinates readily under ordinary conditions. 

 The seeds usually ripen during the summer and autumn. An 

 illustration of the Australian Millet accompanies this letter- 

 press. 



