PASTURE HERBS 47 



PASTURE HERBS. 



Crowfoot. Two important pasture herbs from a stock- 

 owner's point of view are called Crowfoot, viz., Er odium 

 cygnorum and Geranium dissectum. The former is an annual 

 or biennial plant, with stems usually laying flat upon the 

 ground, and three feet or more long. It has large deeply- 

 lobed leaves and blue flowers, and when in bloom is a con- 

 spicuous object amongst the surrounding vegetation. In 

 spring and early summer it often forms sixty per cent, of the 

 herbage on some areas. This plant is widely distributed over 

 Australia, and is found as frequently on sandy as on more 

 fertile country. It is a superior pasture herb, and whilst 

 young affords rich, succulent herbage, of which herbivora 

 of all descriptions are remarkably fond, and on which they 

 do well. Horses will often leave good feed to browse upon it. 

 All stockowners speak very highly of this herb, and regard it 

 in a young state as an excellent forage plant. Under cultiva- 

 tion it produces a large amount of herbage, and if cut when in 

 flower it makes not only valuable auxiliary green feed, but, 

 when properly cured, capital hay. This Crowfoot when in 

 fruit is disliked by the sheep-owner, on account of its sharp- 

 pointed seed lobes, which not only attach themselves firmly 

 to the wool, but sometimes penetrate the skin of the animals. 



The latter (Geranium dissectum} is a spreading plant, 

 with a thick, carrot-like root, deeply- divided leaves, and 

 usually pink flowers. It is found in all the States of the 

 Commonwealth from the coast to the far interior, and in some 

 districts fairly abundantly ; its root system enabling the plant 

 to withstand a long period of dry weather without its growth 

 being seriously checked. In drought time the roots remain 

 dormant, but after a good fall of rain put forth stems and 

 leaves in abundance. Stock of all kinds are partial to this 



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