INTRODUCTION. XV 



introduced and acclimatised in our pastures even in the most favoured 

 districts. The only districts in this country where English grasses are at all 

 likely to succeed are those having a climate and rainfall similar to those of 

 Northern Europe ; but these districts form only an extremely small portion 

 of the country compared with the whole. It will be readily inferred from 

 this that we shall have to look for grasses other than English ones to provide 

 good feed for the majority of our stock. The valuable indigenous forage 

 plants and grasses hitherto have been, are now, and will be the principal 

 mainstay of the pastures. Without them, the millions of sheep, cattle, and 

 horses that are depastured in this country would die of starvation, and the 

 country would then be deprived of its greatest wealth in the form of wool, 

 tallow, hides, beef, mutton, and butter. It has been observed that the native 

 grasses are wild. Of course they are, and so are the cultivated grasses wild 

 in their native habitats. 



Before an attempt is made at the systematic cultivation of the indigenous 

 forage plants and grasses, it will be necessary to have some data to work 

 upon. For the benefit of those persons who desire to enter upon their 

 cultivation, I will divide them into groups, and give a synopsis of those 

 species which, after twenty years' study, have led me to believe will be most 

 suited to the requirements for general pasture and hay-making, cultivating 

 for grain, species suitable for wet or undrained soils, also for dry soils, and 

 for binding the littoral sands. I have already mentioned those species most 

 suitable to cultivate for ensilage. 



Those species suitable for general pasture and hay-making are : Agro- 

 pyrum sci ;???, Beauv., " "Wheat grass" ; Andropogon affinis, E. Br., " Blue 

 grass" : Andropogon erianthoidcs, K V. M., " Satin heads" ; Andropogon inter- 

 medius, E. Br., " Blue grass" ; Andropogon pertusus, Willd., " Pitted blue 

 grass" ; Andropogon refract us, E. Br., a " Kangaroo grass" ; Andropogon 

 sericeus, E. Br., " Blue grass" ; Anthistiria ciliata, Linn., " Kangaroo grass" ; 

 Anthistiria meinbranacea, Lindl., " Landsborough grass" ; Astrebla elymoides, 

 F.V.M, " Mitchell grass'? ; Astrebla pectinata, F.V.M., "Mitchell grass"; 

 Astrebla triticoides, F.V.M., and the variety lappacea, "Mitchell grasses" ; 

 Chloris acicularis, Lindl., " Spider grass' 1 ; Chloris truncate^ E. Br., " Star" 

 or "Windmill grass" ; Chloris ventricosa, E. Br., " Blue star grass" ; Chry- 

 sopogon gryllus, Trin., " Golden beard" ; Cynodon dactylon, Pers., " Couch 

 grass" ; Dantlwnia longifolia, E. Br., " White top" ; Dantnonia pallida, 

 E. Br. " Silver grass" ; Dantlionia pilosa, E. Br., " Hairy oat grass" ; 

 Dantlionia semiannularis, E. Br., " Wallaby grass" ; Dichelaclme crinita, 

 Hook, " Long hair plume grass" ; Eleusine agyptiaca, Pers., " Finger grass" ; 

 Eragrostis brownii, Nees., "Brown's love grass"; Eragrostis leptostacliya, 

 Steud., " Love grass" ; Eragrostis pilosa, Beauv, "Weeping grass"; Erio- 

 cliloa annul at a > Kunth., "Early spring grass"; Eriocliloa punctata, 

 Hamilt., "Early spring grass"; Microlcena stipoides, E. Br., "Meadow 

 rice grass"; Panicum decompositum, E. Br., "Australian millet"; Pani- 

 cum distachyum, Linn., " Two-spiked panick grass" ; Panicum divarica- 

 tissimum, E. Br., " Umbrella grass" ; Panicum effusum, E. Br., " Branched 

 panick grass"; Panicum Jlavidum, E. Br., " Warrego summer grass"; 

 Panicum gracile^ E. Br., " Slender panick grass" ; Panicum leucopliceum, 

 H. B. et K., "Cotton grass"; Panicum rnacractinium, Benth , "Eoly 

 poly grass"; Panicum melanantJium, F.v.M., "Black seeded panick 

 grass" ; Panicum reversum, F.v.M., " Reversed panick grass" ; Panicum 

 mitchellii, Benth., "Mitchell's panick grass"; Panicum proluttim, F.v.M., 

 "Eigid panick grass"; Panicum tracliyrhachis, Benth., "Coolibar grass"; 

 Poa c<zspitosa, Forst., " Tussock poa" ; and Setaria f/lauca, Beauv., " Pigeon 

 grass". 



