INTRODUCTION. xvii 



Benth., " Sugar grass" ; Sporololm diander, Beauv., " Tussock grass" ; 

 Sporobolus virginicus, Kunth., " Salt-inarsh couch grass" ; and Sporobolus 

 indicus, E.Br., " Parrainatta grass". The latter is an exceedingly tougli grass 

 which I have often recommended for paper-making. 



Grasses suitable for growing on dry stony ridges, or on poor soils, are : 

 Amphipogon strictus, R.Br., "Bearded heads"; Andropogon lachnatherus, 

 Benth., " Hairy blue grass" ; Anisopogon avenaceus, E.Br., " Oat grass" ;, 

 Arundinella nepalensis, Trin., "Nepal grass"; Chrysopogon parviflorus; 

 Beuth., "Golden beard"; Deyeuxia quadrisela, Benth., " Bent grass" , 

 Echinopogon ovatus, Beauv., "Eough heads" ; Eragrostis cJuetophylla, Steud., 

 "Love grass"; Erag rostis eriopoda. Benth., "Love grass"; Eragrostis falcata 

 Gaud., "Love grass"; Eragrostis laniflora, Benth., "Love grass"; Eragrostis 

 lacunaria, F.v.M., " Never fail" ; Eriachne oUusa, E.Br., Lappago racemosa, 

 Willd., " Burr grass" ; Neurachne mitclielliana, Nees., " Mulga grass" ; 

 Panioum qracile. E.Br., " Slender panick grass" ; PappopTiorum nigricans, 

 E.Br., "Black heads"; Spinifex paradoxus, Benth., "Curious spinifex" ; 

 and Tetrarrhena juncea, E.Br., "Scrambling grass." 



Grasses that will grow on the littoral sandy wastes of this continent, are 

 of especial value, not only as forage plants, but because they assist in 

 binding, and thus preventing the loose sand from being blown inland by the 

 fury of sea winds. The following are amongst the best for this purpose : - 

 Disticlilis maritima. Eafn., " Sea-side couch grass" ; Imperata arundinacea, 

 Cyr., " Blady grass" ; Lepturits repens, E.Br., "Salt-marsh grass" ; Paspalum 

 distichum, Linn., " AVater couch" ; Schedonorus littoralis, Beauv., " Coast 

 fescue" ; Spinifex liirsutm, Labill. 6 , 2 , " Spiny rolling grass" ; Sporololus 

 virginicus, Kunth., " Salt-marsh couch grass" ; Thuarea sarmentosa, Pers., 

 " Coast couch grass"; and Zoysia pungens, Willd,, " Coast couch grass". 



SALSOLACEOUS OK CHENOPODIACEOUS PLANTS. 



Salt-~bushes These most valuable plants are becoming more scarce on 

 the inland plains of this continent, from year to year. Being so closely fed- 

 down, and often trampled down, they get little chance to mature seed, which 

 is their only natural means of reproduction. When left unmolested for a 

 time, however, they quickly recover, and after a time produce seed in 

 abundance, which germinates readily under ordinary conditions. Many of 

 them are also readily increased by cuttings, so that it would require no great 

 outlay to enter upon a proper system, of conservation, or even cultivation of 

 these most useful plants. Moreover, once the plants are well established, 

 they will continue to grow under the most adverse circumstances of drought 

 and heat. In fact, very few kinds of plants so useful for forage purposes 

 could exist under such adverse conditions as do most kinds of the salt bush 

 family. There is abundant proof that when sheep are depastured in country 

 where plenty of salinous plants are growing amongst the natural grasses, 

 fluke and other allied ailments are almost unknown. It has been said that 

 horses which are subject to swamp cancer on the low coast lands, when 

 turned into pasture where salinous plants are growing plentifully, soon lose 

 this disease. While on the subject of distoma diseases and other allied 

 ailments, I may mention another genus of plants which should not be over- 

 looked in any system of conservation. It is that of Zijopliyllum, some 

 species of which act as vermifuges. There are very few plants arranged 

 under the order Chenopodiacece which are not available for forage, though 

 exception might be taken to the following species. During protracted 

 droughts balls of cotton-like substance form on KocJiia aphylla, E. Br., 

 Enchylana tomentosa, E. Br., and a few other plants oE the order. It is 



B 



