XXXVI INTRODUCTION GRAZING DISTRICTS. 



3. Indigofera australis, Willd., commonly known as " wild indigo." 

 It is an erect branching shrub of from 2 to 4 or more feet high, with leaves 

 composed of numerous small leaflets, and pink or purple flowers arranged 

 on auxilary racemes. The pods are about an inch and a half long, terete, 

 and nearly straight. 



IMPROVEMENT OF PASTURES. 



Ever since the early settlement of these districts, but more particularly 

 since the dairying industry has become such an important one, there has 

 been a great amount of w r ork done by most land-owners to improve the 

 grazing capabilities of their properties. Many attempts have been made, 

 and some persons have gone to great expense and trouble, to acclimatise 

 exotic forage plants and grasses in the pastures, but after repeated trials all 

 those kinds known as English grasses have been a failure, notwithstanding 

 the land having been carefully tilled preparatory to the seed being sown. 

 Since it has been found out that these exotic grasses do not grow satis- 

 factorily, land-owners have devoted more attention to the indigenous herbage, 

 and it has been proved by practical experience that there are no grasses 

 equal to the native ones either for enduring the climatic conditions of the 

 district or for their fattening properties. Since I published figures and 

 descriptions of Australian forage plants and grasses many land-owners are 

 now able to recognise a great deal of the herbage their pastures are com- 

 posed of, arid are now familiar with many of those plants which are worth 

 conserving and encouraging. In some of those pastures where tussocks are 

 growing plentifully, the owners have already commenced to take them out. 

 Any work that is done in this direction cannot but have a good effect on the 

 pastures, and considerably increase the grazing capabilities of such areas. 

 In ordinary seasons the indigenous herbage is both plentiful and varied 

 throughout a greater part of the year in those pastures that are not heavily 

 stocked, but during a short time in winter, should it be a very cold one, 

 green feed sometimes becomes rather scarce. It is during this period that 

 auxiliary crops are grown and fed to stock to keep them in good condition. 

 Stock-owners and dairymen in these districts, as in other parts of the 

 country, are well aware that if good results are expected cattle must be as 

 well provided with feed in winter as in summer. There are certain auxiliary 

 crops grown for ensilage, and a lot of fodder is preserved by this means 011 

 some estates. Pastures have not hitherto received much attention in the 

 way of manuring, though many persons seem to think that something will 

 have to be done to fertilise grass land if the grazing areas are to carry as 

 many animals as they do now for many consecutive years. One or two 

 persons I spoke to have put a chain harrow over their pastures, which 

 pulverises the cow manure, and distributes it evenly over the grass. The 

 results have already justified the labour, and the example set might be more 

 generally practised in these and other districts to advantage. 



WATER. 



Although perennial streams meander through parts of these districts, 

 there has been a great amount of money expended in making dams, and now 

 there are some splendid sheets of water in many pastures. From some of 

 these dams water is pumped, either by steam or wind power, to higher levels, 

 from which considerable areas are irrigated. 



