PASTURES, GRASSES, AXD EORAGE PLAX7S. 8 1 



portions of the Colony tlio'^wild sorghum" is essentially a Rummor- 

 g-rowing grass, but in the wfirmer parts it grows more or less all the 

 year round, and during an ordinary season will yield a bulk of vahmhlo 

 herbage, which the larger herbivora eat with avidity. It inakos good 

 hay if cut when the flower stems first make their a])pearaiice. 'J'ho 

 seeds ripen during the summer and autumn moutlis. Besides the 

 species referred to, there are the famous ''early spring grasses," 

 (Eriochloa spp.) ; meadow rice grass," {Microhvnd fitijioldcii, H. ]Jr.) ; 

 ''native millets" {8etaria spp.) ; "Mulga grasses" {Nciirachnc spp.) ; 

 " tussock grasses" {Poa spp.) ; " wheat grasses" [Afjropyriim spp.) ; 

 and numerous other valuable species which arc found on the pastoral 

 areas of this Colony. 



Salt-huslies. 



Very few plants so useful for forage purposes could exist under 

 such adverse conditions of drought and heat as do most kinds of the 

 salt-bush family. There are abundant proofs that when sheep are 

 depastured in country where plenty of salinous plants are growing 

 amongst the native grasses, fluke and other distoma diseases are almost 

 unknown. There are very few plants of the salt-bush family which 

 are not available for forage purposes, though exception might some- 

 times be taken to the following species. During protracted droughts 

 balls of cotton-like substance form on Kochia aphyUa, \\. Vn\, 

 EncliylKiia tomentosa, R. }3r., and a few other allied plants. It is 

 generally supposed that this adventitious growth is caused by some 

 insect. The fulvous tomentum on some species of Sclerohvna, and 

 the woolly covering of the fruits of some species of Chcnolca, have been 

 known to kill sheep when they have partaken too freely of this indi- 

 gestible stuff, along with parts of the plants. The dorsal spines on 

 the fruits of all species oi Aii isacantlia often cause some trouble to the 

 salivary glands of sheep and other small herbivora, if they cat too 

 greedily of these plants when the fruits are near maturity. Anhacanfha 

 muricata, Moq., when dry, makes the troublesome "roley poleys" on 

 some of the western plains. Altogether there are eighty six species 

 of salt-bush, arranged under thirteen genera, at present known in this 

 Colony. Some are found on the littoral sands, but the great majority 

 grow in the interior, and are remarkable for their drought-enduring 

 qualities. 



The following species are amongst some of the best of the native 

 salt-bushes : — 



Atrlplex nummularia, Lindl. " Round-leaved salt-bush," " Cabbage 

 bush." This is a tall-growing shrub, usually attaining a height of 

 from 6 to 10 feet, though occasionally it may be seen growing 

 15 or more feet high. It is peculiar to the inland i)lains, though 

 it is only moderately plentiful in places where it used to be very 

 abundant. All kinds of pasture animals eat the succulent stems and 

 leaves with avlditv, and seem to thrive on them. The tender shoots 

 and leaves make a fairly good table vegetable when cooked and served 

 in the ordinary way. When allowed to grow undisturbed f.ir a time 

 the "cabbage bush" produces a great amount of seed winch ripens at 

 different times of the year. 



