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dangerous to the eyes of sheep, often causing blindness. More- 

 over, the seeds, with their adherent awns, not only become 

 entangled in the wool, which somewhat depreciates its value, but 

 they sometimes enter the vital parts and cause death. Unfortu- 

 nately, when the grasses that bear these long seed-awns become 

 old, cattle and sheep seldom or never eat them, consequently they 

 grow and produce seed almost undisturbed. The two species of 

 Triodia are dreaded on account of their sharp-pointed leaves. 

 Although the total number of undesirable grasses does not amount 

 to more than a dozen, still they are of sufficient importance to make 

 their position felt and somewhat disliked by pastoralists. It would 

 increase the grazing capabilities of those parts of the country 

 where these undesirable grasses very largely predominate in the 

 pastures, if they were occasionally burned off. The operation 

 should be performed when the grasses are in seed, for at this 

 period of their growth both the harsh stems and the objectionable 

 seed awns would be destroyed. In favorable weather new growth 

 is soon made after burning, but it is not advisable to allow animals 

 to graze on this succulent herbage until considerable growth has 

 been made, otherwise it might give them what is commonly termed 

 the scours, or diarrhoea, which sometimes becomes chronic, and, of 

 course, has a weakening effect upon them. 



The burning-off of the more valuable pasture grasses is not to 

 be recommended unless they become diseased, or grow into 

 objectionable tussocks of harsh, dry herbage. When good pasture 

 is burned, millions of valuable grass seeds are destroyed, which 

 are, of course, their only natural means of reproduction. Should 

 the more valuable pasture be accidentally set on fire, sheep should 

 never be turned into the paddocks until the herbage has made 

 considerable growth, though cattle may be turned in without any 

 serious damage being done, for they never eat grasses so close as 

 do sheep. I may here mention the fact that sheep destroy the 

 natural grasses and other herbage in much less time than horses, 

 and the latter much sooner than cattle. 



From the above synoptical review of the indigenous grasses of 

 Western Australia, it will be gathered that there is some good 

 material to conserve and cultivate. As a preliminary undertaking 

 towards the conservation of the indigenous grasses and other 

 herbage, reserves should be established in various part of the 

 country for the purpose of raising seeds to be disseminated in 

 places where the herbage may have been eaten out. Such reserves 

 need not occupy large areas. It is astonishing the quantity of seed 

 that can be harvested from a few acres. It would be a wise thing 

 for the Governments of the Australian colonies to make grass 

 reserves a compulsory undertaking when granting new leases for 

 Crown lands. That such reserves would have a most beneficial 

 effect upon the pastoral areas in this country cannot be gainsaid by 

 thinking persons. In fact, there are already valuable data to work 



