ON THE TUSSAC GRASS. 313 



Art. LXXIV.— on THE TUSSAC GRASS. 



By the Governor of the Falkland Islands. 



[Of this new variety of green food, an interesting account appears in the 

 Journal of the R. A. S. E., in the form of a letter from the Governor of 

 the Falkland Islands to Lord Palmerston. It is described as a plant 

 which loves the sea-spray, the tinest plants growing almost in the water. 

 It grows on peat-bogs, on exposed islands in the Falklands, 800 and 1000 

 feet above the sea, open to the westerly gales, which are laden with 

 moisture. But it also grows and flourishes in sheltered inland situations. 

 When once it has taken root in any soil, drift-sand blowing over it, 

 amongst it, and almost burying it, does not seem to injure it. As to its 

 propagation, Captain Moody writes, — ] 



In tlie g-arden I was so successful witli tlie plants from seed, 

 that I proceeded to transplant suckers from the wild ones on 

 tlie rocky skore to the rich mould in the garden, and I found 

 them to thrive vig'orouslj. I took suckers from these ag'ain, 

 also from the plants raised by seed, and jjlanted out more 

 rows. Every plant answered admirably. I cut them do^\^l, 

 and they gi-ew more bushy and spread, throwing out fresh 

 suckers. I should soon have filled a paddock with the 

 plants ; but as it was necessary to chang-e the site of the 

 chief town, I had to abandon my g-arden, and begin new 

 and arduous labours, which have occupied the time of all 

 hands too much to spare any for experimental agriculture. 

 In laying- out a piece of ground for tussac grass, the follow- 

 ing circumstances must be borne in mind : — the plant grows 

 in bunches, occupying fi-om 2 to 3, and sometimes even 5 

 feet in diameter, and the blades of grass, when full gro\\Ti, 

 are 7 or 8 feet long. The roots seem forced up from the 

 ground, and I have been in patches of fine full-grown tussac 

 in which a man on horseback is almost concealed. I should 

 therefore sow the seed in rows 2 feet apart, some in a garden, 

 and some on exposed points of peaty soil, close to the sea, 

 and within reach of the sprav, carefully weeding between 

 the plants as they grow up. When they are 9 inches or a 

 foot high, the suckers might be separated and planted out 

 3 feet apart in rows. As the plants grow large, every alter- 

 nate row should again be {)lanted out, in order to leave room 

 for a man, cow, or horse, to })ass between the rows without 

 treading down the plants. To raise from seed appears a 



