Census of the Grasses of New South Wales. 51 



never be sown on poor or dry soils. Under these circumstances, its herbage 

 is always stunted and wiry, and stock seldom touch it. The only places 

 where this grass does well in this Colony is on damp, rich, strong soils, in the 

 coldest parts^of the Colony. It produces a fair amount of seed if left unmo- 

 lested for a time, and it ripens during October and November. Baron von 

 Mueller and L. Eummel give the following chemical analysis made on the 

 late spring growth of this grass : Albumen, 1*87; gluten, 7'11 ; starch, 

 T05 ; gum, 4'47 ; sugar, 3'19 per cent. 



Mr. Martin J. Sutton gives the following chemical analysis of this 

 grass : 



Grass in Dried 



natural state. at 212 Fahr. 



Water 6074 



^Soluble albuminoids -25 -62 



tlnsoluble albuminoids 1-50 3-8! 



.Digestible fibre 11'30 2878 



Woody fibre 16-24 41'36 



^Soluble mineral matter 2'04 5"19 



|| Insoluble mineral matter -91 2'32 



Chlorophyll soluble carbo-hydrates, &c 7 -02 1 7 *92 



100-00 100-00 



*Containing nitrogen -04 -10 



t Containing nitrogen -24 -61 



Albuminoid nitrogen -28 71 



Non-albuminoid nitrogen -18 -46 



Total nitrogen -46 1-17 



^Containing silica -35 -89 



|| Containing silica -51 1-29 



FESTUCA EIGIDA, Mert. et Koch. 

 " Eigid fescue." 



A small, rigid, tufted, annual grass, rarely exceeding 6 inches in height, 

 and is extremely rare in this Colony, but quite common in the southern 

 Colonies. The only specimens I have seen here are one which I collected in 

 Messrs. Shepherd's Nursery, and the other which Mr. Wooff, of Victoria 

 Park, sent me for identification. If this grass gets well established here, 

 however, it will prove troublesome in cultivated ground. It produces a fair 

 amount of seed, which ripens in October and November. 



HOLCUS LANATUS, Linn. 

 " Yorkshire fog or meadow soft grass." 



A perennial species, growing about 2 feet high, which is generally found in 

 the colder parts of the Colony, and in some places fairly plentiful. It is not 

 a good pasture grass, although it makes considerable growth in early spring, 

 which herbage however, is rather disliked by stock of all kinds, and whilst 

 other grasses are plentiful they will not eat it. This grass is easily recog- 

 nised in pastures by its pale, soft appearance. It produces an abundance of 

 seed, which, when ripe, is easily disseminated by winds. The seeds ripen in 

 November and December. Baron von Mueller and L. Eummel, give the 

 following analysis, made on the spring growth of this grass : Albumen, 3'20 ; 

 gluten 411 ; starch, 0'72 ; gum, 3'08 ; sugar, 4'56 per cent. 



