156 Select Plants for Industrial Culture and 



Cynodon Dactylon, Cl. Richard.* (Gapriola Dactylon, Adanson.) 



Widely dispersed over the warmer parts of the globe, thus as 

 indigenous reaching the northern parts of the colony of Victoria ; 

 stretching also into Middle Europe and West-England. Hardy in 

 Norway to lat. 63 52' [Schuebeler]. Mr. Sim, of the Cape Colony, 

 states that there it takes possession of closely browsed veld, stands 

 drought well, but becomes withered by frost. Passes under the 

 names of Bermuda-Grass, Indian Couch-Grass, Doab, Dub, Doorba 

 or Doorva and Bahama-Grass. An important grass for covering bare, 

 barren land, or binding drift-sand, or keeping together the soil of 

 abrupt declivities, or consolidating earth-banks against floods ; suffo- 

 cates weeds. It is not without value as a pasture-grass ; resists 

 extreme drought, and may become of great importance to many 

 desert-tracts, as it keeps alive even in the hottest and driest parts of 

 Central Australia ; also one of the best of all grasses in tropical 

 [ countries for hay [Eggers]. Placed likewise above all other grasses 

 for pasture and stable-value in Louisiana [Seiss]. In seasons of 

 dearth pastural animals will even unearth the roots of this grass, 

 greatly relishing them. Difficult to eradicate, but for permanent 

 pastures on exhausted land in mild climes not surpassed. Clings 

 with pertinacy to any soil it gets hold of. The dispersion is best 

 effected by the creeping, rooting stems cut into short pieces ; each of 

 these takes root readily, but it can be also disseminated, and grains 

 are now always in the seed-markets. In arable land this grass, when 

 once established, cannot easily be subdued. The stems and roots are 

 used in Italy for preparing the Mellago graminis. Roxburgh already 

 declared this grass to be by far the most common and useful for 

 pastures of India, particularly in the drier regions ; that it flowers all 

 the year, and that it forms three-fourths of the food of the cows and 

 horses there. Excellent also as a lawn-grass in mild climates, on 

 account of its dwarf and creeping growth and as enduring trampling 

 pertinaciously. Well fitted along with small creepers to cover 

 verdantly the soil as well as the margin and sides of tabs containing 

 palms or fern-trees or other larger plants. Chemical analysis, made 

 very early in spring, gave the following results : Albumen 1*60, 

 gluten 6*45, starch 4*00, gum 3*10, sugar 3'60 per cent. [F. v. Mueller 

 and L. Hummel]. 



Cynosurus cristatus, Linn. 



The Crested Dogstail-Grass. Europe, Northern Africa, Western 

 Asia. A perennial grass, particularly valuable as withstanding 

 drought, the root penetrating to considerable depth. The stems can 

 also be used for bonnet-plaiting. Though inferior in value for hay, 

 this grass is well adapted for permanent pasture, as it forms dense 

 tufts without suffocating other grasses or fodder-herbs, and as being 

 available later in the season than many others. Recommended also 

 as an admixture to lawn-grasses by Hein and others. The percent- 

 age of nutriment in this grass is recorded as very high by Dr. Stebler. 

 Mr. W. F. Salmon finds this the best grass for the hilly country of 



