Naturalisation in Extra-Tropical Countries. 371 



Phleum pratense, Linne.* 



The Timothy or Cats tail-grass. Europe, North- Africa, Northern 

 and Middle Asia ; ascends to 10,000 feet in Spain. One of the 

 most valuable and most cultivated of all perennial fodder-grasses. 

 Its production of early spring-foliage is superior to that of the 

 Cocksfoot-grass. It should enter largely into any mixture of grasses 

 for permanent pasturage. It will live also on moist and cold clay- 

 ground. This grass, and perhaps yet more the allied Phleum 

 alpinum, L., are deserving of an extensive transfer to moory drained 

 regions. It is very hardy, having been found indigenous in Norway 

 to lat. 70 [Professor Schuebeler]. For hay it requires mowing in 

 a young stage. The seed is copiously yielded and well retained. 

 The greatest advantage from this grass arises, according to Langethal, 

 when it is grown along with clovers. It thrives even better on 

 sandy meadows than on calcareous soil ; it will prosper on poorer 

 ground than Alopecurus pratensis ; the latter furnishes its full 

 yield only in the fourth year, whereas the Phleum does so in the 

 second. The- Timothy-grass dries more quickly for hay and the 

 seeds are gathered more easily, but it vegetates later, is of harder 

 consistence, and yields less in the season after the first cut. Dr. 

 Curl, of New Zealand, observes, that while many grasses and 

 clovers, if eaten in their spring-growth, may cause diarrhoea in sheep, 

 the Timothy-grass, when young, does not affect them injuriously. 

 Well adapted for irrigation-ground ; the yield of hay varies from 40 

 to 120 cwt. on an acre. Occasionally attacked by fungus -disease, 

 particularly from Epichloe typhina, when sheep should be put on 

 the affected fields [Stebler]. 



Phoenix Canariensis, Naudin. (P. Jubae, Webb.) 



Canary-Islands. A superb palm for scenic culture, hardier than 

 even the Date-palm. Fruit not edible. 



Phoenix dactylifera, Linne.* 



The Date-Palm. North-Africa, particularly inland ; Arabia, 

 Persia. This noble palm attains finally a height of about 80 

 feet, exceptionally 120 feet. "Trees of from 100 to 200 years old 

 continue to produce their annual crop of dates," though gradually at 

 very advanced age in lesser quantity. Should be raised in the oases 

 of the Australian desert million-fold. Bears fruits in sub-tropic 

 Eastern Australia in particular abundance. Though sugar or palm- 

 wine can be obtained from the sap, and hats, mats and similar 

 articles can be manufactured from the leaves, we would utilise this 

 palm beyond scenic garden-ornamentation only for its fruits. The 

 date-palm would afford in time to come a real boon in the oases of 

 desert-tracts, swept by burning winds, although it might be grown 

 also in the valleys of mountains and in any part of lowlands free of 

 severe frost. Several bunches of flowers are formed in a season, each 

 producing often as many as 200 dates. Staminate and pistillate 



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