Forage Plants of Australia. 49 



ORDER CHENOPODIACE.E. 



KHAGODIA HASTATA, E. BE. 



" Halbert-leaved Saltbush." 

 Flora Austr., Vol. F, p. 156. 



A DITAEICATELT branched undcrshrub, spreading to 2 or 3 feet when growing 

 in its natural state ; but we have seen this shrub under cultivation 5 feet 

 high and 7 feet through. The whole plant is covered with a slightly 

 mealy whiteness, which increases with the dryness of the weather. The 

 leaves are mostly opposite, ovate-hastate in outline rarely 1 inch long, and 

 arranged on short stalks. The flowers are small, clustered, and are usually 

 arranged on compact simple or slightly branched terminal spikes, as shown 

 in the engraving. At figure 1 is illustrated the fruit, which is usually red, 

 and scarcely & of an inch in diameter. When this shrub is in full fruit, it is 

 really a beautiful object to look at. The silvery whiteness of its leaves forms 

 a good background to the clusters of red berries. This plant is found in 

 Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria, from the coast to the arid 

 interior ; but in no situation is it very plentiful for overstocking has had a 

 most serious effect upon this, as also on many other valuable pasture plants. 

 It is one of the famous salinous plants which have earned for our central 

 plains the name of being the finest feeding grounds for stock in the world. 

 To keep up the name, however, will necessitate a system of conservation, or 

 even cultivation, being carried out with this and many other valuable saltbushes, 

 which are gradually disappearing from our central plains. It has been 

 proved that when there are plenty of salinous plants growing on runs the 

 sheep are never troubled with fluke or other Distoma diseases. It has been 

 said that horses which are subject to swamp cancer in the coastal districts 

 have been cured when turned into saltbush country. Stock of all descriptions 

 are remarkably fond of these plants, and both sheep and cattle thrive well 

 on them. The drought-enduring qualities of the plant under notice are 

 phenomenal, and we have frequently seen this shrub, with the peculiar 

 glaucous or silvery whiteness of its foliage which gives to it quite a 

 character, flourishing when the surrounding vegetation was dried up. It 

 will grow anywhere if frosts are not too severe, and in almost any 

 kind of soil except swamp land. Generally speaking, the drier the soil 

 and the hotter the climate, the better the plant grows. It will bear any 

 amount of clipping provided it is not too close to the root, and if left 

 undisturbed for a short time it soon makes an abundance of growth. It is 

 not always the browsing upon these shrubs that leads to Iheir extermination. 

 It is the constant trampling of the animal's hoofs that plays so much havoc 

 amongst them, and the only way to save the plants is to have specially 

 reserved areas, where forage could be cut whenever required. If this were 

 done, thousands of sheep might be saved from starvation in drought time. 

 There is no difficulty in propagating the plant, for besides its natural means 

 of reproduction by seed, it can be most easily grown from cuttings planted in 

 the ordinary way, and where the shrubs are intended to be grown. 



I have known of an instance where cuttings have been sent in a letter 

 from the far interior to Sydney by post, which takes several days, and then 

 put in the ground. The last time'that I saw them they had grown into large 

 shrubs and as round as a ball. This shape, of course, had been brought 

 about by annual clippings. I only mention this instance to show the 

 tenacity of life of this plant. If raised from seed it should be sown during 

 the early autumn months. 



