y8 The Grasses favoured by Sheep. 



naturally gave it a predilection for the short and sweet 

 grasses that are the earth's covering of the hills. The 

 great territorial flats of Australia are, in many respects, 

 the equivalent of the hill conditions of other countries. 

 The rainfall is small, the growth of grass therefore fine, 

 and the food sparse enough to compel ranging for a 

 meal. The heavier breeds, the result of artificial con- 

 ditions, will thrive on the richer and ranker grasses of 

 suitable flat land, but the preference of the average 

 sheep is for the finer-bodied, sweeter, grasses of the 

 hills. 



The robustness and coarseness of the grass plants of 

 flat land are measured by the quality of the soil. Rich 

 land and a good rainfall will grow much feed of such a 

 nature, making the grazing of it more adapted for 

 cattle. It is such land that gives us grasses that grow 

 a big leaf ; they have lived for ages on good soil, induc- 

 ing a heavy growth. Ryegrass, meadow foxtail, timothy, 

 all are at home on such land, and the large breeds of 

 sheep have lived so long on such pastures that they have 

 become large of carcase. Good, flat land, and large- 

 leaved, bulkily grown grasses, and large carcassed sheep 

 go together. Similarly, the finer and smaller-leaved 

 grasses have acquired their fineness of growth through 

 ha.ving grown for ages on the meagre meal of what is 

 termed second-class soil, the natural home of the sheep. 

 The hard fescues, poa pratensis, and crested dogs tail 

 grow well on and are suited to medium lands, where the 

 Downs breeds of sheep thrive, and these sheep inherit 

 a partiality for such grasses. 



"When the question of skill in sowing grasses to 

 establish themselves permanently is considered, we axe 

 met with the logic of the fact that the grasses of the 

 good, flat, heavy lands, such as rye, timothy, foxtail, 

 although they may do modera.tely well on the hills for 

 some time, with manure or the ash of burnt vegetation, 

 cannot be expected to compete with the grass plants 



