93 



given to landowners to periodically rest the whole or portions of their 

 paddocks, in order to enable the grasses to contend against the danger 

 of extermination through overstocking. Hooker wrote in 1859 : " This 

 is the best fodder grass in Australia," and the dictum remains true to 

 this day. Mac Owan says : " This is the best native fodder we have 

 in South Africa." In western New South Wales it is less succulent 

 than in the eastern districts more favoured with rain, and, hence, there 

 it sometimes becomes harsh and unpalatable to stock. 



Following is a Victorian account of this grass : " Perennial ; 

 average height under 3 feet, on rich unstocked land much higher, with 

 strong penetrating fibrous roots ; in flower during December. This 

 grass is found in all parts of Australia. It forms generally but few 

 perfect seeds, and these do not germinate readily. Some plants are 

 much better seed-bearers than others. It is the finest and most useful 

 of all the indigenous grasses. Here it commences to vegetate early in 

 November, when all stock should be taken away until it is in flower. 

 From then until winter it proves an excellent fattening grass. It 

 keeps green during the summer, but turns a little brown in autumn, 

 when its nutritive qualities are at the highest. In the early days of 

 the Colony, I have ridden the same horse 20 to 40 miles, on a journey 

 of several hundred miles, turning him out to graze on pasture of which 

 this grass formed the principal part, and the horse kept his condition. 

 With a sufficiency of this grass, a little turned by the sun, the working 

 powers of horse and cattle can be taxed to the utmost. They keep in 

 better condition doing hard work on this than on any other description 

 of native forage. If closely grazed by sheep or cattle (the former in 

 particular) all the year round, it soon dies out. Other varieties of this 

 valuable grass might be obtained by cultivation." (Bacchus.) 



Other uses. The aborigines of Lake Tyers, Victoria, used to make 

 fishing-nets of this grass. A figure of the mesh, and an account of 

 the method of employing the net, will be found in Brough Smyth's 

 Aboriginals of Victoria, i, 389. 



Habitat and range. Found in all the colonies, and, in New South 

 Wales, all over the Colony. It is eaten out in many districts where it 

 was once known to be plentiful. It attains its greatest luxuriance in 

 the good soils of the coast and mountains. Found also in tropical 

 Africa and Asia ; common on the Himalaya. 



3. Anthistiria avenacea, P.v.M. 



Botanical name. Avenacea, Latin, oat-like, in allusion to the 

 appearance of the spikelets. 



Synonym. Themeda gigantea, Hackel, var. 



Vernacular names. The " Tall Oat Grass " of the Darling Downs, 

 Queensland. Sometimes called simply " Oat Grass," and even "Kan- 

 garoo Grass." 



Where figured. Agricultural Gazette. 

 Botanical description (B. Fl., vii, 543). 

 Stems from a more or less silky-hairy or woolly base, 2 to 3 feet high. 

 Leaves very narrow, glabrous. 

 Sheathing bracts narrow, membranous, glabrous, 1 to 2 inches long. 



