848 Transactions.—Botany. 
it gets diseased and attacked with ergot ( Puccinia uredo ), ete., and will be 
replaced by other plants in its struggle for existence. 
One other condition that must be noticed, and a very important one, is 
the period of rest during which the plant ceases to grow above yround, and 
either remains with only small growth in any part, or nearly quiescent, or 
in other species commences vigorous root action and extends under ground, 
. this being regulated by the decreasing or increasing temperature, height of 
ground water, by which we understand the mean summer and winter water, 
level or height of moisture in the soil. The above and below soil changes 
of growth taking place in different grasses depending upon their species, 
original habitat, etc., at various seasons of the year in this island, either in 
the spring, summer, autumn, or winter, and all other things being equal, 
this growth above ground will determine at which season a grass is most to 
be depended upon by the graziers and farmers in this colony. 
The Panicum spectabile, which will be growing vigorously from October 
to April, will die down in the winter and only maintain a weak root-action 
until spring, while the Bromus unioloides will grow as fast above ground in 
the winter as in spring, and not so rapidly during the summer and autumn. 
The Anthoxanthum odoratum grows all the winter, spring, and autumn, and 
is a good feeding grass during those seasons, 
The Elymus condensatus grows fastest during the spring and autumn, 
continuing to grow, though less vigorously, in winter and summer. 
The Stenotaphrum glabrum, so-called buffalo grass, and Cynodon dactylon 
or doob grass, grow best during the hottest and driest weather here, and 
whilst the Californian alfalfa with irrigation will make enormous growth 
during the summer, the Chilian alfalfa grows on also in the autumn and 
winter. 
The Trifolium repens makes its principal growth in the spring; the 
Lolium perenne gets weaker after the first three or four years; while the 
Alopecurus pratensis becomes a much better grass in permanent pastures 
after this period; and although here on swamps and peat bogs many of the 
English pasture grasses will not thrive, the Agrostis stolonifera there grows 
well and is very fattening to cattle. The Poa aquatica and Festuca aquatica 
will thrive best by the sides of rivers, streams, and damp places, making 
there the best feeding grass; while the Elymus arenarius, and Paspalum 
littorale, and Achillea millefolium, and some others will grow on nearly 
pure sand and be then relished by stock, so much that some of my sheep 
selected the Elymus arenarius from many other grasses in preference to any- 
thing else. 
: The Dactylis cespitosa is said by some authorities (but of this 
I cannot 
| speak from personal experienee at present) to grow b 
est in swamps by the 
EENE PEN UNTE 
: TET i x i E T E LA EE T T E 
Y ON E CIS MUTET EE ES EAR” E eee, REIS Ie IR T qn IS ADR TERIS | 
i. RESET EIE MT EE a ME CL Ct re m 
