EDT EE ET TNNT RET ES WA AA UWA N WA 
Cvnr.—On Grasses and Fodder Plants. 409 
Festuca drymija.—This is also a grass that may be sown with advantage, 
as in the late summer rains, and in the autumn and winter, it disregards 
the frosts in these parts and goes on growing, sending up its leaves that 
supply a nutritive feed to the animals that are evidently glad to get it, and 
which thrive thereon. 
Bromus giganteus.—I received seed of this grass from two different 
sources, namely, Great Britain and Australia. They appear to possess 
somewhat different habits of growth, although their botanical characters 
are similar, the British variety growing better in the late winter, and the 
kind from Australia best in the autumn, but both throwing up large 
quantities of tender succulent feed, bearing feeding by cattle well, but must 
not be too closely cropped by sheep. When sown down in permanent 
pasture they add greatly to the quantity of hay, both to its bulk as well as 
its nutritious qualities, and can therefore with advantage be introduced into 
permanent pastures. 
There are several other bromes, and many other varieties of grasses that 
are suitable for the pastoralist to sow, and which I should like to mention, 
but must wait for another opportunity; and I will now pass on to those 
plants that will yield fodder to the farmer and others who may require 
them. 
The Symphytum asperrimum (prickly comfrey) has of late years again 
received considerable attention, and wishing to test its value in New 
Zealand, I obtained roots of the different kinds from England, France, 
Australia and other places, and having got them, subjected them to test 
culture. They have grown and thriven well, and I have no doubt that this 
climate and the conditions it will find here, will suit it very well. I believe 
it will be a very valuable plant for using as fodder for cows to increase their 
milk, for feeding bullocks, horses, and sheep. There are several varieties 
have been sent me, some are more vigorous growers than others, they can 
be easily brought hero in wardian, or such-like cases, with very few failures. 
My last consignment was a case containing one thousand small roots, they 
were four months before I could get them iu their case. I had them put 
in the ground by common labourers, and yet over cight hundred of them 
are now growing, they have had no watering during warm weather, or other 
artificial care, as I wanted to try what they would do if planted out and left 
to themselves, and the result has been that they stood the driest, hottest, 
coldest, and most windy weather, and grew through it all, so that, bearing 
this rough treatment without any digging, manuring, hoeing, or other 
cultivating, and yet growing vigorously, they must be regarded as able to 
stand unfavourable conditions well, and if, with this treatment, they prove 
that they can keep a large number of live stock to the area upon which 
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