CunL.—G'rasses, ete., suitable to New Zealand. 537 
autumn they had become nice little bushes between a foot and fifteen inches 
high. Cuttings were taken as soonas the first showers came. These struck 
readily, and grew into healthy little plants. From the manner in which it 
grows I am satisfied it is a very useful introduction into sheep pastures. 
The sheep like it, and it gives the mutton fine quality. This is even more 
useful than the Achillea millefolium, which latter is also a desirable addition 
to sheep runs as a condiment plant, as is also Poterium sanguisorba Burnet, 
which latter stands drought well, and grows all through the summer, and 
the sheep eat it greedily. 
Californian Alfalfa, a species of Lucerne, cultivated in California.— 
Having obtained seed of this Alfalfa from several growers in California, and 
also a small packet from Dr. Hector, I have grown this plant from the 
several packets of seeds, and although some varieties grow much more 
vigorously than others, they all grow well in summer. Some of them had 
stems between three and four feet long, and those that were cut grew very 
fast during the hottest and dryest weather, seeming to luxuriate in heat, 
and not requiring any moisture. I think this plant well adapted for sowing 
in permanent pastures, as although it grows but slowly during winter it 
amply makes up for it during summer, and is greatly relished by stock of 
all kinds. I learn there are several varieties of this plant in cultivation in 
California, and there is another kind grown in Chili, the seed of which I 
obtained and am now experimenting with. This Chilian Alfalfa is said to 
be more vigorous and altogether better than the Californian, and it was 
from this Chilian species the Californian varieties were at first produced. 
= I obtained a Melilotus that is indigenous to Thibet. I sowed it, and 
during the spring, summer, and autumn it grew well. It does not appear 
to like frost if placed in a damp situation, yet in sheltered, warm spots it 
thrives in the winter as well as the summer. But it may be found a 
valuable summer herbage and fodder plant. It has a very fragrant scent, 
grows tall, is succulent and tender, grows a heavy crop, and is in some 
respects preferable to Alfalfa, and will make a full and very excellent crop 
of hay. Having thus briefly indicated what I believe are very valuable 
grasses and herbage, I will cease from enumerating others, although there 
are many that I have found will grow well in this Colony, and analytical 
tests for starch, salts, and other nutritive matters, as well as actual feeding 
of stock, experiments have proved are very valuable and desirable for 
culture, such as the Festuca dives, a magnificent grass said to grow ten feet 
high in Australia, also the Australian Kangaroo Grass, and very many 
others. 
I have refrained from giving anything but results and conclusions, as 
details of analysis, feeding, experiments, modes of acclimatization, and 
R2 
