350 Transactions. — Botany. 



The Californian variety of lucerne or Californian alfalfa, whicli has 

 during the past two years been much written upon in the various agricul- 

 tural journals, is a very useful plant, as it will grow a very large and 

 abundant crop of herbage either for fodder or making into hay, or for 

 grazing upon with periods of rest between the grazings. It forms much 

 larger roots than the other lucernes, and is in several other respects 

 different ; it is well worthy of culture by the graziers and farmers. The 

 plan that I have pursued with it is to allow my cows or bullocks to feed 

 upon it for two weeks, then take them out and place sheep on it for two 

 weeks to eat it close to the ground ; then remove them, and leave the alfalfa 

 to grow for a month, and then follow this com'se again ; and for the two 

 weeks I allow five large cattle or twenty sheep to the acre. It requkes to 

 be grown in different enclosm'es to j)ursue this system, so that while the 

 stock are feeduig in one enclosure the other is at rest and able to grow again. 



Another plant, caUed the prickly comfrey, has recently been recom- 

 mended as a fodder or soiling plant. It was introduced into notice in 1811, 

 and at that time recommended for fattening stock, but passed out of notice, 

 and has since been revived. Of the several comfrey s, Symphytum asperri- 

 mum is the one now most in favour. As soon as I noticed the renewal of 

 interest in it, I ordered plants from France and elsewhere, and, having 

 obtained them, have now placed them under test culture ; but the time is 

 too short to be able to give any details as to their worth or capabilities in 

 this colony. 



Agrostis argentea. — A perennial grass of great merit, grows vigorously 

 through the spring, summer, and autumn, and part of the winter, yielding 

 a fan- proportion of nutritive herbage, seeding freely if allowed to do so. It 

 is readily eaten by stock, holds its own amongst other grasses, and is a 

 valuable grass with mixed permanent grasses on runs or pastures. 



AntMstiria australis. — The seed of this widely-spread Australian grass I 

 obtained from Tasmania, the seed came up late in the spring ; it sent up 

 seed-heads which were three-and-a-half feet in height. It was cut for seed 

 about the latter end of December ; it continued to grow dimng the summer 

 and autumn, until the frosts of winter became severe, when it remained 

 with only small growth during the remaining months, till sx^ring weather 

 started it into fresh growth, when it grew well, yielding much herbage to 

 the stock grazing upon it. It possesses elements well fitted for the growth 

 and development of sheep and cattle, and is a good grass for permanent 

 pasture, but is better for not being too heavily stocked. 



Avena argentea. — A permanent pasture grass growing an abundance of 

 foliage during the autumn, winter, and spring, but somewhat less during 

 the dry summer weather ; it contains a large amount of nutritive and 



