﻿Report on Native and Introduced Grasses. 299 



met with, both as a naturalized and cultivated plant, and is closely cropptd 

 by sheep and cattle. The same may be said of the melilot, bird's-foot trefoil, 

 wild-carrot, rib-grass, and several vetches. 



It is probable that in the province of Canterbury native species of Ligus- 

 ticum, Angelica, and other aromatic j^lants are sought after by cattle and 

 sheep. In the nox'thern part of this province we have no Ligusticum, and 

 only one species oi Angelica, A. roscefolia, which is found in rocky places by 

 the sea, rarely within reach of cattle ; but Apiicm lejytojjhi/Uum, Mentha 

 Cunninghamii, Lejndium oleraceum, Daucus hrachiatus, and other pungent 

 and aromatic kinds are usually eaten with avidity. This suggests the advisa- 

 bility of improving permanent pasture by the addition of some of the well- 

 known condimental plants, as parsley, caraway, burnet, burnet-saxifrage, 

 yarrow, black-medick, etc. The common parsley is abundantly naturalized 

 in many places in Auckland, and everywhere greedily eaten. Attention is 

 being more generally directed to these plants in England as supplying a felt 

 want, and parsley, yarrow, fenugreek, etc., are regularly advertised by agri- 

 cultural seedsmen. 



Many valuable grasses, as the meadow fescues — Festuca pratensis, F. 

 loliacea, F. elatior — some of the larger growing meadow grasses, as Poa 

 sudetica and P. serotina (the P. fertilis of seed-dealers), have not been intro- 

 duced into this province at present. It is probable that Festuca pratensis 

 and F. loliacea would largely supersede the rye-grass so commonly sown, as 

 the yield both for pasturage and hay is fully equal, while the quality is more 

 nutritious. 



Appendix A (Part II. ) 



Synopsis of Tabular Circular returned, with Information and Observations on 

 sundry Indigenous Grasses named therein, and also on certain others not 

 mentioned in the Circular. By T. Kikk, F.L.S., Auckland. 



Gymnostichum gracile. — Found at Kaipara, etc., at sea-level ; flowers in 

 November ; apparently local, and in comparatively small quantity. 



* Hierochloe redolens. Tall sweet scented Holy-grass. — Found at sea-level 

 on swampy ground ; is useful as a spring and summer grass ; not eaten when 

 better kinds can be had. 



* Panicum imbecille. — Found at sea-level to 1,500 feet in woodlands ; 

 continuously useful • like the last, not eaten when better kinds can be had. 



* Echinopogon ovatus. — Found in waste lands and neglected cultivations ; 

 is useful in spring to autumn ; flourishes in disturbed soil ; useless for cattle. 



* The species thus marked are amongst the commonest plants in the Province of 



Auckland. 



