39 



apart. Perhaps the two species hybridise, which adds to the difficulty 

 of the situation. P. crus-galli prefers moister situations than does P. 

 colonum. 



Value as a fodder. — It is a large, coarse, succulent grass, which may 

 be cut like Sorghum, as it produces great bulk of feed. It has shown 

 great adaptability to climate and soil, nourishing in most places which 

 are not too dry. It grows luxuriantly along river-banks, and will not 

 object to moderate alkalinity in the soil. 



It is scarcely an exaggeration to say that, during the last few years 

 it has been sent to the Department of Agriculture for inquiry almost 

 as frequently as all other grasses put together. It has been sent from 

 the Coast districts, from the Dividing Range and table-land, and from 

 the Lachlan district. It may also be found in almost every suburb of 

 Sydney, usually at the edges of roads which have not been kerbed 

 and guttered, generally in damp places, and sometimes actually 

 growing in water. It often appears in freshly broken-up land, 

 rubbish-heaps, &c. 



Although a recent introduction into many of the localities in which 

 it is now found, it is a real Australian native, although it is also found 

 in many parts of the world. 



What is the explanation of its appearance in so many places during 

 the same season can perhaps only be guessed at, and it really does not 

 very much matter. It may have been distributed in seed sent by a 

 Sydney house. 



All who express any opinion in regard to it are loud in its praises 

 as a nutritious grass, which produces an enormous quantity of feed. 

 It seeds sometimes at a foot high, but usually it is a much larger 

 plant, attaining a height of 6 feet and even more. 



In Eajputana, India, Duthie states that it is considered a good 

 fodder, though not plentiful. 



" At the Hatch Experiment Station, in Massachusetts, U.S.A., the 

 crop of this grass was very uniform, averaging 7 feet in height. The 

 yield was at the rate of 11,207 lb. of straw per acre, and 66*7 bushels 

 of seed. When sown for silage or for soiling, at the rate of 1 peck 

 of seed to the acre, the yield was at the rate of from 15 to 18 tons per 

 acre. A field sown on 26th July, after a crop of hay was removed, 

 yielded 12 tons per acre. It is very much liked by stock, and is a 

 valuable forage plant for feeding green or for the silo. It is not so 

 well adapted for hay, as it is a coarse, succulent grass, and rather 

 difficult to dry." (Lamson-Scribner.) 



" In New Mexico it is found only as a weed on irrigated land, but 

 one which is not difficult to keep down. The Mexicans cut it and 

 feed it green while waiting for corn to mature. 



" Opinion differs very much as to its value as a hay crop, some 

 saying that it is an entirely worthless and troublesome weed, while 

 others are as sure it is a valuable forage plant. In a moist climate it 

 would have the disadvantage of being hard to cure, but in New 

 Mexico's hot sun no such difficulty need be experienced. A field 

 once sown to this grass would always supply a good crop of nutritious 

 hay, since it re-seeds itself. Sown with Eriochloa punctata and Pomi- 



