which prevail in the region, aud it is quite improbable that introduced forms 

 can be had to take their places satisfactorily, at least for years to come. 

 That some of the native forms flourish under conditions that would kill the 

 common cultivated ones is seen by the situation in Stark County, North 

 Dakota. At Dickinson, the Weather Bureau reports for 1895 show a rainfall 

 of 11*75 inches. Of this amount, 575 inches fell in June and July. The 

 small precipitation of 06i inch in the three months of August, September, 

 and October favours the important process of curing on the ground. This 

 enables thousands of cattle to live during the winter on the nutritious forage 

 furnished by this method of curing the grasses which grow at this point." 

 (Brannon.) " Such a climatic condition would soon destroy the ordinary 

 cultivated grasses, but the native species have flourished under it for 

 centuries, and there is no reason why they should not continue to do so and 

 still yield plenty of forage, if properly handled." (Grosses and Forage 

 Plants, United States Department of Agriculture, Bulletin No. 6, pp. 6 and 



7 -) 



The above might have been written with much of our western country 

 in view, so similar are the conditions, at least as regards rainfall. 



And again: " Experience has shown that many of the most valuable of 

 the native grasses are very much benefited by a judicious application of 

 even a small amount of water. As a rule there is sufficient rainfall to give 

 the grasses a good start in the spring, and if enough water could be had to 

 keep up a strong growth when the dry, hot summer weather comes on, an 

 abundant forage crop would be assured." (Op. cit. p. 7.) 



It may be that the water from our artesian bores, and other water avail- 

 able for irrigation, may be utilised to an even greater extent than it has 

 been in the past, in directly irrigating pasture land for part of the year. 



Mr. Thomas A. Williams gives the following summary of his recommen- 

 dations for the renewing of worn-out pastures of native grasses : — 



" (i.) Avoid overstocking, 

 (n.) When the soil begins to get baked and packed stir it up with a 



harrow, 

 (in.) Grive an occasional light top-dressing of well-rotted stable manure 



(iv.) Fill in thin with hardy tame or wild grasses before the weeds get 



a start, 

 (v.) Keep the weeds mowed off so that the grasses may get the benefit 



of all the plant-food there is in the soil." 



ANALYSES OF GEASSES. 



Yeev few analyses have been made of our indigenous grasses, but it is very 

 desirable that a comprehensive investigation of them should be carried out. 

 To do the work properly we require specimens of the same species collected 

 in different parts of Australia, in different seasons, and in different stages of 

 growth. In order to secure strictly comparable results, it would be desirable 

 to set apart one chemist whose attention should not be distracted with any 

 other kind of work. He could do the work with reasonable thoroughness in 

 three years, and his researches would settle the comparative value of many of 

 our esteemed indigenous grasses, and also give us specific information in regard 

 to the value of some grasses in respect to which we only possess vague infor- 

 mation. If, in addition, we could only obtain auaJyses of introduced grasses 

 grown in the colonies, the results would be of enhanced value. 



