88 



Michigan, U.S.A., in his monograph on millets, gives the following 

 common names : — Australian Millet, Morocco Millet, Arabian Millet, 

 Arabian Millet-grass, Arabian Evergreen Millet, Mears'-grass, Guinea- 

 grass (erroneously), False Guinea-grass, Egyptian-grass, Egyptian 

 Millett, Green Valley-grass, Cuba-grass, Alabama Guinea-grass, Syrian- 

 grass, St. Mary's-grass. 



Where figured. — Duthie, Vasey, Hackel, Agricultural Gazette. 



Botanical description (B. Fl., vii, 540). — Stems erect, varying from 

 2 or 3 to 8 or 10 feet high, the nodes glabrous. 



Leaves long and flat, often rather broad, the midrib usually white and prominent. 

 Panicle from 3 or 4 inches to above 1 foot long, loose and often much branched. 

 Fertile spikelets lanceolate, varying from 2 to above 3 lines long, pale-coloured or 



scarcely purple, not rufous, with a few hairs at the base. 

 Outer coriaceous glume faintly many-nerved, at length smooth and shining. 

 Second glume rather smaller, five-nerved, usually sprinkled with a few hairs. 

 Terminal glume hyaline, broad, ciliate, two-lobed, the awn from the notch very fine 



and short, rarely nearly twice as long as the spikelet. 



Mr. W. H. Walker, of Tenterfield, who has made many experiments 

 in the cultivation of both indigenous and introduced grasses, writes 

 that he is sending down 10 lb. of seed of this grass to his Winton 

 Station, 30 miles below Goondiwindi, and is having a small paddock 

 ploughed for it. He adds that it seems to grow well at Goondiwindi, 

 and gives green feed for horses and cattle when other grasses have 

 little growth in them. 



Value as a fodder. — It is best known as a fodder-grass in the United 

 States, and as regards experience in that country, we cannot do better 

 than quote Vasey: " This grass is best adapted to warm climates, and 

 has proved most valuable on warm, dry soils in the Southern States. 

 Its chief value is for hay, in regions where other grasses fail on 

 account of drought. If cut early the hay is of good quality, and 

 several cuttings may be made in the season ; but if the cutting is delayed 

 until the stalks are well grown, the hay is so coarse and hard that 

 stock do not eat it readily. The seed may be sown at any time when 

 the soil is warm and not too dry. Failures often occur from sowing 

 the seed too early. If there is danger that the soil should dry out 

 before the seed can germinate, soaking the seed may be resorted to 

 with good results. Thick seeding gives a heavier yield, and a better 

 quality of hay. From 1 to 2 bushels are usually sown per acre, accord- 

 ing to the quality of the seed. In case of failure to get a good stand, 

 the crop may be allowed to go to seed the first year, after which the 

 vacant spaces will be found to be self seeded. On small patches, in 

 such cases, the ground is sometimes ploughed up, and the underground 

 stems scattered along the furrows over the vacant spots. In most 

 localities it is generally considered desirable to plough the land about 

 every third year, otherwise the root-stocks become matted near the 

 surface, and the crop is more affected by drought. Ploughing causes 

 it to grow more thickly and vigorously/'' 



In another work, " Report on the Grasses of the South," Dr. Vasey 

 further says : — "[Mr. N. B. Moore has cultivated this grass for forty 

 years, and prefers it to all others. It is perennial, as nutritious as any 

 other, difficult to eradicate, will grow on ordinary soil, and yields 

 abundantly." 



