68 CENSUS OF THE NaTURALIZED ALIENS OF VICTORIA. 
two months, and approximately the same rate of increase has been main- 
tained since 1850. Many of these aliens now occupy large stretches of 
territory, and form characteristic features of the flora, having largely ousted 
the original native occupants. About one species out of every six or seven 
is an alien plant, and in the more closely settled districts the number of 
individual alien plants per acre, even on pasture or uncultivated land, is 
usually greater than that of natives. Our forests, on the other hand, are 
almost solely compdsed of native trees, although a few slien herbs and 
shrubs have crept into the undergrowth. The character of the plants 
which are replacing our native flora in this way is naturally of great im- 
portance, and unfortunately a large number are highly obnoxious in char- 
acter, Thus, out of the 42 plants which have been proclaimed for Victoria 
under the TAistle Ac? on account of their obnoxious or poisonous character 
and rapid powers of multiplication, only five are native plants, and 37 are 
introduced ones, mainly Composites. Out of the 364 naturalized aliens, 
abeut 220 are useless and more or less troublesome weeds, both in pastures 
and in cultivated ground. Of the remainder, approximately 55 have a 
slight value as fodder plants, especially on poor, dry, sandy, or undrained 
soils, and a small number are hedge and garden plants, which, when un- 
checked, run wild and become troublesome. The rest of the list is made 
up of really useful pasture plants, grasses, clovers, &c., tv the number of 
32, which have been introduced, and have succeeded in establishing them- 
selves. Of our obnoxious aliens, a few. appear to have been introduced by 
well-meaning individuals devoid of the requisite knowledge, but the great 
majority are ‘‘ accidental ’’ introductions with imported fodder, ballast, 
packing, and impure agricultural seeds. It is to be regretted that, until 
recently, no control has been exercised over the introduction of imported 
seeds, which is one of the most fertile sources by which obnoxious plants 
are introduced, as impurities in agricultural or garden seeds. On the 
whole, therefore, our acclimatization record for the past 50 or more years 
is a bad one, and leaves much room for improvement in the future. 
In regard to the orders most strongly represented among the introduced 
alien flora naturally Composite, Leguminose, and Graminee come first, 
but owing to the fact that many of the introductions are purposeful ones 
of. useful grasses and other fodder plants, the number in each order differs 
from what it is in nature. Graminew is represented by 88 species, Com- 
posites by 53, and Leguminose by 4o. The orders next in importance are: 
Crucifere (21), Caryophyllacee (15), Labiate (12), Scrophularinz (11) 
Iridee (10), Umbelliferee and Polygonaceew (9 each), Solanacez (0), 
Chenopodiacee (7), Malvacee and Rosacee (6), Papaveraceew, Gera- 
niacee, Amarantacee and Ranunculacee. (5 each), Ficoider Boragi- 
nacee and Euphorbiacee (4 each), the Fumariacez, Plantaginaces: 
and Convolvulaces are each represented by three species, but in the last- 
named order two of the three are proclaimed (Dodder and Bindweed) 
The following orders each include two naturalized aliens, Hypericinem:, 
Onagrariz, Cucurbitacee, Rubiacew, Primulacee, Apocynacez, Verben- 
ace, Urticacese, Liliacese, Juncacee, while the Resedacez, Violacee, Polv- 
galacee, Portulacees, Cactez, Valerianee, Dipsacez, Campanulacee: ” Ascle- 
piadacez, Polemoniacee, Phytolaccer, Pontederiaces, and Natadaces 
are each represented by a. single alien only. 
_ Out of the 47 natural orders represented, the first three orders (Gram- 
ines, Composite, Leguminose) contain almost exactly half (180) of the 
total number of species, while the last 23 orders contain only 33 alien 
