330 GRASSES AND HOW TO GROW THEM. 



Harvesting for Hay. — In a dry climate there should 

 be no real difficulty in making Australian Saltbush 

 into hay in much the same way as other hay is har- 

 vested. It makes a coarse woody hay, but in situations 

 where better hay cannot be obtained, it is vastly better 

 than none, since range animals will feed upon it with 

 more or less of relish in the winter season. However, 

 it is better adapted relatively to furnish winter graz- 

 ing in mild climates than to furnish winter hay. 



Securing Seed. — But little is known as to the best 

 methods of securing the seed of this plant under Amer- 

 ican conditions. This phase of its cultivation has not 

 been well worked out. Fortunately it seeds freely. 

 The plan of cutting it with a self-rake reaper and 

 threshing with a separator would seem to be quite 

 feasible. The author has not been able to get any 

 information as to the yields of the seed or to the mode 

 of preparing the same for market. 



Renewing. — Australian Saltbush has not been grown 

 long enough in this country to admit of gleaning much 

 information on this question. But the fact that it is 

 able to increase by self-sowing is significant. This 

 should make it possible to control the renewal of pas- 

 tures by simply allowing the plants occasionally to pro- 

 duce more or less seed. 



PEOMISIXG GRASSES IfOT YET TESTED. 



When the ranges of the west and northwest came to 

 be opened up, the expectation was cherished, that among 

 the many grasses growing on them, some would be 

 found that would so respond to cultivation, as to prove 

 more valuable for some conditions, than manv of the 



