132 
on account of our superior indigenous ser plants and grasses that 
our wools take such a high place i in the market. 
all the Australian salt-bushes, y oci ur Lindl., 
ine the one which has attracted most attenti 
Turner (p. 57) gives the following account of E wr Re PUR 
Lindl, i is a “She which attains a height of from 6 to 10 feet, and is 
covered all over with a scaly tomentum. Th re ürtdblo but 
leav 
are mostly orbicular, rather thick and slighily sinuate-toothed. - The 
plant is dicecious, that is the two sexes of the flowers are borne on 
separate individuals. It is peculiar to the Maequarie, Castlereagh and 
interior of South Australia. At one time it was moderately pens 
ut the overstocking of the runs hs had a most serious effect on 
plant, and in some m à is nearly exterminated. Cattle, sheep iid 
other herbivora are so extremely fond of it, and crop it down so closely, 
that it has little chance to recover, much less produce seed in sufficient 
quantities for its natural perpetuation. Its drought-enduring qualities 
are remarkable, for it stands the hot winds on our arid central sec 
throughout the summer months with little check upon its grow 
Such a valuable fodder plant is well worthy of extensive Enc 
and eulture, and if this be not done within a very few years, it will then 
be ene impossible, except under very careful management. 
n not too closely fed over, the plant will seed in abundance, and 
the "d germinates. readily under ordin conditions. It will also 
An analysis of the dry plant ash, which amounts to 31:28 per cent., 
shows the amount of alkali and other salts it contains, and which add 
very greatly to its value as a change-food for sheep affected with 
parasites 
Potash - - 4°91 | The plant itself contains— 
Soda  - - - 925! Carbohydrates 42°85 
Common Salt - 947, Oily matter - - 218 
Lime - - or 241 Abonda - - 1645 
Magnesia E - 2°12| Woody fibre  - > VET 
Iron oxide - - 0:20, Ash as carbonates - 3128 
Sulph. oxide - - 099 -—— 
osph. oxide - 100-00 
Sili =o - 035 
31:28 
Punjab the efflorescence is known as Kallar, and in Oudh and other 
parts of India the affected lands are called usar, (The usar grass is 
Sporobolus arabicus, Boiss.) Large sums of money have been spent 
in providing canals for irrigation purposes and in the endeavour to 
make usar lands productive. It has been proved that irrigation by 
water, when not accompanied by deep drainage, had the 
‘effect of increasing the amount of reh deposits in the soil 
