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be very subordinate from the point of view of pasture. Its value 
is that of a coast sand binder. 
At the same time the question of keeping cattle away from 
newly-farmed Marram grass plantations must never be lost sight 
of. fodder in such situations is harsh and sparse, and stray cattle 
will readily bite at the comparatively tender Marram plants just 
coming into growth, and perhaps exterminate a plantation unless 
hecked. 
I have since received the following letter from Mr. S. Avery, of 
Warrnambool, Victoria, which shows that the grass is a really 
valuable fodder grass :-—* The Marram grass is edible during the 
whole of the year, and cattle will eat it at any time, but while 
there is plenty of rye grass and clover on the flats during the 
spring, the cattle prefer rye grass and clover to the Marram grass, 
but as soon as the grass begins to get scarce on the flats, the cattle 
then take to the sand-hills and feed on Marram grass during the 
winter months, and thrive well on it. Before the M 
A native of the shores of Europe and North Africa, Dr. George 
Vasey states that it grows on sandy beaches of the Atlantic, at 
Another possible use for Marram grass is suggested in the 
following letter, received at Kew, from Mr. R. W. Adlam :— 
Joubert Park, Johannesburg, 
August 23, 1894. 
SIR, 
I beg to return you my best thanks for the seeds received 
in two bags, as noted in yours of July 26. The Ammophila seed 
is very acceptable, as I wish to experiment with it to find if it will 
ow on, and bind together, the sand, or tailings heaps, which are 
accumulating so fast along the Main reef, and around this town. 
Our gold output is now five tons per month, and to obtain this a 
vast number of tons of rock have to be crushed. 
The crushed gold-beating quartz—or rather sandstone, is first 
treated with mercury, and thereafter with cyanide of potassium, 
to obtain every particle of gold. 
The cyanide remains in the tailings heaps, and, of course, is 
strongly poisonous. Blown about by the strong winds here, the 
sands cause serious eye complaints, and illness. 
