12 ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS, 
originally the most generally distributed and most valuable na 
grass, almost wholly disappears on sheep runs, while on ce 
stocked with cattle it thickens and improves in quality. 
the past season I have had collections of grasses sent to me 
the Darling and other partially or wholly unstocked parts 
country. Many of the most luxuriant and nutritive of these’ 
general in former times in the more settled parts of the souwen 
and western districts, but which, from the causes alluded to, 
very few exceptions, the introduced plants of this class have fal 
or only partially succeeded. Of these, so far as I am aware, 
only permanent kinds are buffalo grass, Stenotaphrum g'4 
the couch of colonists, Cynodon dactylon, and perhaps the } 
can prairie grass, Bromus Schraderii, which grows well in all parts 
of the Colony, while the two former will only flourish within ®@— 
coast range. I would also urge on our stock-owners the imp 
ance of making careful observations relative to the value W 
may be attached to other kinds of fodder plants, so that on 
founded grounds the growth of the more durable and fattem™ 
kinds may be encouraged and those of poorer character allowe®” 
die out. : 
For some years back various species of Eucalyptus, gtOW!? 
thickly over extensive areas extending from Camden 80m 
wards, have been dying off, and in a manner s0 regular a8 ' 
appear to have been caused by human agency. From the rept 
examinations which I have made of localities where this sing 
phenomenon has occurred, the only hypothesis which I can ® 
at is, that the trees have been destroyed by fungus at the ro0! 
In this conclusion I am borne out by the fact that the trees do nt 
die over any large area simultaneously, but become affected 1m 
first instance on one particular spot, and gradually die off, uM" 
in a direction from north to south, and in belts of more OF ™” 
width, leaving those growing on either sides of such belts ¢ 
unaffected, for which no reason has yet been satisfactorily a8 
If it be a fungus which thus destroys these trees, the 4 
