26 J. H. MAIDEN. 



funds. Our natural difficulties are quite numerous enough 

 without making pretences to perform impossibilities. 



b. Grass. — Grass gives charm to a park, which can be 

 obtained by no other means. Refreshing to the eye, it 

 it is Nature's own carpet on which the weary citizen may 

 rest. The grass in most of our Sydney parks is the Indian 

 Doub or the "Bermuda Grass" of the United States, 

 (Cynoclon daetylon, Linn.) which is universally known in 

 Sydney as Couch Grass. It is a native of Australia as well 

 as of other parts of the world ; at the same time it is an 

 immigrant in certain districts in which it is now well 

 established. It forms a fine, smooth, durable lawn. 



The other grass is known by all Sydney people as Buffalo 

 Grass (Stenotaphrum americanum, Schrank.). It is a 

 coarse, springy grass much approved by some people, 

 although too coarse for tennis or croquet lawns or for 

 cricket. It is an American grass, but not the Buffalo grass 

 of America, 1 which is Buchoe dactyloides, Engelm. The 

 grass called Buffalo grass in Sydney is so called because 

 its first discovery in Australia was made on the shore of 

 Buffalo Creek, a small tributary of Port Jackson. 



c. Depasturing of Stock. — In most Sydney Parks stock 

 are allowed to be depastured on agistment. In the State 

 parks they are used as a substitute for scythes and lawn- 

 mowers. Financial considerations partly weigh with us 

 as regards the Domain; for example, by stock a revenue of 

 £60 to £100 per annum is secured (the lessee of the 

 grazing being responsible for the stock), while the manure 

 fertilizes the ground. To mow the Domain grass as well 

 as the stock do it would be impossible, as the ground is 

 too irregular in contour ; to keep it moderately well cut 

 would cost at least £400 a year. On the other hand the 



1 In the United States it is known as Mission Grass, or St. Augustiue's 

 Grass. 



