10 
INTRODUCTION. 
as the more valuable and suitable species springing on the naked soil are selected by the sheep and cattle, and 
exterminated, while the worthless grasses remain and are propagated. It is therefore highly important that in 
the North a proper selection of varieties of seed should be made, and that in every case attention should be paid 
to resting the pastures at the proper seasons, for encouraging the growth of the valuable kinds, and restraining 
the growth of those which are worthless. Pasturage of high value should, it must be borne in mind, contain an 
admixture of many other plants besides grasses. Leguminous plants, for instance, being richer in albuminoids 
than any grasses, have therefore greater fattening capabilities, while many umbelliferous herbs and plants con¬ 
taining saline constituents are absolutely necessary as condimental elements of mixed pasture, in order that stock 
may be maintained in sound health. With regard to the selection of native grasses for cultivation, the subject 
yet requires experimental investigation. The most likely species will require to be grown on varied soils, the 
composition of which should be determined by analysis, and the grasses themselves should also be chemically 
examined. 
The leading varieties of soil prevailing in the different parts of the colony have been chemically determined 
(see Report of Analyses of Soils, Lab. Rep., 186), but the composition of the grasses growing in them has not 
yet been ascertained. 
Meanwhile, with the view of facilitating the making of such experimental researches, the following lists 
have been drawn up of the native grasses that appear, from the present state of our knowledge, to be most 
worthy of cultivation for the purposes stated. 
The following alpine species are worthy of experimental cultivation as pasture grasses on low lands :— 
Ehrharta Colensoi. Danthonia australis. 
Agrostis Muelleri. Danthonia ovata. 
Agrostis setifolia. Poa foliosa, var. b. 
Catabrosa antarctica. Poa Mackayi. 
The following species are recommended for cultivation as ornamental grasses :— 
Microlsena polynoda. Danthonia Cunninghamii. 
Hierochloe reddens. Trisetum antarcticum. 
Apera arundinacea. Poa Lindsayi. 
Arundo conspicua. Poa breviglumis. 
Arundo fulvida. Stipa Petriei. 
The following species are recommended for cultivation as pasture grasses :— 
Microlsena stipoides. 
Hierochloe alpina. 
Isachne australis. 
Dichelachne crinita. 
Dichelachne sciurea. 
Sporobolus elongatus. 
Agrostis canina. 
Agrostis parviflora. 
Agrostis avenoides. 
Agrostis Youngii. 
Danthonia semi-annularis. 
Danthonia semi-annularis (vari 
Danthonia pilosa. 
Danthonia pilosa (varieties). 
Danthonia nuda. 
Danthonia Thomsonii. 
Trisetum antarcticum. 
Trisetum subspicatum. 
Poa anceps (varieties). 
Poa intermedia. 
Poa Colensoi. 
Poa uniflora. 
Poa breviglumis. 
Poa Kirkii. 
Poa Lindsayi. 
Festuca duriuscula. 
Festuca scoparia. 
Triticum scabrum (varieties). 
Triticum multiflorum. 
Deyeuxia scabra. 
The following species are recommended for cultivation as fodder grasses 
Dichelachne crinita. 
Dichelachne sciurea. 
Agrostis avenoides. 
Agrostis Youngii. 
Danthonia Cunninghamii. 
Danthonia Raoulii. 
Danthonia flavescens. 
Danthonia semi-annularis. 
Danthonia Buchanani. 
Trisetum antarcticum. 
Poa anceps, var. data. 
Poa intermedia. 
Poa uniflora. 
Festuca duriuscula. 
Triticum scabrum. 
Arundo conspicua. 
Arundo fulvida. 
