SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT OF PASTURES. 
the wheat crop, and is ready in most cases to adopt improved practices, 
a striking lack of knowledge is shown as regards the pastures. ‘To many 
anything green is “grass,” whether it be a quickly-spreading weed or 
one of the best of fodder plants. The lack of distinction nevertheless 
must result in the rapid progress of the more aggressive plant, which, in 
many cases, is the poorest of fodders. Thus the rapid spread of useless 
short-lived Brome grasses, Stink grass (Hragrostis major), and many 
others. Compare such a system with the treatment given by an intelli- 
gent and skilful pastoralist to his pastures. He carefully observes the 
essential characteristics of his grasses—their palatability, drought resist- 
ance, fattening qualities, &e.—and the good grasses he endeavours to 
increase in area by encouraging their seeding habits, and by distribut- 
ing the seed over areas less fortunate in the possession of good 
varieties. 
In the third place, insufficient attention is given to the matter of 
summer and autumn feed. Where herbage country is existent and 
native pastures absent, such summer and autumn feed become an 
absolute necessity. Excellent results have been produced in this con- 
nexion by Sudan grass, Rhodes grass, and Grain Sorghums. These 
will grow in the interior of most parts of Australia on an average 
rainfall as low as 15 inches. Sudan and Rhodes grass make excellent 
hay, or can be pastured, while the Grain Sorghums can be utilized for 
grain (the nutritive value of which is almost equal to maize), or for 
silage. 
Conservation of fodder also deserves much more attention than it 
at present receives. Australians are temperamentally speculators, and 
although they sincerely regret, during a drought, that they did not 
conserve fodder when times were good, all is soon forgotten when con: 
ditions are again normal. ‘The amount of native grass and herbage 
that goes to waste during good seasons would feed thousands of stock 
‘for a considerable period. Such fodder can economically be conserved 
‘in the form of hay or pit silage, as frequently explained by the various 
State Agricultural Departments. 
In summing up the manner in which the native pastures of the 
interior can be improved and their carrying capacity increased, the 
following suggestions should be acted upon by the various State 
Governments, in addition to what has been already discussed :— 
1. Farmers should receive full field instruction in the value of 
the best native grasses for various divisions. A great deal has 
already been written concerning our native grasses by various 
botanists, but to the pastoralist such information is valueless unless 
he can readily identify his grasses and is aware of their charac- 
teristics. A complete course of field lectures by various experts 
throughout different parts of the States would be of inestimable 
benefit. Co-operation with various pastoralist and farmers’ 
associations would be necessary to carry this out thoroughly. : 
2. Tons of native grass seed should be on hand for distribution 
to farmers, at a very low cost. Owing to the fact that the areas 
are large and the germination of the seed low, pastoralists require 
an enormous amount of seed for scattering over their paddocks. 
It is remarkable that the seed of only two or three native grasses 
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