Document information

Physical location:

Z83/10272, unit 1417, VPRS 3991/P inward registered correspondence, VA 475 Chief Secretary's Department, Public Record Office, Victoria. 83.10.24

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Graham Berry, 1883-10-24. R.W. Home, Thomas A. Darragh, A.M. Lucas, Sara Maroske, D.M. Sinkora, J.H. Voigt and Monika Wells (eds), Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller, <https://vmcp.rbg.vic.gov.au/id/83-10-24>, accessed April 21, 2025

Melbourne,
24. Oct. 1883.
To the honorable Graham Berry, M.LA.
Chief Secretary.
Sir
Observing in the "Age" of this day a notice, favorable of
Bromus sterilis

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as a useful fodder-grass of fattening properties,
1
The file includes a clipping from the Age of the notice referred to: 'The Minister of Lands has received the following memorandum from Mr. Guilfoyle, in reference to a new native grass, to which Mr. W. Madden made reference in the Assembly last week. Mr. Guilfoyle states: — "As regards the grass which is known in the Bridgewater district, as 'Jack Hollis,' as soon as I received your memo., requesting me to furnish some information concerning the plant, I telegraphed at once to Mr. Macdonald, the curator of the public gardens, Colac, for a flowering or seeding specimen, in order that I might be able to determine the botanical name, &c. In answer to my telegram I have just received specimens of two species of grass, which I recognise as Ceratechloa uniloides (some time known as bromus uniloides), the common 'prairie grass' and bromus sterilis, as the ceratechloa, or prairie grass, is known to most farmers and graziers. I presume, in fact I feel almost sure, that bromus sterilis is the real 'Jack Hollis.' The grass is indigenous to North America, and is a tussocky annual, growing in loose soils to 18 inches or 2 feet in height. It has long been known in Queensland and New South Wales as a useful fodder and fattening grass. It is no stranger in this colony. It has been common for many years in the gardens and the domain and many parts of the suburbs. I remember the grass many years ago on the slopes of the Abercrombie and Lachlan Rivers, and more recently on some farms on the banks of the Clarence, Richmond and Tweed Rivers in New South Wales."' ('News of the day', Age, 24 October 1883, p. 5).
I deem it my duty to give my opinion to you, that the growth of this particular grass should not be encouraged. It is a common British grass and not liked there or elsewhere by the farming communities; in North-America it is only immigrated, the native range of this Brome-grass being through Europe and Western Asia. This grass is objected to, because it spreads readily into cultivation, interfering particularly with the growth of clovers and luzerne and overpowering also many other culture-plants, especially on friable and less fertile ground, by its rapid growth in spring; but being an annual grass, it fails when pasture-feed in a clime like ours is most needed. Irrespective of this, stock would browse on
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only before it comes into flower, as the long awned spikelets are too prickly for feed. Indeed sheep-owners also in Victoria complain, that the awns of this Bromus enter the fleece, and are even apt to penetrate the skin, causing losses in the flocks. The nutritive property of this grass even in its young state is far inferior to that of many other grasses; hence I have not admitted any recommendatory note on it into my volume on "select plants for industrial culture".
I have the honor to be,
Sir,
your obedient servant
Ferd. von Mueller.
2
M's letter was published in the Age, 26 October 1883, p. 5 (B83.10.09), and elsewhere. See also R. McFarland to M, 22 October 1883 (in this edition as 83-10-22a), which is included in the file.