The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: The grass sent from Wodonga ¶ Vic. ¶ inhabits as indigenous the drier and hotter parts of Australia, reaching, as a native also, Polynesia. It is not without pastoral value in the Australian deserts,...

Document information

Physical location:

95.05.00a

Plant names

Andropogon sericens
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Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to the Leader, 1895-05 [95.05.00a]. 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//letters/1890-6/1895/95-05-00a-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026

Letter not found. The text given here is from 'Answers to correspondents', Leader, 4 May 1895, p. 5 (B95.05.03). It is introduced by

Sample of Grass .— A. G. S., Wodonga West, writes;— Kindly inform me what is the name of the variety of grass which I send a sample of, and which is spreading to an alarming extent in the higher or winter grazing lands of this district Where it comes from no one knows, but it is squeezing out the grasses which the cows like on the drier lands only. It is fresh and green in spring and summer, but even then the stock do not care for it. It sends up a red seed stalk in autumn, and the blade, or bunch of the grass decays in winter, when, of course, nothing will touch it." Baron von Mueller favors us with the following reply:—

The grass sent from Wodonga

Vic.

inhabits as indigenous the drier and hotter parts of Australia, reaching, as a native also, Polynesia. It is not without pastoral value in the Australian deserts, as birds and flocks cannot there enjoy by culture or naturalisation the English grasses and our best southern native grasses unless under some irrigation. The name of this grass is .

Typesetter's error for Andropogon sericeus?

Possibly in the locality where the meadows are invaded by this grass, the better natural pasturage has become weakened, otherwise it would be expected to hold its own. I would advise you to sow the strongest British grasses and fodder herbs to cope with the Andropogon, and by these means it would probably be soon crowded out and the meadow green would become enriched also, over stocking on English grasses to be avoided.