220 



as much manure, wood-ashes, or vegetable refuse, as can be afforded. 

 Old stools with tops cut some twelve inches above the ground are 

 dug up and divided into small well-rooted portions and used for 

 planting. Each portion should be carefully planted, not too deep ! 

 (say three or four inches) and the earth made quite firm around its 

 base. The field looks better when set in rows from twenty inches to 

 two feet apart, but some cultivators prefer to plant irregularly, using 

 the same distances. 



The productiveness of a Guinea grass piece depends greatly upon 

 the regularity of the attention it receives. In Jamaica, in limestone 

 districts, and in the Bocas Island, Trinidad, it is thoroughly acclima- 

 tised, sows itself, requires no attention, and is practically ineradicable ; 

 but in the neighbourhood of Port-of-Spain, and in many other 

 districts it cannot be left to itself, or it will rapidly die out. In 

 Jamaica and in Tobago considerable areas are covered with Guinea 

 grass which has become fully acclimatised, and these are used for 

 grazing purposes, cari-ying large herds of cattle and sheep. 



They receive little more attention besides an annual hoeing, and 

 cutlassing or brushing out, which is really all that is necessary to 

 keep this grass in order where soil and climate are suitable. 



In the Homestead grass fields, however, especially on heavy clay 

 or on soil indifferently suited to its culture, Guinea grass requires 

 regular attention. 



It had been the system previous to my taking charge of the 

 grass fields at the Botanic Gardens, to hoe and fork through between 

 the plants with great regularity, in fact there was a standing order to 

 fork over at once the area cut over for the daily supply. This system 

 was given a year's trial, but the supply of grass was not equal to the 

 demand, and other measures had to be adopted. It was finally decided 

 to stop forking process and to "mM?cZi"* regularly with any manure 

 or vegetable refuse that was available, completely covering the ground 

 between the plants. This mu.lching has been found, after eight years' 

 practical trial, to be far superior to forking or hoeing, as it prevents 

 weeds growing, keeps the ground moist, and it sujjplies, by decay, a 

 regular amount of plant food. It is of course necessary that all 

 large weeds should be removed either by pulling up or cutlassing at 

 regular periods, but small or surface weeds will be killed out by 

 regular mulching and by the luxuriant growth of the grass itself. 

 The condition of our field is such that no one can dispute the value 



* Mulch is an English term used when the roots of plants are covered 

 thickly with manure or vegetable refuse. 



