PASTURE AND FORAGE CROPS 



163 



enormous quantity of forage. It forms large stools 

 or tussocks, and stands grazing perfectly. The 

 famous grazing lands of central and eastern Cuba 

 and western Jamaica are largely set to this grass. 

 It grows much more rapidly during the rainy season, 

 but furnishes considerable pasturage throughout the 

 year. It is estimated that from one and a half to 

 two acres of good Guinea grass pasture will support 

 an animal the year round. Guinea grass does not 

 stand much freezing, so in the United States it can 

 only be grown in Florida and along the Gulf coast. 

 It is propagated either by seed or by sets made by 

 division of the large stools. 



When the land is required for cultivated crops, its 

 manner of growth makes plowing f-^j 

 difficult ; but when the sod is 

 once turned over it soon dies and 

 gives no further trouble. 



Para Grass (^Panieum molle). — 

 This grass is also known as Paral, 

 Parana, Panama, and various 

 other local names. It is a native 

 of South America, but is now 

 found widely distributed. It 

 equals or exceeds Guinea grass 

 in rapidity of growth, but instead 

 of growing in stools sends out 

 long, half-prostrate stems that 

 root at the joints, forming a 

 dense, tangled mass, with free, 

 erect ends which reach a height Para Grass, 



of four to six feet. It grows in moister land 



