LEGUMES AND OTHER FORAGE PLANTS 313 



seed profusely and in many localities the seed seems to be 

 sterile. For this reason it is almost universally propagated 

 by sections of the long, jointed stems which strike root read- 

 ily when planted in the soil. Para grass is not only valuable 

 for green forage and hay but has recently been employed in 

 Hawaii as a green manure crop. The pineapple growers have 

 found that if segments of the stems of Para grass are scattered 

 broadcast over a field of pineapples after the second rattoon 

 crop of fruit has been removed, it is possible to cut up the 

 pineapple leaves and plant the Para grass simultaneously by 

 running over the field with a disk harrow heavily loaded. 

 For forage purposes Para grass is commonly propagated by 

 planting the sections of the stem a few inches apart in rows 

 i to 2 feet apart. 



The Guinea grass (P. maximum) is a related species, na- 

 tive to Africa, but of quite different habit of growth. This 

 grass has become widely distributed throughout the West 

 Indies and various other parts of the Tropics. It is readily 

 propagated by seed or by division of the roots. The Guinea 

 grass has an upright habit of growth and sometimes attains 

 a height of 6 to 10 feet. Such coarse growth is run through 

 a feed cutter before being used as a forage for cattle or horses. 

 From 4 to 8 cuttings annually may be obtained. In propagat- 

 ing this grass by other methods than by seed it is customary 

 to plant root divisions in rows 5 feet apart and about 2 feet 

 apart in the row. The Guinea grass has the habit of a bunch 

 grass. 



Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana), of South Africa, is an ex- 

 tremely valuable hay grass in tropical and semi-tropical re- 

 gions. For this purpose it is largely used not only in Africa 

 but also in Australia, Hawaii, and various other tropical re- 

 gions. A planting of Rhodes grass will yield satisfactory 

 crops of hay for a period of 7 to 10 years, after which the 

 planting must be renewed. Rhodes grass is extremely re- 

 sistant to drought. It has an upright habit of growth, reaching 



