250 'FORAGE PLANTS AND THEIR CULTURE 



OTHER SOUTHERN GRASSES 



302. Carpet-grass (Axonopus compressus). Carpet- 

 grass or Louisiana-grass, called by the Creoles in Louisiana 

 *' petit gazon," is now widespread in the tropics and sub- 

 tropics of Doth hemispheres, but it is probably native to 

 America. It was first described from Jamaica in 1788, 

 next from Porto Rico in 1804. It may be native to 

 Florida. 



Carpet-grass is a perennial with creeping rootstocks and 

 numerous short, rather broad, flat leaves. The slender 

 culms rarely reach a height of two feet. This grass has 

 been known in the Southern States for many years and is 

 now widespread from about latitude 32 to the Gulf 

 of Mexico and west to central Texas. It thrives best in 

 sandy land, especially where moist, and in such situations 

 makes a fine dense sward. 



On sandy lands in Florida and near the Gulf Coast car- 

 pet-grass is very aggressive, and wherever the land is 

 closely pastured, it is the principal grass. It stands 

 trampling and heavy pasturing without injury and seems 

 to thrive best under such conditions. 



Carpet-grass can scarcely be considered a cultivated 

 grass, and commercial seed is seldom obtainable. This 

 grass now occurs in nearly all the area to which it is 

 adapted so that it is rarely necessary to plant it especially. 

 Where this is desirable, however, carpet-grass may be 

 planted by scattering small pieces of sod, as in the case of 

 Bermuda-grass. Or better, the grass may be permitted 

 to seed, mowed when mature and the straw with the 

 attached seed scattered over the field where it is desired. 



Carpet-grass requires both abundant heat and moisture 

 for its best development, and under such conditions may 



