286 . NATURAL IIISTOKY OF HAWAII. 



It is a jiTciss-likc plant, very wrll suited to the soil, and is re.srarded as the 

 most protitable crop for forage in the islands. It is grown usually by irri- 

 gation and has its greatest use as feed for milch cows. 



Forage Grass. 



Of the grasses, Bei-muda grass, known locally as manienie ''^*' or creeping 

 grass, has found a permanent place in the islands. The lawns are sodded with 

 it. and it spreads over waste places and affords valuable pasture for stock 

 l)elow the elevation of 800 fe(4. It was introduced in 18:35 by Dr. A. F. Judd. 

 Alfalfa or lucerne -^^ is also cultivated to some extent under irrigation, especially 

 by dairymen. It is a native of southw^estern Asia, but has long been exten- 

 sively cultivated in Europe and America. Its purplish-white clover-like 

 flowers and hairy, coiled seed pods will separate it from the true clovers,-^- 

 which are seldom seen in Hawaii. (Juinea grass ^^ is also cultivated by many 

 dairymen, yielding a number of crops from one seeding, if grown under irri- 

 gation, l)ut Para grass ^'* is gaining favor more rapidly than any of the strictly 

 forage grasses. 



All of tlie foregoing grasses and a long list of other species were, of course, 

 introduced, coming M'ith commerce or being purposely planted. They supple- 

 ment a iiuiii1)er of native grasses, some of which are of value as food for stock. 

 Among the more important indigenous grasses should be mentioned the native 

 manienie,^^ the kukaepuaa ■^''' and the pili,-^" which grow generally over the 

 group to 4500 feet elevation. The latter, while vei-y good pasturage for horses 

 and cattle, is not as good for sheep, for, like the piipii,-**^ a common grass on 

 open dry plains and slopes, it bears sharp, stiff awns about the seeds that get 

 entangled in the animals' m'ooI. 



Most of the foregoing grazing grasses are being rai)idly crowded out by 

 the rank-growing, worthless Hilo grass,^'' which is not eaten by animals. It 

 appeared about 1840 in the district of Hilo, having been brought to the islands 

 in some unknown way, presumably from tropical America. The edges of its 

 coarse leaves are rough to the touch, and the stem ends in two slender spikes, 

 three to five inches in length. A closely related species ^*^ has from three to 

 six alternate spikes and is common in swampy ground in heavy soil. It was 

 used by the Hawaiians to some extent as a thatch. The mischief done l)y Hilo 

 grass is an example of the damage that may be brought about through the 

 inti-oduction. pur])osely oi- otherwise, of undesirable plants or animals. 



Weeds. 



Space is too limited for an extended list of imported plant pests affecting 

 the farmer and ranchman, but a number of undesirable species have been 

 introduced and have prospered in Hawaii. Among them are the common pur- 



3" Cynodim dnrfi/hni. »! Mfdicuijo satirtt. ^- TrifoHum. »» I'rniiriDii ttidjiina. 



^*_Panicum MoUe. ^^ StenoJaphnnii. ^« Panicuw priiriens. 



'' Setropoffon = (Andropogon) contortiis. ^s Chry.sopogon acirulatus. ^^ }'(i.spnlini( ccnijugatum. 



*" I'aspalum orbicularie. 



