14 



dotted over with shade trees, exist in Jamaica. Many trees, such as 

 the Saman ( Calliayidra Soman) not only give excellent shade, but the 

 pods are a most wholesome food for cattle. The commoner and more 

 hardy sorts of Mango might be planted for the same purpose, as also 

 the Ramoon (Tropins americana), the leaves of which afford a very 

 nutritious food for cattle in Tropical America ; the Bread Nut 

 (Brosimum Alicastrum) ; the Jack ( ' Artocarpus integrifolia ) ; and the 

 bastard Cedar ( Gnaziima tomentosa). The leaves, as well as the 

 fruits, of the last are much liked by cattle. This brief list of useful 

 pasture trees might be considerably enlarged. It would be noticed that 

 many of the trees mentioned belong to the natural order Urticacece. 

 As the plants belonging to this order are so widely distributed 

 over tropical regions, each country could* make its own selection 

 of suitable pasture trees. The best of all is undoubtedly the 

 Saman. ° 



Annual Fodder Grasses. 



In dry regions not suitable for permanent pastures, the Abyssinian 

 Teff ( ' Eragrostis abyssinica) might be grown during the occasional 

 rains and made into hay. This grass will produce a heavy crop of hay 

 in six weeks from the time of sowing. It is very nourishing, and 

 cattle are very fond of it 



The United States Agricultural Department has declared that 

 " the value of Sorghum for feeding stock cannot be surpassed by 

 another crop, as a greater amount of nutritious fodder can be obtained 

 from it in a shorter time within a given space, and more cheaply." 



A very valuable fodder grass belonging to this group is the 

 Teosinte ( Euchlama luxurians). This yields very large crops in 

 good land, and is regarded as one of the most prolific of annual 

 grasses. Four good cuttings can be made in four months. . . . 



The following tropical grasses are selected as possessing special 

 merit for fodder purposes. Amongst them are plants suitable for 

 almost every condition found in tropical countries. The list has had 

 the advantage of the revision of Sir Joseph Hooker, who is now 

 working out the grasses of British India, and who has suggested some 

 emendations of the commonly-accepted nomenclature. 



Anthistiria australis,-\ R. Brown. — The well-known "Kangaroo 

 grass " of South Australia, but widely distributed through Southern 

 Asia and the whole of Africa. A perennial upright grass over 3ft. in 

 height. It enjoys a wide reputation, and is regarded as the most useful 

 of the indigenous grasses of Eastern Australia, stock of all descriptions 

 being remarkably fond of it. The roots are strong and penetrate the 

 ' soil to a great depth, so the plant remains green during the greater 

 part of the summer. In the autumn the foliage turns brown, when, 

 however, its nutritive qualities are said to be at the highest. If cut 

 as soon as the flower stem appears, it can be made into excellent hay. 



* Of the trees enumerated above, two are already in the Colony, viz., the 

 Jack and the Saman, but the latter does not bear fruit with lis. Belonging to 

 the order Urticacece, -we have indigenous trees as follows: — Celtis, two species ; 

 Trema, one ; Chaetachme, two ; and Ficus, several. 



f This is our Red Grass, called by the natives Insinda. 



