grass during winter and then, in early March, distribute 500 pounds of 

 basic slag per acre and broadcast 3 pounds of carpetgrass seed and 10 

 pounds of common lespedeza seed per acre. The seeded area must be 

 grazed closely during the first and succeeding growing seasons to control 

 native grasses and favor carpetgrass. 



The sod established m the 1950 test has provided about 4. 5 cow- 

 months of grazing per acre each season from 1950 to 1953. In com- 

 parison, open forest range bordering the study area has a recommended 

 grazing capacity of 1 cow-month per acre. 



Practical tests of grazed firebreaks. --In 1953, four firebreak 

 strips 17 to 20 feet wide and totalling nearly 3 miles in length were 

 established on the Longleaf Tract. Two seedbed preparations were 

 used- -disking after the grass was burned, and disking without burning. 

 Fertilizer and seed were distributed at these rates: 1, 000 pounds of 

 basic slag, 5 pounds of carpetgrass, and 10 pounds of Kobe lespedeza 

 per acre (common lespedeza was unavailable). Disking without burning 

 was tried because plowing two parallel fire furrows and then burning 

 the grass from between them proved both expensive and hazardous. 



Good seedbeds and seedling stands were obtained both with and 

 without burning,, Disking in unburned grass was less expensive and is 

 much to be preferred because it avoids the use of fire. The total cost 

 for disking, fertilizing, and seeding was $26. 19 per acre, or $52. 38 

 per mile of firebreak averaging 16-1/2 feet wide. 



A good carpetgrass sod was established the first season and 

 provided improved summer-fall grazing for cattle. Data will be taken 

 to see if the strips promote better distribution of grazing. Tests during 

 March 1954 showed the strips to be effective fire barriers. Ground 

 fires did not creep across the strips even on dry windy days. The 

 strips also stopped very hot headfires that were running with a south 

 breeze (9 miles per hour). 



Forage plant nursery . - -Over 30 choice forage plants that are 

 not native to the pinelands but that have grown successfully in other 

 parts of the South are being studied in a nursery established in 1953 on 

 the Longleaf Tract (fig. 25). The plants that do well in the nursery will 

 be tested on cutover pineland to see if they can survive, withstand 

 grazing, and maintain a stand. The successful sod-formmg species and 

 low-growing plants that stay green during winter will also be tested on 

 firebreaks. 



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