26 



" patanas" and <: savannahs," where somewhat coarse grasses have es- 

 tablished themselves almost to the exclusion of every thing else. Even 

 these grasses, although in a fresh* state they may be distasteful to cattle, 

 become, after being cut and partially dried, very acceptable food to 

 them. Such grasses might also be largely utilised for silage purposes. 

 Under cultivation, good pastures can, as a rule, be established by 

 clearing the land of weeds and bushes, and encouraging the spontaneous 

 growth of local grasses from seed carried from neighbouring areas. This 

 is regularly done in Jamaica in regard to Guinea grass. During the first 

 year or two the land requires to be carefully weeded, and if the soil is 

 poor it should also receive a dressing of manure. After the grass has 

 become thoroughly established an annual clearing after the rains is all 

 that is required. It should, however, be understood that continuous 

 feeding is injurious to the permanency of good pastures. The best 

 grasses are thus destroyed, and rank growing ones gradually take their 

 place. Close feeding for a time is advantageous, but the pasture should 

 have time to recover before the animals are again placed upon it. 

 Further, it is better to keep cattle on a portion of the pasture at one 

 time, and not allow them to wander at will over a large area. 



Trees in Pastures. 



Thwaites recommended that in Ceylon trees should always be planted 

 upon land laid out for permanent pasture. The trees would afford 

 grateful shade to the cattle, and they would prevent the grass from being 

 entirely dried up during seasons of drought. Trees would also add to 

 the beauty of the country. Most extensive pastures dotted over with 

 shade trees exist in Jamaica. Many trees, such as the Saman ( Callian- 

 dra Saman), 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 Eamoon 

 (Trophis americana), the leaves of which afford a very nutritious food 

 for cattle in tropical America ; the bread nut (Brosimum Alicastrum ) ; 

 the Jack tree ( Artocarpus integrifolia) ; and the bastard cedar (Gua- 

 zuma 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 con- 

 siderably enlarged. It would be noticed that many of the trees men- 

 tioned 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 tree of 

 all is, undoubtedly, the Saman. (Keic Reports, 1878, p. 18, et. seq). 



Grasses for Dry Regions. 



Where the climate is moist and humid the selection of suitable grasses 

 presents little difficulty. In countries subject to periods of prolonged 

 droughts the circumstances are wholly different. The great want in 

 such regions is the introduction of grasses that will maintain growth and 

 vigour during many months when no rain falls. Grasses of this kind 

 are to be found in the Bahama grass ( Cynodon Dactylon), the 

 Kangaroo grass of Australia {Anthistiria australis) , and the Mitchell 

 grass of Australia {Astrebla triticoides). These will stand periods of 

 prolonged drought, and, in the case of the last, cattle are said to fatten 



