16 



the large moisture content; and the hay seems to be much less palat- 

 able than the fresh grass. Hence this grass should be considered as 

 a pasture grass only, and as such it heads the list. 



The plant has a semispreading habit of growth, but becomes more 

 upright when thickly planted. When thinly planted, it assumes a 

 more trailing habit, and sends out rootstocks from well established 

 isolated plants. It spreads slowly from a rootstock growing just at 

 the surface of the soil. Thin stands thus become better in the course 

 of a few years. Water grass under good conditions is able to crowd 

 out Bermuda, pilipiliula, and Hilo grass. Young plants seed pro- 

 fusely, but the seed ripens unevenly even in the same seed head, 

 so that saving seed is difficult and expensive. Some recommend 

 shaking the seed heads over a pan so as to obtain only well ripened 

 seeds. When closely grazed little or no seed is formed, although 

 an effort is made to form them on stems which extend well out along 

 the ground and become vertical as the seed head emerges from the 

 boot. The plants may seed several times annually. Some who 

 have planted seed claim poor results, only 25 per cent or less of the 

 seed being good. In planting, 6 to 10 pounds per acre with 3 

 pounds of some more rapidly growing grass should be sown. The seed 

 weighs 17 to 35 pounds per bushel, good seed weighing at least 28 

 pounds. 



The point to remember in seeding water grass is that germination 

 requires moisture and the supply must hold good until the plants 

 are well rooted, as the young seedlings will perish if the soil dries. 

 When this happens, the failure is usually accredited to poor seed. * 

 The seeds should be covered but lightly, and a stand will be obtained 

 much sooner if covering is done, as the seed is light. In well-pre- 

 pared plowed fields, in single furrows across given areas, or scattered 

 along trails, over sodded, rocky, or other areas, some results may 

 always be obtained. More immediate results are obtained from 

 better treatment, but it often happens that seed remains without 

 germinating for several months. 



The best plan is to sow the seed in a bed, water it, and transplant 

 the well-rooted seedlings to the paddocks. Set the plants in checks 

 2 feet apart each way or in single lines across the field at intervals of 

 2, 4, 6, 10, or 20 feet apart, or simply plant in a haphazard manner 

 here and there. Old plants may be taken up, the roots divided and 

 planted out in the same manner as seedlings. Do not turn cattle 

 upon newly planted fields. 



The carrying capacity of water grass varies much. In Hawaii it 

 may be said that there is a different capacity for each square mile 

 of pasture. At the Prince ville plantation, at an elevation of 300 to 

 800 feet, with 60 to 100 inches of rain, the carrying capacity has been 

 one steer per aero for three years in one paddock of 40 acres. In a 



