EDITORIAL. 
ment Station in May, 1913. The original plot is still growing. From 
the very first, this grass gave promise of being valuable. 
On 31st March, 1915, a plat of Bahia grass was planted in the 
pasture on the Experiment ‘Station Farm. The ground was ploughed 
and a good seed bed prepared. Plants were taken from the original seed - 
bed and set out in rows 24 inches wide, with the plants 24 inches apart 
in the row. ‘Two rows, each about 200 feet long, were planted. The 
plat was fenced to keep off the stock. The grass made a good growth 
the first summer, and a good crop of seed was produced the first season. 
The latter part of September, 1915, the fence was removed, and cattle 
have pastured on it, both winter and summer, since that time. During 
the past four years the grass has been subjected to heavy: pasturing. 
Notwithstanding this fact, it ‘has continued to grow, and has made 
. a complete sod over a space now 10 to 12 feet wide. Im addition to 
this, a large number of individual plants have sprung up adjacent to 
the planting, indicating that the seed has been scattered by the cattle, 
birds, or wind. 
This is, we believe, a new method of testing the value of a grass 
for pasture. A grass to be of value for pasture should, in addition to 
being nutritious, have good staying qualities. That is, it must stand 
hard and close pasturing under all conditions. A grass that needs to 
be nursed and coaxed after it is once established is not desirable for 
pasture purposes. 
i 
The method here employed gives information on two important 
points, namely, the ability of the grass to spread and make a good 
sod while being pastured, and its palatability to cattle. The results of 
this test show that Bahia grass will. spread and make a complete god 
under pasture conditions. It has also shown.that cattle like this grass, 
as they graze on it at all seasons of the year. 
Bahia grass seems best adapted to a rather moist soil. ‘This does 
not necessarily mean a low, poorly-drained soil, but rather one that holds 
moisture well. However, it has been grown on rather dry sandy soil 
on the Experiment Station grounds with fairly satisfactory results. It 
is not likely to be of any value when planted on dry sandy ridges. 
Neither is it likely to be a success when grown on land that is subject 
to overflow, especially where the water stands for several days. The 
original seed plat and the plat in the pasture are both on land which 
is ordinarily considered first class farm soil in Florida. 
Bahia grass is rather sensitive to cold. A temperature of 34 to 
26 degrees will nearly always kill all green growth of this grass. The 
roots apparently are not injured by frost or light freezes. When 
moisture conditions are favorable, growth starts in the spring, about 
the same time as other perennial grasses, 
No commercial seed of this grass is yet available, but efforts are 
being made to establish a supply. It seeds freely in Florida when not 
pastured. When once established, it should not be a difficult matter 
to gather the seed for additional planting. 
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SCT 
Bahia grass was first planted at the Florida AgriculiurExperim 
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