Florida: An Ideal Cattle StateFlorida State Live Stock Association
History
Florida: An Ideal Cattle State
Florida State Live Stock Association
Cattle -- Florida
For improved pasture on these lands, particularly on those reasonably
moist, Para grass offers great possibilities. The remarkably rapid
growth and high yield of this grass, combined with its palatability and
nutritiousness, make it of prime importance in connection with better
live stock. Para succeeds well also on the better uplands, but,
generally speaking, it is a grass for moist lands. The farther south,
the more valuable it is, as after frost it is of little value.
Another grass that is likely to be very valuable on the prairies, and,
indeed, on the flatwoods and better uplands, is _paspalum dilatatum_,
native to Argentina. This is perhaps the best of the paspalums, and it
is now widespread in the Southern States. Unfortunately, with us the
seeds are largely destroyed by a fungus, but good commercial seed is
obtainable in quantity from Australia.
Muck Lands.
On the muck lands the problem of pasturage is easy. At least four
grasses, namely, Para, Carib, Rhodes and Bermuda, especially Giant
Bermuda, yield wonderfully. The enormous area of muck lands in Florida,
especially in the Everglades, can, it would seem, be utilized only with
the aid of livestock. While there may be some fairly difficult problems
to solve in handling live stock on muck soils, especially in the wet
season, there can be little doubt that grass and live stock will insure
the permanency of these lands. Under continuous cultivation there is a
constant shrinkage in muck soils, but with grass and live stock this is
nearly, if not quite, counterbalanced.
Carib grass on muck soils is, from limited data, superior to Para grass
both in yield and quality. On other types of soil Para will outyield
Carib. Rhodes grass does wonderfully on muck soil, and, indeed, on most
rich soils. Giant Bermuda is far coarser and more vigorous than ordinary
Bermuda. It will succeed wherever ordinary Bermuda will grow, and, in
addition, seems much better able to withstand flooding.
Temporary or annual pasture crops are mainly important in connection
with swine raising. Various systems of such crops have been devised to
furnish successive pastures. Florida has a long list of such crops that
can be utilized. Among them are oats, rye, rape, sorghum, peanuts, cow
peas, chufas, sweet potatoes, corn and velvet beans. Under certain
conditions the cattleman may have to utilize one or more of these crops,
but corn and velvet beans is the one that is the most important.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account