Pastures for Florida


TABLE 1.-CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF NATIVE RANGE AND IMPROVED
 PERMANENT PASTURE PLANTS.


Plant Species 1


Native range not burned
 (seasonal average)' ....
Native range when burned
 (seasonal average)' ....
Native range when burned
 (March vegetation)' ....
Carpet grass ......................
Bahia grass ........................
Bermuda grass ..... -.........


 Percent on Dry Basis
Phos- Mag- Potas- Crude
phorus Calcium Inesium sium Protein


0.04

0.06

0.11


Dallis grass ..........
Para grass ............
Napier grass ........


White Dutch clover ..........
Annual Lespedeza ............


0.12

0.18

0.24
0.57
0.52
0.47
0.86
0.36
0.48
1.43
1.21


 SThe chemical composition of any one species will differ greatly depending upon
fertility of soil and on the growth stage of the plant. The improved pasture species were
sampled during the vegetative growth stage and from fertilized soils.
 SVegetation was primarily wiregrass (Aristida epp.).

Nees.) volunteers and furnishes good grazing on many upland
soils, especially those which have been disturbed.
 On the prairie lands the native vegetation consists primarily
of broadleaf carpet grass (Axonopus furcatus Flligge Hitchc.),
maidencane (Panicum spp.), crab grasses (Digitaria spp.), and
many grasses of the Paspalum genus. These grasses furnish
best grazing during the summer months and more feed per unit
of area than the grasses growing on the soils of the flat pine
lands.
 In the management of native pasture lands the entire area
should be fenced. It is desirable to divide the area into several
fenced pastures to control breeding, rotate cattle on several
pastures, and control grazing intensity. In rotational grazing
more cattle may graze per unit of area at any 1 time, thus the
grass can be maintained in a succulent stage for a longer period.
 The improved pasture grasses and legumes furnish most of