Florida Agricultural Experiment Station


ing upon the density of vegetation and weight of equipment,
generally are necessary.
 2. Burning, chopping with rotary cutter, and 2 or more sub-
sequent double diskings. Medium weight cutaway disks are
satisfactory when following this procedure, as the heavy chop-
pers loosen the soil and increase the effectiveness of disking.
 3. Three to 5 choppings with rotary chopper as shown in
Fig. 7.
 4. Burning of vegetation, with immediate seeding and subse-
quent heavy grazing to control competing vegetation. Wire-
grass is especially well retarded when protected from fire for
1 year and then burned during the period between June and
September. If the burned-over wiregrass competes with the
carpet grass seedlings, it should be mowed or chopped.
 5. Mowing or chopping, combined with close grazing.
 6. Stumping and grubbing often are necessary to facilitate
mowing, fertilizing and managing of pastures.
 The procedure to follow depends upon the prevailing vegeta-
tion. Land heavily infested with palmetto, gallberry and run-
ning oak generally must be cut with disks or choppers. Care
should be taken to prevent deep cutting which turns sandy,
unfertile soil to the surface. The soil packs more readily and
furnishes a better seedbed when the organic matter layer is
permitted to remain on the surface.
 When native vegetation is to be destroyed with disks it is
advisable to cut the vegetation once and allow the soil to dry
well before cutting again. This procedure aids greatly in de-
stroying native vegetation and leaves the land smoother.

 ADAPTED PASTURE PLANTS
 It is well known that the water, temperature, fertility and
 soil requirements of pasture grasses and legumes differ greatly.
 Carpet, Dallis, Bermuda, Napier and Bahia grasses can be
 planted anywhere in Florida from the standpoint of temper-
 ature. Para grass is not recommended for the northern part of
 Florida, since low temperatures injure or exterminate it. Winter
 clovers and annual lespedezas appear well suited to northern
 and central Florida.
 Moisture requirements of pasture plants depend on the soil
 texture and fertility and upon prevailing temperatures. In gen-
 eral, Bermuda, Bahia and Napier grasses make best growth on
 moist soils, although they will grow on well drained soils. Car-