Florida Agricultural Experiment Station


store organic reserves within the plant. With this grazing tech-
nique rapid new growth develops after each grazing (Fig. 20).
 Plants with prostrate growth habits such as carpet grass
tolerate or require close grazing, because it is not possible for
the grazing animal to remove all of the leafage. These grasses
may thus be grazed continuously or rotationally.
 'In the stage of development of pasture plants, 2 growth
periods-the vegetative and the reproductive-are important.
During the vegetative period plants grow rapidly and produce
new leafage, the intake of minerals being at a maximum. At
this period the plants are succulent and nutritious, the protein
and minerals being high and the fibrous or woody material being
low. As the reproductive stage is approached there is little
development of new leafage but seed heads develop. As the
plant reaches a more mature stage the fibrous materials are
increased and the mineral content is decreased. The herbage
of mature plants is not eaten readily by livestock because of
the low quality.
 In grazing management the plants should be kept in a vegeta-
 tive growth stage so new leaves, rather than seedheads, are
 produced. Mowing of the seedheads and excess leaves will
 aid greatly in reverting a plant to a leaf-producing stage so as
 to improve quality of feed. The grasses seed heavily during
 the summer months and this is the time when mowing is espec-
 ially beneficial.
 It is desirable to allow some pastures to grow to, or nearly to,
 maturity in September or October to furnish winter feed. Pas-
 tures with accumulated growth of carpet or other improved
 grasses furnish more feed during the winter than closely grazed
 pastures. In accumulated ungrazed sods a considerable portion
 of the foliage remains green even after heavy frosts. When
 there is a deficiency of feed during the winter season animals
 eat frosted grass readily, even though it is of low quality. Pas-
 tures managed in this way have proved satisfactory for winter-
 ing cattle, provided protein supplements were furnished. (For
 details see Florida Station Bulletin 373.)

 FIG. 21.-HARVESTING SEED.
 Combine harvesting of Bahia grass seed is shown above. Below, har-
 vesting Black Medic clover seed with mower and seedpan attachment.
 The screen may be placed in the seedpan to separate the seed from the hay.