ida there is much better natural pasturage than
in the piney woods, and, indeed, it is on the prairies that the old type
of cattle industry reached its highest development. The prairies are in
reality wet meadows. Their grass cover is due to water relations, most
of them being periodically overflowed--conditions that are inimical to
pines and palmettos. On the other hand, the period of overflow is too
brief to meet the conditions necessary for cypress and other swamp
trees. These prairies stretch from the border of the pine woods and
palmettos on relatively high ground to permanently wet swamps. The best
natural pasturage consists of various species of paspalum and related
flat-leaved grasses on the soils fairly moist during a large part of the
year; and maiden cane on still moister land, or even in shallow water.
Generally speaking, the moisture relations of the more extensive
prairies are nearly ideal for continuous pasturage in the varying
seasons. There is grave danger in any extensive drainage operations, as
palmettos and pines will quickly invade such drained land, and thus
destroy the grass.

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 gra