The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1919-09-13
BERMUDA GRASS
AND ITS VARIETIES
(By ]. B. Thompson, in Florida
Grower)

III
general planting in Florida, Bermud;
grass undoubtedly ranks first in i'm
portance. Being a creeping peren
NAL with surface runners that roo
at the joints, and unusually being
provided with long fleshy root-stocks
1t is both aggressive and persistent
and resists the trampling Of stock and
other adverse conditions incident to
close grazing. The old feeling OF
prejudice against this grass, arising
from its ability to resist the usual
measures of eradication, Is gradually
disappearing at its highly valuable
qualities are becoming better known.
There are several distinct forms or
varieties of this grass, all of which
are closely related and belong to the
same species. These varieties differ
from each other in such characters
as hardness to cold the predomin-
ance or lack of rootstocks, and in
their relative vigor of growth. The
most common type or ordinary Ber-
muda' is of comparatively fine
growth, and seldom exceeds twelve
inches in height. 1t has many fieshy
rootstocks which increases it's power
to withstand drought or cold, or the
excessive trampling of stock, Like
other forms, it's rankness of growth
varies with soil conditions, and the
general treatment of the pasture.
Usually it grows from four to eight
inches high, but under the most fav-
orable conditions occasionally attains
height of twelve to fifteen inches.
Giant Bermuda makes more vigor-
GUS growth than does the ordinary
form and is practically devoid of
rootstocks. AS compared with the
ordinary variety, this form is coarser
OF stem, more erect in growth, and
has broader and coarser leaf blades.
On the Florida Experiment Station
grounds at Gainesville, this grass has
made upright growth to a height of
| twenty-four inches when planted on
good pine land and fenced to prevent
the entrance of farm animals. Owing
to its freedown from roostocks the
Giant form is more easily eradicated
than is the ordinary variety; and for
the same reason it is probably a lit
tie less persistent under conditions
OF extreme drought or close grazing
On the station plots it has not formed
as dense a sod as is typical of com.
mon Bermuda, but this condition ap-
pears to be improved by moderate
grazing. During winter dormancy the
Bermuda grass pasture will readily
burn where there is sufficient old
growth, and as a result the Giant
Bermuda with practically no root
stocks will be very seriously damaged,
while the common variety will with
stand the burning with little or no
injury. In handling this grass care
should be taken to prevent fire, On
favorable locations, and where given
proper treatment this variety will
furnish much more feed than will the
common form, and under the most
favorable conditions it may even be
utilised proftably for hay.
A coarse growing variety found
along the lower Florida East Coast
and often known as Saint Lucie grass, |
is form of Giant ermuda. 1t is most
common southwark from Fort Pierce
and stockmen of that section general
ly express preference for it over
the ordinary variety.
Another kind, and the one long
known in literature as Saint Lucie
grass is of rather dwarf growth and
has no rootstocks. Its habits Of |
growth are even less vigorous than
those of the common variety of Ber-
muda grass and it does not usually
exceed six inches in height. 1t is
said to send out green growth very
quickly after frost and is conse- |
quently priced as lawn grass, al |
though the more vigorous growing va
rieties are preferable for pasture pur-
poses.
Fort Thompson gpsss is another
low, creeping species that occurs
more or less generally throughout the
state and is frequently confused with
Giant Bermuda, which it somewhat re-
sembles. Botanically, however, it is
an entirely different grass, belonging
to the paspalum or water grass group