222 co:\ii'()siTio\ of some ixdigexous grasses. 



P. : Coarse jjioneer species — for example, Aristida junciformis, 

 Eragrostis curvula, also post-climax species — for example, 

 Andropogon nardus. These coarse grasses have been 

 included in the investigation more for the purpose of com- 

 i^arison with other types than for their actual feeding value, 

 although in their young stages they are eaten by stock. 



Vlei: Species growing in wet vlei lands — for example, RottboclUa 

 comprcssa. 



In Tables II and III is given the classification of the various 

 species according to their relative values based on: — 



(a) Crude fibre. 



(b) Calorific value. 



(c) Crude protein. 



(d) True protein. 



This brings out clearly, especially with regard to crude fibre and 

 calorific value, the fact that the feeding value of the ruderal 

 species is decidedly higher than that of the average veld species, 

 whilst the coarse pioneer and post-climax grasses fall considerably 

 below the second type. This is as might be expected, for the 

 conditions of cultivated lands favour a more succulent herbage 

 which would utterly fail in competition with other grasses in the 

 open veld. This point is further dealt with in a later section. 



In regard to the percentages of j^rotein — both crude and true, 

 for the order differs but little in these two^ cases — this distinction 

 is present, but is not so marked as in the case of crude fibre and 

 calorific value. 



By all these methods of classification amongst the first half- 

 dozen species in order of merit are found Cynodon dactijlon, 

 Digitaria sanguinalis, Paniciim prolifcrurn , and EJcusine indica, 

 whilst P. laevifoliuni and Setaria imberhis are not far behind. 



Of more importance to the farmer are the ordinary veld 

 species. Here the most striking feature, at first glance, is the 

 similarity of composition of this type. First take the order 

 under the heading of crude fibre. Here the species with the 

 lowest amount of fibre is Panicum echlonii with 33'4 per cent., 

 and the highest is Tricholaena rosea with 38'2 per cent., a range 

 of less than 5 per cent, variation. Still closer come the majority 

 of this type; ten out of the total of fourteen species come within 

 a variation of 2 per cent., ranging from Anthistiria imberhis witli 

 S5-4 per cent, to Eragosiis brizoides with 37'4 per cent., and 

 these include the grasses of most importance to the farmer. 



'Similarly, the calorific value of this type ranges from 

 MicrochJoa caffra with 2,591 calories to Pcuiiciun serraiuin witli 

 2,385 calories. Again taking the majority of the species, we find 

 that ten out of fourteen show a range of just over 100 calories, 

 the highest being AntJiistiria imberhis (2,527 calories), and the 

 lowest Digitaria tricholaenoides (2,414 calories), thus again 

 showing a fairly close agreement. 



