87 
(6) Chemical Analysis—From the following table kindly 
supplied by the Division of Chemistry, it will be seen that Kikuyu 
is one of our most nutritious grasses :— 
: & 
o ao) 
leaps wos Zz. 
Air-dried . $\se| 2 S2i¢g1388 
Material. 5 ee 58 oo at at © & 
£ | 8 /seieel a |. 8a) 2 ies 
2 | 2 |e2|sa| 2 |g |85| 2 ae 
1 ioe 3) Ala 
Kikuyu grass - | 8-29)12-36/35-06| 1-7 |33-08| 9-42) 8-31/1-977|1-330 
Guinea grass - | 8-02) 9-03/28-63) 1-68 |40-54/12-10) 7-09|1-445)1-134 
(Panicum 
maxi 
Warm Baths grass|10-94; 8-33)/25-22) 1-72 34-56) 9-23) 6-13 /1-333/0-980 
(Digitaria sp.) 
inger grass - | 6-93) 8-12)33-94| 1-68 |39-68| 9-65) 5-51/1-299|0-882 
Blauwzaad 7-91) 6:58/43+78) 1-80 |34-50) 5-43) 5-43 /1-053)0- 868 
(Eragrostis a ) 
Kikuyu grows well on any kind of soil but thrives best on 
moist viei soil, We have it growing on alluvial vlei, on heavy 
clay loam, on gravel clay, on red loam, and poor impoverished. 
stiff clay. On all these it is doing remarkably well. It is also 
known to do remarkably well on sandy soils. 
Like all other grasses Kikuyu has also its disadvantages, and 
amongst these the chief are :—- 
(1) It is a summer grass as it does not remain green 
throughout the winter, unless watered and not subjected 
to frost. 
(2) As it does not appear to form seed in this country, 
the only means of propagating it is by runners, hence 
freight, which involves additional expense. And it may 
happen that when it reaches its destination the ground 
prepared for it may not have sufficient moisture to start 
it growing. Although this is enumerated as a disadvantage 
it may also be considered as an advantage; yielding no seed 
there is no fear of it establishing itself voluntarily in an 
adjoining field. 
(3) Being such a hardy and persistent grower when 
once established, it will be very difficult to eradicate. We 
have a good illustration of this on the Station. About a 
month ago we disposed of large quantities of Kikuyu and 
the patch from which we took the grass three weeks ago was 
apparently quite clean but now is beautifully green and 
almost covered with Kikuyu. a 
(4) Kikuyu is so aggressive that no other plant can 
grow with it. This is a great advantage because when 
planted on the veld it will establish itself against any of 
our veld grasses of minor feeding value. 
