10 



WEEDS USED AS FORAGE. 



A number of weeds are used as feeding stuffs in Hawaii, and those 

 considered of most importance were analyzed. The pigweed or purs- 

 lane (Portulaca oleracea) and pualele or sow thistle (Sonchus oleraceus) 

 were from the station grounds. These plants are both common in 

 cultivated fields and when plentiful are frequently gathered for fodder, 

 the pigweed particularly for pigs and ducks. Of the two samples of 

 honohono ( Commelina nudiflora), which is also a commonly cultivated 

 crop, particularly in wet places, No. 1 was from the station grounds 

 and No. 2 from Kamehameha schools. The sample of ki (Bidens 

 pilosa) analyzed was obtained from Manoa Valley. 



The following table summarizes the data regarding the weeds 

 analyzed: 



Table 4. — Composition of some iveeds used as forage. 



Kind of feeding stuff. 



Proximate constituents. 



Ash constituents. 



Water. 



Pro- 

 tein. 



Fat. 



Nitrogen- 

 free 

 extract. 



Crude 

 fiber. 



Ash. 



Potash. 



Lime. 



Phos- 

 phoric 

 acid. 



Pigweed or purslane (Por- 

 tulaca oleracea) 



Pualele or sow thistle 

 (Sonchus oleraceus) 



Honohono (Commelina 

 nudiflora): 



Sample No. 1 



Sample No. 2 



Average 



Ki (Bidens pilosa) 



Per ct . 

 95.20 



87.13 



Per ct. 

 1.04 



1.78 



Per ct. 

 0.09 



.74 



Per ct. 

 2. 18 



5.85 



Per ct. 

 0. 53 



2.57 



Per ct. 

 0.96 



1.93 



Per ct. 

 0.23 



.33 



Per ct. 

 0.03 



.10 



Per ct. 

 0.05 



.13 



86.45 

 92.41 



1.17 

 1.38 



.49 

 .15 



7.78 

 2. 81 



2.64 

 1.92 



1.47 

 1. 33 



.37 

 .40 



.06 

 .05 



.11 

 .09 



89. 43 



1.27 



.32 



5. 30 



2.28 



1.40 



.385 



.055 



.10 



67.92 



2.15 



.45 



19. 59 



7.15 



2.74 



.68 



.70 



.21 



Most of the weeds analyzed were very succulent, that is, contained a 

 very small proportion of nutritive material and a large proportion of 

 water. The sample of ki (Bidens pilosa) , however, differed from the 

 others in this respect, the water content being fairly low and the pro- 

 portion of nutritive material, especially nitrogen-free extract, being 

 fairly high. 



MISCELLANEOUS GREEN FORAGE PLANTS. 



Cactus or prickly pear ( Opuntia ficus-indica) fronds, kolu branches 

 (Acacia farnesiana), and a number of waste products, including banana 

 tops and butts, sweet-potato tops, and leaves of the ti plant ( Cordyline 

 terminalis) were analyzed. Of the two samples of cactus or prickly 

 pear. No. 1 consisted of young fronds and No. 2 of old fronds. The 

 kolu is a shrub common in waste places in Kona pastures, usually near 

 the sea. Cattle often eat the young branches, leaves, pods, and flowers 

 when other fodder is scarce. The samples selected were gathered 

 when in flower. 



The banana tops and butts analyzed were respectively the upper and 

 lower half of large suckers grown on the station grounds. The sweet- 



