NAPIER GRASS, A PASTURE AND FODDER CROP FOR HAWAII 13 
EFFECT OF SPACING ON YIELD 
Yields of Napier grass and of Merker grass grown in rows spaced 
4 and 6 feet apart are shown in table 2. 
Table 2. 
— Effect of spacing on yield of Napier and Merker grasses 
Grass 
Spacing 
between 
rows 
Green 
weight per 
acre 
Air-dry 
weight per 
acre 
Napier . . 
Feet 
{ \ 
{ I 
Tons 
85.14 
90.36 
57.56 
62.31 
Tons 
10.44 
Merker. -........_. . . . .___ 
11. 14 
8.25 
8.84 
The yield appears to have been affected but little by difference in 
spacing. In each case, however, a slightly higher yield was obtained 
with rows spaced 6 feet apart. These differences are probably too 
small to be of any significance. Within this range of spacing at least, 
it appears that the plants tend to fill all of the available space. Close 
spacing will prevent profuse tillering, and, although a 4-foot-row 
spacing gives 50 percent more plants per acre, the yields, according 
to these data, are not higher but actually slightly lower. 
YIELDS OF NAPIER AND MERKER STRAINS 
Observations on the growth habits of the elephant grasses have 
indicated that there are a number of types or strains. In the early 
spring of 1932 a plant found growing in a Merker-grass pasture near 
Kaneohe, Oahu, was brought to the experiment station for observa- 
tion and testing. Cuttings were made and within a few months con- 
siderable planting material was available for experimental use. This 
particular strain from the one plant had remarkable tillering ability, 
a most rapid growth rate, and a darker color than the ordinary 
Merker type. Experiments were made to compare the yielding ability 
and persistence of this strain with the standard types of Napier and 
Merker grasses. A total of four %o-acre plats of each variety were 
included in the test, with rows spaced 5 feet apart and plants 2 feet 
apart in the row. The yields obtained during the first year of this 
experiment are given in table 3. 
Table 3. — Yields of Napier grass and 2 strains of Merker grass 1 
Grass 
Cuttings 
per year 
Green 
weight per 
acre 
Air-dry 
forage 
Air-dry 
weight per 
acre 
Napier. _ . . . ._ . 
Number 
5 
6 
6 
Tons 
80.55 
66.84 
71.00 
Percent 
10.8 
15.3 
14.8 
Tons 
8 70± 2 92 
Merker (strain K)._ .. . 
10 23± 1 09 
Merker (strain P). .. . 
10 54± 1 12 
1 These yields represent means of 4 replicated plats of Veo acre each. The data cover a period of slightly 
more than 11 months. The grasses were planted Oct. 27, 1932, and the final harvest reported was made 
Oct. 6, 1933. 
2 Standard error in tons per acre for a mean of 4 plats. With standard errors of this magnitude, a difference 
in yield of approximately 3 tons per acre (air-dry basis) would be necessary to be significant. 
The results given in table 3 show again that Napier grass produced 
the highest yield in fresh green forage. The percentage of dry matter 
was, however, considerably higher in the two strains of Merker grass, 
