65 

 THE FUTURE OF HAWAIIAN RICE. 



The presence of a large population of Japanese in Hawaii has 

 given rise to a demand for Japanese rice. Although the Ha- 

 waiian rice is of excellent quality, and finds ready acceptance 

 among the white residents and the Chinese, the peculiar char- 

 acteristics of the rice to which the Japanese have been accus- 

 tomed, has brought about an enormous importation of rice to 

 Hawaii. With the idea of producing this at home and at the 

 same time of stimulating the local rice industry, which for many 

 years for different causes has been in an unfavorable condition, 

 the United States Experiment Station has lately commenced a 

 series of experiments to develop a rice best suited to our local 

 condition of cultivation and to the peculiar requisities of the 

 market. 



The depression of the rice industry in consequences of the de- 

 mand for the Japanese product commenced some years ago, and 

 in consequence of the Japanese rice requiring no milling, many 

 of the most important Hawaiian rice mills ceased operation. 

 During the recent Russian war the Oriental supply of rice greatly 

 diminished and Louisiana became the chief source of rice, which 

 was grown from Japanese seed. It is with the idea of giving 

 the home producer the benefit of the large local demand that 

 the experiments alluded to are being conducted. 



Hitherto the cultivation of rice in this country has been in the 

 hands of growers who have been contented with primitive 

 methods. A general depletion of rice lands has consequently 

 taken place and at the same time the seed used has become greatly 

 impoverished. A close observation of a rice field will reveal 

 many empty stalks and many areas within which seed has not 

 germinated. The length of growth, too, will be seen to vary 

 considerably and much stunted rice will be noticeable. Besides 

 these disadvantages the fields will be found to be invaded by an 

 innumerable host of grasshoppers, chiefly confined to the edges 

 of the fields, which levy as large a toll upon the ears as the 

 persistent rice-bird. Together with the solution of the above 

 difficulties the experiments will aim at evolving a rice possessing 

 superior cultural, yielding, milling and culinary properties. 



About one hundred and thirty varieties are being examined in 

 the trial beds, received from trained agricultural explorers of 

 the Department of Agriculture, who have for this purpose to- 

 gether investigated the rices of all the producing countries of 

 the world. The various rices now being experimented with af- 

 ford every diversity of growth and period of maturity. One 

 promising sample from China, possessing the typical short kernel 

 of the Japanese rices, ripens in seventy days. Other varieties 

 show no sign of flowering, one hundred days after planting. The 

 rice beds show every stage of condition and maturity. Some 



