60 



rich, creamy yellow, with a fine, characteristic, somewhat aromatic flavor. This 

 melon seems to be well adapted to the dry regions of the West, but has not yet been 

 successfully grown in the East. It is a promising novelty and may find a place in 

 the fruit market, Our correspondents 'are accordingly advised to save the seed and 

 avoid intermixture with the ordinary muskmelons. 



3946. Cucitmis melo. Winter muskmelon. 



From Green River, Utah. Presented by Mr. J. F. Brown, December, 1899. 

 American grown seed of No. 116, originally imported from Turkestan by Prof. 

 N. E. Hansen. 



Twentieth Century. Larger than the Kh iva, and with a different flavor. Distributed . 



3947. Oryza sativa. Rice. 



From Louisiana. Grown in southwestern Louisiana in 1899, from seed imported 

 from Kiushu, Japan, in 1898. 



Kiushu. This is a lowland rice, suitable only for growing under irrigation. The 

 methods of cultivation are the same as for other strains of lowland rice. This variety 

 has a short, hard grain. In Louisiana it has proved to be about 25 per cent more 

 productive than the Honduras rice, and the loss through breakage of the grains in the 

 process of milling was only 14 to 18 per cent as opposed to -40 to 60 per cent in the 

 case of the common field rice. 



Reports received from the rice districts along the coast from Georgia to North 

 Carolina indicate that the Kiushu rice requires a longer season for maturity than the 

 common field rices of that region. Hence, it will be advisable to plant this seed at 

 least two weeks earlier than the general crop throughout this section. In South 

 Carolina the Kiushu rice is reported as no better than the Gold Seed. The Kiushu 

 rice, so far as tried, seems to be best adapted to Louisiana and Texas. Distributed. 



3948. Sapium biglandulosum. Tolima rubber. 



From Colombia. Received December 4, 1899. 



This rubber is known in commerce as Colombia virgin. It has been exported 

 chiefly to the Lmited States, and, next to Para rubber, has realized the best prices 

 in the market. Under cultivation, this tree thrives admirably, growing with great 

 rapidity, averaging about 5 feet a year. Crops are obtainable in from six to eight 

 years, but a tree 5 years old yields as much as 1 pound of rubber. It is a large 

 forest tree, the trunk attaining 6 and 7 feet in circumference. Four arrotas of rub- 

 ber have been extracted from a single tree, but the average yield is much less. (See 

 No. 3820.) Distributed. 



3949. Zea mays. Corn. 



From Haiti. Received through Hon. A. M. Thackara, United States consul at 

 Havre, France. 



This Haitian corn from Petit Gouaives is sold in Havre at 63.7 cents per bushel of 

 56 pounds, duty paid. Consul Thackara states that there is considerable demand 

 for corn of this grade in the French markets. It is a yellow flint corn. Should be 

 tried from North Carolina to Florida. 



3950. Oryza sativa. Rice. 



From Illinois. Presented by Dr. N. Robinson, of Canton, Mo. Received 

 December 12, 1899. 



An upland rice grown in central Illinois. Prof. S. A. Knapp, of Louisiana, makes 

 the following statements concerning it: "This would not sell, as a milling rice, for 

 enough to pay for production. There is about 20 per cent of immature rice in it. 

 The grains are variable in size, the hulls thick and exceedingly tenacious. After 

 the hull has been removed the kernel is small, and I think you will find its quality 

 differing materially from ordinary rice. The rice we produce in Louisiana, called 

 Providence rice, depending upon rainfall, frequently presents an appearance much 

 like this in the first two points named. I do not believe that there is a 'highland' 

 variety of first quality anywhere in the world, nor can it be made profitable for 

 milling purposes. Rice can be produced as far north as Chicago, provided a variety 



