JULY, 1906, TO DECEMBER, 1907. 145 



21246— Continued. 



are stated to collect and dry them as a staple article of food. The flowers are 

 also used in the distillation of an ardent spirit. The seeds yield an oil used by 

 the poorer classes for lamps, in the manufacture of soap, and for culinary pur- 

 poses. (Adapted from Gibson.) 



21248. Macadamia ternifolia. Queensland nut, 



■ From Sydney, New South Wales. Received from Messrs. Anderson & Co., 



at the Plant Introduction Garden, Chico, Cal., August, 1906. 

 (See S. P. I. No. 18382 for description.) 



21249. Macadamia ternifolia. Queensland nut. 



From Brisbane, Australia. Received from Prof. F. M. Bailey, colonial 

 botanist, Department of Agriculture, at the Plant Introduction Garden, 

 Chico, Cal., April 26, 1907. 

 (See S. P. I. No. 18382 for description.) 



21250. Castanopsis chrysophylla. 



From Willits, Cal. Secured by Mr. Edward Goucher, of the Plant Intro- 

 duction Garden, Chico, Cal., October 30, 1906. 



21251. Juncus effusus. Matting- rush. 



From Okayama, Japan. Received through Mr. John H. Tull, special agent, 

 at the Plant Introduction Garden, Chico, Cal., October, 1906. 



"A semiaquatic rush, found growing wild in the Temperate Zone almost all 

 around the world. Some forms grow to a height of 4 or 5 feet and are rather 

 coarse and stiff in structure, while other forms are smaller in diameter and 

 only 1 or 2 feet in height. 



"In the southern part of. the main island of Japan, principally in Bingo 

 province, and in many parts of northern China and Korea it is cultivated in 

 the paddy fields for the purpose of making floor mattings of various kinds. 

 The form used over there would seldom exceed 2 feet in height if planted wild, 

 but when cultivated is often found 5 feet in height, while at least 33 per cent 

 of the plants are generally 4 feet or over in height. 



" The plant is a perennial and always propagated by root division, as it can 

 be multiplied rapidly by this means. 



"As it is grown in the same fields in which rice is grown, the crop must be 

 planted, grown, and harvested within six months in order that a crop of rice 

 may be produced on the same land in the same year. 



"After the rice is harvested in the fall the land is prepared and immediately 

 planted with small clumps of rush that have been subdivided from large clumps 

 and saved for stock plants from the last year's crop. These are planted by 

 hand in the soft mud about 8 or 10 inches apart each way and are immediately 

 flooded with water to a depth of about 2 inches. The crop is heavily fertilized 

 with night soil, manures of various kinds, and commercial fertilizers, the prin- 

 cipal forms being night soil and bean cake, the latter being imported from 

 China. At harvest time — generally July — the stems are cut by hand with a 

 sickle and tied into bundles about a foot in diameter. As soon as cut, while 

 the stems are still green, they are completely covered with a thin clay mixture 

 by dipping them into a thick clayey solution produced by mixing a white clay 

 gotten from the near-by mountains and water. After dipping they are spread 

 out in the hot sun to cure, the clay on the stems preventing them from turning 

 and causing them to cure to a uniform color. After curing, which takes about 

 two days of hot sunshine, they are gathered into bundles and stored in an open 

 airy shed to remain until the farmer has planted his rice crop for that season. 

 After that they are assorted into proper lengths and are ready to be woven 

 into mattings, hats, small mats, etc. 



" These roots were collected in and around the towns of Onomechi and Oka- 

 yama, in Bingo and Bizen provinces. They were shipped in bamboo crates 

 packed in sphagnum moss. They were packed about September 20, shipped on 

 October 2, and unpacked about a month later. There were possibly 35,000 

 good roots saved, though by dividing the root clumps any number of plants 

 desired could be had." (Tull.) 



47043— Bui. 132— OS 10 



