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106274, HLEOCHARIS DULCIS (E. tuberosa).* (Cyperaceae.) Matai (pronounced 
mah tie). From China. Presented by Lingnan University, Canton. A Chinese 
sedge long cultivated as an irrigated food crop in eastern and southeastern | 
China. The small brown-skinned corms, or "tubers," up to 1 3/4 inches in 
diameter, suggest chestnuts in appearance, hence the name “water—chestnut" by 
which they have commonly been known in English-speaking countries. The use of 
this name, however, has caused the plant to be confused with Trapa natans, a 
serious pest in streams and much longer known as water—chestnut. The name 
"waternut" has also been used recently in an endeavor to avoid this difficulty 
but appears not to differ sufficiently from the former to make it entirely 
. Suitable. The Chinese name matai is therefore recommended, Matai-has a crisp 
white flesh, which is both starchy and sweet, and in food value resembles the 
potato except that it contains less starch and much more sugar. Successful 
storage is very difficult. The corms must either be coated with mud (which is 
allowed to dry) to retard drying and decay, as the Chinese do, or be kept moist 
and cold in an outdoor pit or ina refrigerator at 509-550 F, Matai is used in 
the Chinese-American dish chop suey and in various Chinese dishes and is well 
adapted for use widely in American cookery. The present plant is a variety 
known near Canton as Hon matai. It differs from the ordinary cultivated form 
' of the plant in that irrigation is discontinued. before harvest, whereas the 
common variety is harvested in mud and water. Details of culture have not been 
fully worked out and, especially with reference to time of planting and of 
harvesting, will vary with latitude; but continuous irrigation in the field, 
from early summer until ‘shortly before frost in fall, is essential everywhere. 
At Savannah, from the standpoint of yield, the best time for planting appears 
to be the middle of May or earlier. It is important, however, that the planting 
be done before excessive sprouting or other deterioration due to warm weather 
takes place. In mach more northern localities it probably will be advisable to 
start the plants indoors. The corms must be kept moist and cold until planted. 
‘They’ are planted 4 inchés deep in moist soil and kept well watered. When the 
‘ leaves are 10-le inches high, transplant at the same depth to soil that can 
immediately .be submerged with 5 inches of water, the plants: being spaced about 
2 1/2 feet in staggered rows 3 feet apart. The new corms do not begin to de- 
velop until early autumn, usually after flowering of the plants. Water is with- 
drawn from the crop:at least 2 or 3 weeks before it is to be harvested or immedi- 
ately after the first killing frost, At. Savannah part of the crop has been left 
in the ground without injury until the end of March. Experimenters who may — 
desire to undertake a test of some size with matai and who have the requisite 
facilities may write of their plans, in order to obtain more detailed suggestions 
For trial under irrigation especially in the coastal regions from Long Island 
‘southward and in central and .southern California. (Savannah, Gea.) 




