150 
Orient, combined with the rapidity and neatness of the oriental 
workmen, makes quite clear why it is impossible for American 
weaving establishments to compete with the oriental product, and 
consequently why they cannot now purchase our raw product 
at any price. So far as I am able to judge, our yields of Cyperus 
are equal to any I saw in China, both in length of stem and acre 
yields. The prevailing idea that the Cyperus grows principally 
in brackish water was not confirmed by anything I saw. It 
flourishes along the river, beyond tide-water, where it is rarely 
replanted. When cultivated, it is planted in rotation with rice, 
and is replanted every year. The same fungus disease of the 
stem which affects our plants, is prevalent in both China and 
Japan. In the former country some effort has been made to 
lessen the injury caused by the disease, by planting on new 
ground and selecting healthy plants. In Japan the disease has 
been thoroughly studied. The fungus is one of the Perono- 
sporeae, and has been described by Drs. Kaurikamis and Miyabe 
as a new genus under the name of “Kawakamia.” No means 
lias as yet been discovered to control it, although treating with 
Bordeaux mixture has been found helpful in Japan as well as 
here. 
At Hongkong my attention was called to a plant similar to 
Cyperus in its uses, and said to be superior for the manufacture 
of mattings, but I have not yet been able to determine its botanical 
name. It is called Shire Ring straw. Seeds or plants have 
been applied for to the Hongkong Botanical Gardens. My at- 
tention was also called to numerous other economic plants which 
might be grown in Hawaii. Among these are various wax and 
varnish-producing trees, whose products form important com- 
modities. The U. S. Department of Agriculture has now under 
way an investigation of the Chinese 'Varnish” tree. 
While at Canton, our Consul-General accorded me the privi- 
leges of the Canton Club library, which is unusually rich in 
literature concerning China. The following reference works 
on Chinese agriculture were consulted, and are recommended to 
those interested as the most relial)le authorities for central and 
southern China : The "Chinese Repository” in twenty volumes, 
published during 1840-1850. Among the most valuable informa- 
tion obtained was that from translations of the "Nung Ching 
Ysiuen Shu,” ( or Encyclopedia of Agriculture, 
the most comprehensive treatise on agriculture possessed by the 
Chinese. This work is divided into sixty chapters, each treat- 
ing a particular subject. Although written during the Ming 
Dynasty (1368-1628), an article on the culture of cotton (chap- 
ters XXV), a translation of which appears in Vol. X\TH of 
the "Chinese Repository,” would compare favorably with any 
modern work familiar to me. Of this I made an abstract for 
personal reference, but is too extensive to be included here. The 
