236 
Barley is not grown in seed beds and transplanted like rice. 
As soon as the rice is harvested the land is ridged, the ridges 
manured with compost, and the seed drilled in along the top 
to keep it free from excessive moisture. Wheat is less ex- 
tensively grown in paddy fields than barley, because of the 
longer time required for maturing. In the warmer southern 
district, however, this does not constitute an objection. The 
method of cultivation of wheat is similar to that of barley. 
The yield of both crops on paddy fields greatly exceeds the 
yields on the uplands. The rotation of barley or wheat with 
rice seems perfectly feasible in Hawaii. The advantages of 
it are : first, freeing the land of flood water for half the year 
and the consequent benefits of aeration ; second, the saving of 
labor in planting the second crop (since labor is such a prob- 
lem), and, third, the reduced production of rice would stimu- 
late the market and tend to increase prices, which have 
steadily declined in the past few years. With wheat or bar- 
ley for the spring crop, the superior fall varieties could be 
grown exclusively, and beyond doubt all the barley and wheat 
that could be produced on our paddy fields would And a 
ready market, removing the objection continually raised 
against any other than a money crop. 
A hundred pounds each of the most productive hulled and 
hulless barleys, suited to wet lands, were obtained for ex- 
perimental uses. Barley is subject to the attacks of smuts, 
and as a matter of prevention the seed is usually treated with 
hot water. The method of treatment is to soak the seed first 
in cold water for five hours, after which it is left for one to two 
minutes in water at 120 F. ; later for five minutes in water at 
130 F. It is then put in cold water again, and after removal 
is dried sufficiently to permit of easy handling in sowing. 
This method, it is said, effectively kills all spores. 
The introduction of Chinese and Japanese matting rushes 
as rotation crops with rice, or as substitute crops, has been 
considered by the station for several years, and experiments 
’ in their cultivation have been under way for some time. 
The growing of matting rushes is an important industry in 
Japan and one naturally jealously guarded by the manufac- 
turing interests. The experiment stations, however, gave 
all the information sought in regard to rush cultivation. 
The Bingo-i mat rush {J uncus effnsus var. dccipiens F. Buch) 
is more extensively grown in Japan than the Chinese mat rush 
{Cy perns). It appears to grow well in all parts of the country, 
and grows on all kinds of paddy soil when heavily manured. 
Heavy nitrogenous fertilization seems to be essential to obtain- 
ing the desired length of reed, the quality most lacking in our 
plants. 
In the best practice, the strongest clumps of stubble re- 
maining from the previous crop are dug up and divided into 
