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small portions, which are planted into beds in the uplands, 
where they make comparatively little growth. In December 
and January they are transplanted to the paddy fields, from 
which the rice crop has just been harvested. The ground in 
the meantim.e has been carefully tilled and heavily manured 
with compost, fish guano or oil cake. As much as several 
tons of fish guano or oil cake per acre is sometimes applied, 
and the results seem to justify the large expense. In trans- 
planting, the clumps which contain about twenty-five stalks, 
are set eight inches apart in rows eight inches apart, stand- 
ing about as much irrigation as rice, and is carefully weeded 
and cultivated. About the middle of July it is ready for har- 
vest, but the quality of the product depends largely on cut- 
ting at the proper time. When harvested too young, the 
reeds are soft, shrink easily, and often become discolored. 
When cut too old, they are coarse and brittle. 
The reeds, as soon as harvested, are given a mud bath, 
after which they are dried in the sun. They are then graded 
according to length, color and strength, and their quality de- 
termines the price received for them, and the use to which 
they are put. Fine mattines and hats are the principal 
articles manufactured from them. The industry is consid- 
ered a very valuable one in Japan. Good average yields are 
about 2500 pounds of cured reeds per acre. The yields of our 
experimental plantings compare favorably with those which 
I observed in Japan. 
It is believed that with our increased knowledge of methods 
of cultivation, and our fine stock of plants, a start has been 
made towards the production of a rush of desired quality, 
and it is hoped that later more attention can be given to 
this work. 
Although there appears to be at present no market for the 
coarser rushes, the fine samples recently received from the 
Heeia plantation are encouraging, and make a consideration 
of this crop seem worth while. In Japan the plant is called 
“Shititoi,” and is grown in much the same way as Juncus, 
although it is more tolerant of salt. Both in China and 
Japan the reeds are split by hand. Here the industry can 
never be profitable until the splitting can be done by ma- 
chinery. Our yields, compared with those obtained in China 
and Japan, are remarkably good, and while the reeds do not 
attain the desired length here, the growth is much denser. 
It is believed that heavier fertilization will increase the length 
of the reeds to the extent desired. 
Other field crops which might profitably be introduced into 
Hawaii are ramie, hemp, jute, flax, mitsumota {Edgeworthia 
papyrifcra) , basket willows or* osiers, soy beans, mungo beans, 
millet, rape, and indigo {Polygonum tinctoriiim) , etc., all of 
which are extensively grown in Japan, many in rotation with 
