The Ely miner., 1909-09-03

An investigation of the problems Of
tne rice industry in Hawaii was begun
July l, 1909, funds for the purpose
of a cooperative experiment having
been provided by the Bernice Pauahi
Bishop estated Qimited), and the IL
estate Qimited). The trustees of the
Bishop estate Qimited), and the IL
work, and the Ii estate contributed
the lease of 3.2 acres of rice land,
located at the junction of King street
and Kalakaua avenue, in the city OF
Honolulu. Mr.. F. G. Krauss, who had
Been agricultural instructor at the
Kamehameha boys school for the pre-
cediEg five years, was appointed an
agricultural expert in this office to
have charge of the work. Operations
were commenced about August [, 1906,
and consisted of variety tests of 130
different rices obtained in the islands
through the Bureau of Plant Industry,
United Sattes Department Of Agricul-
ture, and through the bureau of agri-
full selections had previously been
made from individual plants, repre-
senting some of the best strains Of
rices now being grown in Hawaii.
Two crops of rice have been grown
during the period from August 1, 1906,
to August 81, 1907.
The results of the variety test have
been that one variety, seed of which
was originally obtained by DR.. S. A.
Knapp in Egypt, has proved to be
better than any rice ever grown in
these islands. This Egyptian strain
has very large, ainty grain, heavy
panicle, heavy straw, good LEAKAGE,
and is of the type demanded by the
largest consuming trade in these is
lands. Its milling qualities are very
much superior to those of any other
variety which has been produced in
the islands, the hulls approximating
only 20 per cent. of the total weight
of paddy, as compared with from &c
to 80 per cent. for the best Japanese
types, and % to Sc per cent. for the
ordinary Hawaiian variety. In addi-
tion to this Egyptian type three other
strains have shown marked superb
ority to the ordinary Hawaiian grown
rices. These are in order of merit, a
Philippine variety, strain of the
gold seed from Georgia, and a Japan
ese type, seed of which was secured
direct from Japan.
This Japanese variety produces a
crop in three-fourths the time required
for the maturity of the Hawaiian va
riety, provided it is transplanted from
the seed bed at the proper time. 1t is
of the Kiushu type, yields as heavily
as the Hawaiian variety, mills from
ten to IL per cent. better, produces
only about two-thirds the amount of
straw, and is therefore less exhaustive
on the rice lands. 1t is the type Of
rice now most largely consumed in
Hawaii by the Japanese laborers on
the plantations. A further advantage
of the adoption of this variety will be
that two crops can be grown each
year, with a long rest between crops
to permit the drainage of the fields
and their better tillage and prepara-
ton. The station now has so pounds
of this seed on hand, and will probably
have 1000 pounds at the end of the
next crop. The field was thoroughly
rogued and the strain is being propa-
gated from the best individual plants
of the whole field, thus laying the
foundation for the production of pedi-
gree rice.
The so-called Hawaiian rice is de-
rived from original gold seed, South
Carolina stock, the first rice cultivated
in Hawaii having been thus obtained
The Georgia variety, mentioned above,
is hardly to be distinguished from Ha-
waiian rice. A number of selections
have been made of individual plants
showing the best individual character.
istics in yield of grain, form of pam
icle, stalk, and LEAKAGE, and vigor of