The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1909-03-13
CYPERUS
| TEGET|FoRM|s
The Japanese Mating Straw
Grown to Advantage at
Crowley.
Great Possibilities in the Cul
tivation OF this Article in
this Section.

1t has been successfully demon
strated that southwestern LO,isi
ana soil and climate are admirably
adapted to the cultivation of Cy
perus TegctifOrmis-the japanese
mating straw. Experiments were
made on tho rice farm of MIR. J. i
Shoemaker, near Crowley, by the
United States Department of Az
griculture this last year In Jan
uaIy, 1908, about one acre Of land
was prepared for planting the
roots Of this mating straw. III
the following July Qatter parD the
straw was hat w sted and shipped
to Kennebunk, Me-, where It, to.
gether with another shipment of
the same straw from:Pierc :, Texas,
was woven into mating.
Mr.. i. w. Clarke, u special
agent Of the United States Agr,-
cultural Department, in the de-
partment Of foreign plant industry
stopped off here this week. He
had with him three samples Of the
mating made by the Kennebunk
mill from this Louisiana anu Texas
grown straw. All who saw them
expressed the opinion that they
compared very favorably with the
products of the Japanese looms OF
equal grade.
The agricultural explorers for
tins Government, approaching the
extent Of the market Of this
country alone for mating, conclud
cd that 1t would be an experiment
worth while to get some Of the
plants from the Orient aud experl
ment with them along the most ap-
proved lines, in this country where
climate and soil gave promise of
the best results. The Japs, upon
learning our purpose, became very
secletive and the plants were not
for sale at any price. 1t was no
easy matter to get the plants, but
they were gotten. 1t is not Ger
tain, however, that this Govern
ment ls yet possessed Of the best
varieties. To gather data about
its cultivation under existing cir
cumstances has been more diff
cult than the getting Of the seed
But by practical experience, IN
seuuity, and much experimenting
system Of cultivating successful.
Iy the plant is being developed in
this country with the most promls-
ing degree of success.
The mating plant is cultivated
much after the manner that rice is
grown. The planting, however, il
quite different. The land ls pre-.
pared the same as for rice, then
the plants, roots,. are set out in
rows about l5 inches apart each
way. When it takes hold and
sends mp tho young shoots water
is turned on aud the ground must
be kept flooded throuhout the
growing season. The Crowley ex-
pertinent was planted in January
and the straw reached its maturi-
ty IN the following July. Then
the water is drained off. The
straw is harvested as soon as the
land ls firm enough to bear the
seight Of the moving machines.
A straw AZ inches in length is one
Of the most desired ends in all
methods Of cnltlvating the plant
In order to attain this result ferti
lizers had to be experimented
with, and, 10 far, cotton seed meal
seems 20 he the best.
At Crowley, the past season, |
there was some difficulty ia get.
ting the water just ~ needed in
lit quantities. anil this seems to
have somewhat affected the re-
suits.
The roots, when set out as
above indicated, not only send up |
shoots, bat throw out rizoma,
wh,ch form new rootlngs that send |
up other shoots or heads. This pro
Dess continues rapidly until the
entire surface il closely covered.
The plant is Of such vigorous and
rapid growth, 80 completely matt
ing the ground, that no other
plant can get = start. OF itself |
{ viii completely eradicate ths
soil a all undesirable seeding. |