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USES. 



The flower stalks of bigao can be used for screens or 

 window shades. The stems are sometimes used for fences 

 and in the mountain districts for making arrows. 



RICE. 



(Oryza sativa.) 

 Rice (E.). 



Although rice is grown throughout the Philippines, very 

 little use is made of the rice straw. The latter is generally- 

 burned on the field to enrich the soil. 



PREPARATION. 



The freshly cut rice straw when bleached in the sun is 

 tough and ready to be used. Old rice straw should not be 

 employed in the manufacture of articles because of its dirty 

 yellow color. 



USES. 



Slippers. — Within recent years the schools of Ilocos Norte 

 have developed a very neat-appearing slipper by using rice 

 straw for the upper sole and braided maguey for the lower. 



Hats. — In Ilocano districts, hats for home use are often 

 made of rice-straw braid. Hat factories in Manila, making 

 foreign-style hats for local trade, have to import the rice- 

 straw braid that they use. 



Sometimes, after the rice is threshed, the straws are tied 

 into bundles and used as brooms for rough housework. 



TAMBO. 



(Phragmites vulgaris.) 



Tambo (T., B.) (Albay, Bataan, Leyte, Oriental Negros, Rizal, Ta- 

 yabas) ; bugang (Bohol) ; lupi (Gamarines) ; tabunac (Antique, 

 Iloilo) ; taguisi (Iban. in Isabela) ; tangbo (Cebu) ; tanobong 

 (II.); tantanubong (II. in Isabela). Found also in Manila and 

 vicinity. 



This coarse, erect grass is from 1 to 3.5 m. high. Its 

 leaves are about half a meter long and 3 cm. wide. The 

 panicles are from 30 to 50 cm. in length and made up of 

 numerous slender branches bearing fine spikelets. The 

 whole panicle has a feathery appearance and is brown in 



