58 



and but a few millimeters in length. The axis of the spike- 

 lets (rachis), as is usual with all species belonging to the 

 genus Fimbristylis, remains attached to the stem long after 

 the wind has blown away the seeds. 



Through experiments conducted by Mr. John F. Minier 

 of the Bureau of Education, it was found that by sowing 

 tikug seeds very closely on richly manured and well-watered 

 soil, so that about 5,000 stalks grew on a square foot of 

 ground, veiy fine long straws were produced. 



DISTRIBUTION. 



Tikug grows wild and in great abundance in marshy 

 places and in and around rice paddies in parts of the 

 Visayas and Mindanao. It reaches its greatest economic 

 importance in a number of districts in Samar, Leyte, Min- 

 danao, and Bohol. 



PREPARATION. 



Drying the straiv. — The preparation of tikug for indus- 

 trial purposes is very simple, consisting chiefly in keeping 

 it away from dew, moisture, and water while the drying 

 and bleaching of the straw in the sun is accomplished. This 

 generally takes from seven to ten days. If the straws 

 become damp or wet from dew or rain, they will mildew 

 and turn an unsightly black or brown. Boiling the straw 

 ten or twenty minutes before drying tends to improve the 

 color. 



Tikug straws will keep for a long time, but in the dry 

 season they should be frequently exposed to the sun and 

 during the rainy season they should be wrapped in a blanket 

 or a piece of cloth. For plain mats the whole straw is 

 used, but for the embroidered part split straws are 

 employed. 



Flattening the straws.^ — The straws composing the 

 bleached or dyed bundles of material are stiff and uneven; 

 some are bent and others are round. The process of flatten- 

 ing them and making them more pliable is carried on during 

 damp days, in the morning or evening, for if done in the 

 open air on cloudless days, or at any time when the atmos- 



' The Philippine Craftsman, Vol. I, No. 4, p. 312. 



