61 



The mountain people have found no use for this rush, 

 although it grows in abundance in various parts of their 

 province. The matting rush cultivated in Japan is said to 

 be very much finer than the one found wild in the Philip- 

 pines, It is reasonable to suppose that such is the case, 

 as cultivation in seed beds and close planting in well- 

 fertilized fields is bound to produce a finer straw than 

 that which is obtained from wild and spontaneous rushes 

 growing in swamps without care and attention. 



The production of a finer straw from this plant through 

 cultivation is an experiment well worth trying in the Moun- 

 tain Province. The cultivation of the rush is much like 

 that of rice, except that the rush is perennial and lives 

 many years. 



Experiments conducted at Baguio show that a fine straw 

 can be prepared from the coarse stalks by splitting them, 

 removing the pulp and drying the straws quickly in the 

 sun so as to cause them to curl up. Then they may be 

 dried further as is done with balangot and split pandan 

 leaves. 



Flat straws can be produced by removing the pulp and 

 flattening the stalks by drawing them between the thumb 

 and a flat piece of wood. 



AGAS. 



(Rynchospora aurea.) 



Agas (Albay, Cebu, Leyte, Sorsogon) ; bariu-bariu, raguidiu (Albay, 

 Sorsogon) ; piso piso (Sorsogon) ; raguidio, raguio, rakeydo 

 (Camarines) ; tikiu (Laguna). 



This sedge is found in all warm regions of the world. 

 It has so far been reported to the Bureau of Education 

 from Sorsogon, Albay, Camarines, Laguna, Leyte, and 

 Cebu. It is found, however, in all provinces and all larger 

 islands of the Philippines. It is about a meter high; its 

 stem is distinctly triangular and the leaves surrounding 

 the stem are long and broad. The panicle is long and wide 

 and made up of comparatively long, spreading, branching 

 spikes bearing spindle-shaped, awnless spikelets, which are 

 rich brown in color and about 8 mm. long. 



