HKCRKATIVK N'ATl'KAI, HISTnRV 



oar 



:.t form of tobaooo piio. The oob is out off at >> 



I'n.iii tin- liii.M-, the pith iri then sooopod mt with it knife, 

 u hull in, :md a Hmiill reed inserted to act 



aa a tube to draw the nuioko through. Fig. 2 of the u 

 illu -tiai:..i: ri-i . -. 1.1 - oas. . ,f tho*o iiutizo oob pipe,. I'horo ani 

 few who iiro not more or lean acquainted with the common rutun 

 csano of the English and Continental -' and many of 



our yoiinir reader* will probably in the counto of thoir school 

 career hare been familiarised with the general appearance and 

 tl. \ii.nt \ . i this curious and interesting production. The ratan, 

 It hough strictly speaking of the j.ulm family, appears 

 :\ t.. in -ad mi t ho border land which divides KTOHMOM from 

 other famine-, of tho plant-world, but stops over it and form*, so 

 to apeak, a connecting link in tho vegetable kii. : M. Growing 

 warm junghm of tho tropic*, thn nitan throws it* 

 conl-iiko riinnora from tree to troo, stretching ovor tangled brake, 

 fallen log, and prostrate rook. lake some vast network, spread 

 by a race of forest giants, hundred* of feet of unbroken natural 

 cordage can, by the knife-armed wood-rangers, bo drawn forth 

 and coiled away fit for future use. Tho calumua, like other 

 plants which we have 

 ilicd, numbers 

 many varieties in its 

 trailing family. Some 

 of these are expressly 

 cultivated for an ex- 

 cellent fruit which 

 they produce. The 

 ratan apple is about 

 the size of a common 

 walnut, and bears on 

 its surface a num- 

 ber of rough and 

 pointed scales. A 

 very palatable and 

 wholesome drink is 

 procured by wound- 

 ing the spadix of the 

 growing plant, and 

 catching the juice 

 which flows from 

 the puncture. The 

 trailing ropes or 

 runners of tho cane 

 are, however, of tho 

 greatest commercial 

 importance. Vast 

 numbers of these 

 useful articles are 

 exported to nearly 

 every portion of tho 

 civilised world ; and 



. .. 



Fig. 2. 



Fig. 6. 



cables, bridges, track ropes, timber 

 slings, baskets, lashings for boxes, etc., made from them in 

 the countries where they are found. In this country, chair 

 bottoms, sofa backs, carriage bodies, etc., are made from strips 

 cut from the outsides of the canes, whilst cheap umbrella 

 frames, crinoline hoops, stiffening for stays, and strong market 

 baskets are made from tho unbarkcd canes, split or solid. A 

 glance at a penny cane, purchased at tho nearest toy-shop, 

 will serve to show tho peculiar arrangement of knots, naturally 

 siliceous coating, and perforated interior, which make it so grass- 

 like in its form of growth. Immense sums are annually paid 

 for this most valuable production, which, when found growing 

 in tho forests of tho far East, requires little more outlay for its 

 obtainment than the cost of a stout cane-knife or machette and 

 a whetstone. Nature and rough hand labour do all tho rest. 



Returning to a consideration of tho true grasses, of which 

 over 4,000 species are known to botanists, it may bo well to 

 consider tho reeds of the river and lake side, the marsh and tho 

 sand waste, these bearing an important part in tho economy of 

 the earth's inhabitants, civilised and uncivilised. Quo of the 

 most familiar tyjws of this order of plants is to bo found on 

 the borders of most of the fens, low-lying streams, and 

 of England. The common marsh reed (/'//"/.<./ ' I COM 

 with its soft plume of feather-like blossom, tall graceful reed- 

 stem, and bright green leaves, will bo familiar to all lo. 

 the beauties of river and lake side scenery (Fig. 3). But a very 

 faint idea can be formed, oven in exploring th" feu districts of 



tl.n 



reed-Uds to be found on the borders of the great lake, river, and 

 marsh systems of tha tropics, and some portion* of northern 

 Europe ; and here, amidJt the vaat growths of the giant fro 

 grass, materials are found for boat and boose building. Reed 

 boat* are in common ose on the Nile and many of He tributaries. 

 When about to construct one of these make-ahift I* 



l.-r pr.H^yi, to cut a sofideot quantity of reed* to form 

 a umber of bundles or sheaves) ; these are sligfaUy tapered at one 

 ond, and so arranged when placed aide by side M to be easily 

 Ixnind together, M abown in the opposite illustration <} 

 A trimmed |, .,j of the dome palm serves M a paddle wherewith 

 to propel tho frail craft, which is quite safe enough in good hand* 

 to cross a wide and deep river on. A hot or weather belter 

 Li formed by turning the boat on its end. as in Fig. 1. PmA 

 of native tradora, when about to prosecute a journey down one 

 of the great Eastern rivers, cot an immeim pile of reeds. This 

 they thrust into the stream, get upon it with their goods, anas, 

 dogs, and travelling equipment ; pu*h off into the slowly flowing 

 current, and, carried by it, drift onward. A* the lower layer of 



reeds become satu- 

 rated with water and 

 sink, fresh deposits 

 are cot and placed on 

 the top, until at last 

 the whole 

 comes toe i 

 of a hogs hay-ataek 

 which had floated off 

 with all the hay. 

 makers seated on it. 

 Beedswhen intended 

 for hot or boose 

 building are arranged 

 in long, narrow boa. 

 dies. These are placed 

 close together on 



.1 ;.: | tttm - !:.:*> 



of sticks, which are 

 bound together with 

 twisted grass cords in 

 such a way as to nip 

 tho reeds firmly, as 

 shown in Fig. 4. 

 These, arranged 

 against the mouth of 

 a cavern, or attached 

 to posts formed by 

 the stalks of growing 

 trees, or poles planted 

 in the earth, make a 

 weather-proof and very tolerable dwelling. Mats or screens 

 are made from reeds by threading them side by side, by the 

 aid of a long wooden or bone needle, as shown at Fig. 5. 

 Mantles or capes, which possess considerable rain-turning 

 powers, are made by first stringing several layer* of this 

 description separately, and then laying them over each other 

 by a sort of flounce arrangement. In making a garment of 

 this kind the thick cuds of the reeds are always placed 

 upwards, as shown at Fig. 6. 



The reed is on inestimable gift to the Bushman of Africa. 

 With it ho sucks water from the deep narrow hole, 

 shafts for his poison-tipped arrows, and caps to cover 

 The reeds, too, servo him for tubes in which to safely bestow his 

 most choice and beautiful ostrich feathers. After removing the 

 internodes of tho reed with a long slender stick, the Bushman 

 hunter places the quill end of the feather in the small end of the 

 reed ; ho then proceeds, by a system of sharp tapping imparted 

 to tho lower or ground end of the tube, to cause the feather to 

 slowly but surely enter its narrow, packing case, where it remains 

 beautifully folded, and safe from tho sources of contamination 

 usually BO abundant in a native encampment. These feather 

 charged reeds are carried immense distances by their uwums, 

 and their precious contents at length find their way through 

 the hands of the trader and merchant to tho fashionable cities 

 of tho world. There are yet several purposes to which reeds, 

 grasses, and rushes are applied ; these we reserve for conaidersr- 

 tion in our next i*per. 



Fig. 5. 



