Nature in Recreation 

 CORNSTALK FIFE 



Take a piece of cornstalk about ten inches long and one half inch in 

 diameter. Run a hot wire through it to burn out the pith, and close one end 

 with paraffin. Burn a hole near the closed end for blowing, and two others 

 near the other end and this will give you a fife that will play three notes. 



PANPIPES 



The best material for constructing a set of panpipes is bamboo or hollow 

 reeds cut into different lengths and laced together according to progressive 

 lengths, with the shortest one at one end for the high note and the longest 

 on at the other for the low note. The pitch changes chiefly according to the 

 depth of the hollow space inside the pipe, which is varied by pushing down 

 the pitch in a reed or altering the length of a bamboo. 



Start with a piece four or five inches long. Test it for tone and cut the 

 next one longer or shorter. By testing and changing, whole tone steps can 

 be effected for an octave scale. 



Most reeds are cut best with a saw unless one is adept with a knife, and 

 should be smoothed with sandpaper. If the tone is too low for its place 

 on the scale, it can be raised by filing down the length of the pipe. Sand- 

 paper will shorten it very gradually. High notes cannot be lowered. If a 

 mistake is made, such ones will have to be discarded or shortened down 

 for a succeeding note. 



A leather thong or strong cord will serve for lashing the pipes together. 



