686 VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS. 



form their largest canoes. The locust-tree grows to the 

 height of seventy feet, and is often nine feet in diameter. The 

 branches, which only begin to spread in the higher part of 

 the tree, are covered with leaves about three inches in length, 

 and of an oval shape and dark gi^een colour. The blossoms, of 

 the papilionaceous or buttei'fly form, produce a flat pod, shaped 

 like the husk of a broad bean, about four inches long, and of 

 a dark brown colour. When ripe, each pod contains three 

 beans of the same colour, of a farinaceous consistency, and 

 with a pleasant sweetness. 



The silk-grass shrub produces a leaf, the inner substance of 

 which consists of a number of small strong white fibres run- 

 ning longitudinally. These the Indians extract by means of 

 a small loop of cord, through which the leaf is drawn with a 

 jerking motion. They are then ready for drying and twist- 

 ing into cord. They make bow-strings of gTcat elasticity and 

 streno'th. 



