142 THE PALMS OF ASIA. 



feet. Riimpliins even states that one kind 

 attains the extraordinar}' length of twelve hun- 

 dred feet, nearly a quarter of a mile. 



The stems of all the species are closely 

 covered over by the tubular bases of the leaves, 

 through Avhich the}^ arc drawn by the cane- 

 gatherers when green, and after being dried in 

 the sun they are ready for the market. The 

 cane-cutter proceeds in the following manner : — 

 He goes into the forest withoiTt any instrument 

 but his parang or cleaver, and cuts as much as 

 he is able to carry away. He makes a notch 

 in the tree, from near the root of which the 

 rattan or calamus is growing, and then cutting 

 the latter, strips off a portion of the outer bark, 

 (more correctly, the tubular sheaths of the 

 leaves,) and inserts the peeled part of the stem 

 into the notch. He now, having fixed the cane 

 by one end, proceeds to pull it through the long 

 leaf-sheaths, which is easily accomplished, and 

 when it begins to diminish in size he cuts it 

 off. When the wood-cutter has obtained by 

 this means from three hundred to four himdred 

 rattans, which are as many as an individual 

 can conveniently carry, he ties up his bundle, 

 and after drying they are fit for the market. 

 They arc sold ver}' cheap. The Chinese junks 

 obtain them in Borneo at the rate of about 



