90 INDIAN REED. RATAN. 



ber of the stamens. Linnaeus was acquainted with 

 but one species, the Ory'za sati'va; but I believe 

 that others have been since discovered. The 

 common rice is a native of India, and throughout 

 the East is of the greatest importance to the in- 

 habitants, as an article of food. Rice is also much 

 cultivated in the north of Italy. 



The Indian Reed, Cal'amus petrae'us, is another 

 plant of the class Hexandria, which also in some 

 respects resembles a grass ; but the stems grow to 

 more than a hundred feet in height, and are then 

 at least as thick as a man's arm. They are used 

 in Cochin-China for making soldiers' pikes; and 

 the inner part of the young shoots is eaten by the 

 natives. Another species of Cal'amus, the ro'tang, 

 or ratan, has very smooth glossy stems, marked 

 with dark spots : it grows abundantly on both sides 

 of the Straits of Malacca, from whence it is sent 

 into Europe. The long spaces between the joints 

 are used for walking-canes. A third species, Cal'- 

 amus ver'nus, is very common in forests in the 

 East Indies : though not thicker than a man's 

 finger, it often grows to the length of more than a 

 hundred feet ; and when split into strips, is used 

 for making ropes, the seats of chairs, and different 

 parts of several other articles of furniture. 



EDWARD. 



How very large the plants in India seem to be ! 



