GRASSES. 135 



men, it is the rank and file that does the real service. There are, 

 however, lordly members among the grass family, for some of the 

 tropical species vie with the tallest trees in height. The immense 

 bamboo forests of India are forests of grasses, and to the dwellers 

 of those regions they are as useful as are our own forests to us. 

 They furnish material for the construction of their houses and 

 household furniture and domestic utensils, articles of ornament, 

 and sometimes even articles of clothing. Some of the bamboos 

 furnish drink to the thirsty traveler ; others occasionally supply 

 food ; and several times within historical periods have the fruits 

 of these bamboos saved hundreds of thousands, if not millions, 

 of people from actual starvation. So generally useful are the 

 bamboos that their products have entered into the commerce of 

 the world. 



A mere enumeration of the diverse uses of grasses would more 

 than occupy the time which has been allotted to me here; but at 

 the risk of wearying you, I must briefly outline the more impor- 

 tant of these. Grains, the product of the cereal grasses, form the 

 staple food of more than four-fifths of the human race. Wheat 

 is a grass, and the world's production of wheat is estimated at 

 two billions four hundred millions of bushels. Rice is a grass, 

 and the production of this cereal in the East exceeds one million 

 tons, and feeds one-third of mankind. Indian corn, that king of 

 grasses and peculiar product of America, is one of our greatest 

 sources of income. Its cultivation now extends over ninety 

 degrees of latitude and has been carried to all parts of the world. 

 Oats, the most nutritious of all grain foods, barley, and rye are 

 members of the grass family ; and aside from these grains, there 

 are a number of grasses which furnish human food, particularly 

 to the natives of Southern Asia and the wild tribes of Africa, the 

 value of whose product cannot be estimated. In additioii to the 

 direct usefulness of these grain-bearing grasses to man, several 

 are used very largely to supplement the forage of our domestic 

 animals. They have a further use also, in the production of 

 alcoholic drinks. Nearly half of our sugar supply is derived 

 from grasses. The world's production of cane sugar is about 

 three million tons. What is said here of the products of the 

 cereal-grasses indicates only in a slight degree the great use- 

 fulness to man of a very few members of the grass family. A 

 larger number are scarcely less useful, although indirectly. 



