60 RUSHES—ARROW-ROOT TRIBE. 
a mainsail composed of three different varieties of New Zealand 
flax, and the cordage made of Musa teztilis,’” that is, of 
Manilla hemp, of which we have immediately to treat. 
RusHes (Juncacee). 
Rushes have so long been employed for some of the same 
purposes as other fibres that we can hardly omit noticing them, 
as they are found in moist places on the mountains of India, 
But the author may quote what he has formerly said: 
“The Juncacee, or true rushes, are insipid and inodorous; 
several are employed for mechanical purposes only, as the com- 
mon rush, for making mats, baskets, and the bottoms of chairs, 
while the pith is employed for the wicks of rushlights. Juncus 
effusus, which is the common European species, is, according to 
Thunberg, cultivated in Japan for making floor-mats. J. glaucus 
a European species found in the Himalayas, and closely allied 
to J. effusus, might be employed for all the purposes of the 
common rush.” (‘I}lust. Himal. Bot.,’ p. 401.) 
Arrow-root Tribe (Marantacee). 
These plants are celebrated for several of the species storing 
up large quantities of fecula in their tubers or root-stocks, and 
which is separated and known by the name of Arrow-root pow- 
der. They are little known for their herbaceous parts containing 
any useful quantity of fibre. But one of the South American ge- 
nera has been named Calathea, in consequence of its leaves being 
employed in basket-making. So in India, the stems of Moocta 
patee of the Bengalees, Maranta (Phrynium, Roxb.) dichotoma 
of botanists,» which are straight and tapering, about as 
thick as a man’s thumb, and from three to five or six feet 
high, of a beautiful highly polished green colour, are said to 
be employed in making some of the mats for which Calcutta 
is famous. Mr. Colebrooke says: “ Mats made of the split stems 
of this plant being smooth and particularly cool and refreshing, 
are termed in Hindoo sital-pati, which signifies a cool mat, 
whence the plant itself is said to bear the name. Suspecting, 
however, this to be a misappropriation of the term, I have 
