MONOCOTYLEDONS 



271 



In 1903, the greatest sugar-producing regions of the world 

 stood in the following order: Cuba, Java, Hawaiian Islands, 

 and Louisiana. 



(3) LAWN, PASTURE, AND HAY GRASSES. This group' 

 includes numerous grasses that have been selected for 

 certain combinations of qualities. For example, blue grass 

 is one of the most fa- 



I^HiBHHIHMHHHBHHMHMHm^HHHHMHMl^HHM^HH 



mous grasses for all 

 these purposes; red top 

 is a prominent pasture 

 grass; and timothy is 

 one of the best hay 

 grasses. 



(4) BAMBOO. In 

 tropical and subtropic- 

 al countries the huge 

 grasses called bamboos 

 are extremely useful 

 (Fig. 268). Some spe- 

 cies reach seventy to one 

 hundred feet in height 

 and a foot in diameter, 

 forming regular groves 

 and forests. Their very 

 hard, light, and tough 

 stems are put to innu- 

 merable uses, including 

 house-building, bridge- 

 building, light wickerwork, and weaving of various kinds. 

 The manufacture of fishing-rods from split bamboo is well 

 known; but the ordinary fishing-poles are stems of a kind 

 of bamboo that is native to our Southern States, where it 

 covers extensive areas that are called cane-brakes. 



158. Palms. The Palm Family (Palmacece) is the great 

 tree group of the Monocotyledons. Although palms are 



FIG. 268. Bamboo. After ENGLER and 

 PRANTL. 



