GIANT GRASSES 
serves most of the purposes of timber and lumber in the 
East. 
There are, of course, certain points in which all these 
plants are alike and which show them to be members of 
the same family. The most important of these common 
family traits is the fact that all have joints. The grasses 
are jointed plants. Bamboo, corn, lawn grass — all have 
joints. The possession of joints is the family mark of the 
grasses. 
All grasses have the same type of leaves. Because of 
their shape they are called blades. These plants are also 
alike in the sort of flowers they bear. Their flowers are 
not bright-colored. They have no odor. The grasses do 
not need bees to help fertilize their flowers that they may 
bear seeds. They are fertilized with the help of the wind. 
So they do not need to use odors or bright colors to attract 
the insects. 
13 
