Saint Mary's beacon., 1870-08-04

Asour CAsxs.-Since 1858, the COM
merOe in ordinary walking sticks has more
than quadrupled. In Hamburg, Berlin,
and Vienna--the manufacture employs
many thousands Of work k-peonle. Its con-
troll is in the hands Of the Jews. The
Meyers, members Of one family Of Ger
man Hebrews are at its head in Austria
and Germany proper, and by management
peculiar to their race. have absorbed all
competition. Firs. gaining ascendency
at home by the style and cheapness Of
their wares. they next assailed foreign
markets. In Bombay they undersold the
Chinese dealers. Scattering thin light
bamboo rods along the overland route to
India, the native productions in Egypt and
Arabia gave place to the more convenient
viennese manufacture. The French oc-
cupatiou of Algiers introduced their grace
full valking-sticks to the Moorish gentry
Of Northern Africa. Paris began to adopt
them. Madrid, Naples, and even London
followed. They drove the English canes
out Of the Braxils, and from the western
coast of South America. Where Belgian
manufactures had had immemorial monopo-
ly, they found demand which it taxed all
their resources to supply. Yet curiously
enough, California, in the use Of the Wen.
nese walking-cane, preceded the Eastern
States. Minc-cxplorers and gold diggers
Of the Sierra Nevada gave ton to fashion
in New York and Chicago. The impor-
tation Of the Meyers canes at the present
time into the United States has swallowed
up. like Aaron's serpent, all other. They
are found everywhere. No Jew clothes
man fails to keep them among his stock
Of goods. Light French ratans, heavy
English club-sticks, curiously carved Brus-
selves thorns, and even the choice Alca-
sian orange-sticks, have Disappeared
The Jew speciality always succeeds, and
the walking sticks. manufactured now
for thirty years by the Meyers million
aires, furnishes no exception.
In the present manufacture Of canes
great quantities and varietie. cf material
|era consumed. There is scarcely grass or
shrub, reed or tree. that has not been en-
ployed at one time or another. The black
thorn and crab, cherry-tree and furzebush,
sapling oak and Spanish reed (Arnndo
aamaz), are the favorites. Then come
supple.jaeks, and pimentoes from the West
Indies, rattan ard palms from Java, white
and black bamboos from Singapore, and
stems of the bambusa-the gigantic grass
Of the tropics-from Borneo. All these
must be cut at certain seasons, freed from
various appendages, searched to discover
defects, assorted in sizes, and thoroughly
rid Of moisture. A years seasoning is
required for some woods, two. for other.
Then comes the curious process Of manu-
facture. Twenty different landings hard
ly finish the cheapest cane The bark is
to be removed after boiling the stick in
water, or to be polished after roasting it
in ashes; excrescences are to be manipu-
lated into points Of beauty; handles strait
ened and shanks shaped; forms twisted
and heads rasped tops carved or mount
ed, surfaces charred and scraped, shanks
smoothed or vanished, and bottoms shaped
and ferruled. Woods. too, have to he
studied, lest chemical applications that
beautify one. might ruin another kind
Some are improved under subjection to
intense heat, others destroyed. Malacca
canes have frequently to Be colored in
parts. so that stained and natural surfaces
are not distinguishable. heads and hoofs
for handles are baked to retain their
forms; tortoise-shell raspings are con-
glomerated by pressure into orramented
shapes, and hthographic transfers, done
BY hand, are extensively used upon walk
ing-sticks for the Partisan market.