Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-05-09
CANES.
How Manufactured and the MateTfals
Used Both for Stick and Handle.

From the Chicago Times-
The horrible habit OF Americans Of putting
their hands in their pockets has led to the pop
ularty OF canes in this country. The japanese
gentleman shows appreciation to the same feel
ing when his costume is. incOmplete-withcut
his shutting fan which he hangs at his belt. over
his right shoulder, or in the breast folds of his
silken gown. The French or English gentleman
for the same reason never attends fnll-dress
party without his crush hat i'm his hand
The fashion OF carving canes however
among the swells and lah-de-dah lads of New
York has each season Its rules which are
observed with as much exquisite punctilio as
those of ladies who wear poke bonnet one
year and scoop hat the next. Most of these
fashions originate in Europe. A year two ago
there were two styles-the Shepherds crook
shaped like fishhoOk, and a Zulu crook a plain
curved handle. The Zulu came from Paris, the
shepherd from London. These styles in canes
were introduced in the spring. and were pre-
coded by the crIitch. When our fathers were
lads the whalebone cane was the proper thing.
Now they are so scarce that they are worth to
the dealer from So to $3.50. Last year the fash
lon was to carry silver ball cane. Then there
is style in carrying cane, and this varies each
year. One year 1t was to walk with a spring
gait, with bent knees and arms akimbO far
forward as possible, and the cane was held
between one finger Ddthumb. Correctly balanced
30 as TO swing gracefully. Then came the
esthetc style. The cane was held i'm front of
the body by the first and second fingers Of both
hands, and was allowed to hang limp while
the elbows were still further forward and the
shoulders, if possible, more round. Then there
was fashion last year of holding the ferule
down This year it Is to hold It In the middle,
with the ferule to the front, just as Mr. Spot
cambridge does after his return from the east
That's the proper 'caper."
The material is as variC Is as can we'll nigh be
conceived OF Many are of imported woods;
some from the tropics, China, and the East In
dies. The celebrated WhOngee canes are from
China where they are well known and cele-
brated for the regularity of their Joints, which
are the points from which the leaves are given
of, and the stems of a species of phyllOsiachys,
gigantic grass, closely allied. to the bamboo
The orange and lemon are highly priced and
are imported chiefly from the West Indies, and
perfect specimens command enormous prices.
The orange stick Is known by it's beautiful
green bark. with fine white longitudinal mark
1ngs. and the lemon by the symmetry Of its pro-
portions and both prominence and regularity of
Its knots. Myrtle sticks possess also value,
since their appearance is peculiar that their
owner would seldom fail to recognize them
They are imported from Algeria. The raiah
stick Is an importation. 1t is the stem of q
palm, and species of calamus. 1t is grown in
BOrneO. and takes its name from the fact that
the rajah will not allow any to go out of the
country unless O heavy duty Is paid. These
canes known az palm canes are distinguished by
I'll anu luOTe Ut less nat appearance.
Their color Is brOwnish spotted and they are
quite straight, with neither knob nor curl
They are the petiole5 of leaf stalks of the date
palm. Perhaps the most celebrated of the
foreign canes are the Malacca being the stems Of
the calamus sceptonum a slender climbing
palm, and not growing about Maacca. as the
name would seem to indicate, but imported
rom Stak. on the opposite coast of Sumatra.
Other foreign canes are OF ebony, rosewood,
partridge, or HARDWOOD and cactus, which, when
Il. ant Cnnf
pearance. hollow, and full of holes.
The manufacture of canes is by no means the
Simple process of cutting the sticks i'm the woods
peeling of the bark. whiting down the knots
eandpapering the rough surface and adding a
touch OF varnish, q curously carved handle or
head. and tipping the end with a ferule In the
sand flats of New Jersey whole families support
themselves by gathering nanneberry sticks,
which they gather in the swamps straighten
with an old wise, steam over an old kettle aud
perhaps, scrape down or whitte into size These
are packed in large bundles to New York CITY
and sold to the cane factories. Many imported
sticks. however. have to go through process of
strengthening by mechanical means which are
mysteryto the unnitiated. They are buried in hot
sand until they become pliabe. In front of the
heap OF hot sand in which the sticks are plunged
lisa stout board from five to six feet long fixed at
an angle inclined to the workman. and having
two or mere notches cut In the edge. When the
stick has become perfectly pliabe the workman
places 1t on one of the notches and bending 1t
In the opposite direction to which 1t is natu-
rally bent, straightens it, Thus, sticks appar-
entity crooked, bent, warped and worthless are
BY this simple process Strengthened; but the
most curious part of the work is observed in
the formation of the crook or curl for the han
dies, which are not naturally supplied with
hook or knob. The workman places one end Of
the cane firmly in wise, and pOurs a continu-
Gus stream of fire from gas pipe on the part
which Is to be bent. When sufficient heat has
been applied, the caneis pulled slowly and grad
ually round until the hook is completely formed
and then secured with string. An additional
application OF heat serves to bake and perma-
nently fix the curl. The under part of the ham
die is frequently charred by the action of the
gas, and this is rubbed down with sandpaper
until the requisite degree of smOOthness is at
tanned.