Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1883-06-20
Canes.

The horrible habit of Americans of put
ting their hands in their pockets has led Il
the popularity of canes IN this country
, The Japanese gentleman shows apprecia
tom to the same feeling when his costum,
is ncomplete-without his shutting fan
which he hangs at his belt, over his righ'
shoulder. OF in the breast folds of his silker
gown. The French or English gentleman
for the same reason never attends a full
dress party without his crush hat in hi:
hand.
The fashion of carrying canes, however,
an.ong the swells and lah de-dah lads OF
New York has each season its rules which
are observed with as much exquisite
punctilioAs those of ladies' who wear a
poke bonnet one year and scoop hat the
next. Most of these fashions originate IN
Europe. A year or two ago there were
two styles-the shepherds crook. shaped
like fishhook, and Zulu crook, plain,
curved handle. The Zulu came from Paris.
the shepherd from London. These styles
in canes were introduced In the spring, and
were preceded by the crutch. When our
fathers were lads the whalebone cane was
the proper thing. Now they are 50 scarce
that they are worth to the dealer from SO
to $3.50. Last year the fashion was TO
carry a silver ball cane. Then there Is a
style in carrying cane. and this varies
each year. One year it wss TO walk with
q spring gait, with bent knees and arms
akimbo as far forward as possible, and the
cane was held between one finger and
thumb, correctly balanced so as TO swing
gracefully. Then came the esthetic style.
The cane was held In 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
tAere was fashion last year of holding the
ferule down. This year 1t is II hold it IN
the middle, with the feru!e to the front,
just as Mr.. Spot Dandridge does alter his
return from the east. That's the proper
''caper"
The material is as various as can well
nigh be conceived of. Many are of i'm
ported woods: some from the tropics,
China, and the East Indies The cele-
brated Whongee canes are from China,
where they are well known and celebrated
for the regularity of their joints, which
are the points from which the leaves are
gwen off, and the stems of species of
phylloslachys, gigantic grass, closely
allied to the bamboo. The orange and
lemon are highly priced, they are imported
chiefly from the West Indies, and perfect
specimens command enormous prices. The
orange stick is known by its beautiful
green bark, with fac white longitudinal
markings, and the lemon by the symmetry
Of Its proportions and both prominence
and regularity OF Its knots. Myrtle sticks
possess also value, since their appearance
IS so peculiar that their owner would sell
dom fail to recognize them. They are I'M
ported from Algeria. The rajah stick Is
an importation. II is the stem of palm,
and a species Of calamus. IL is grown in
BOrneo, and takes lis name from the fact
that the rajah vii, not allow any TO go out
of the country unless heavy duty Is paid.
These canes known as palm canes are dis
tInguished by an angular and more or less
fiat appearance. Their color IS brownisn,
spotted, and they are quite straight, with
neither knob nor curl. They are the
petIoles 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, slender climbing
palm, and not growing about Malacca, as
the name would seem to indicate, but i'm
ported from Stak on the opposite coast of
Sumatra- Other foreign canes are OF
ebony, rosewood, partridge, or HARDWOOD,
and cactus, which, when the pith Is cut
out, presents most novel appearance,
hollow, and full CT holes
The manufacture Of canes is by no means
the simple process of cutting the sticks In
the woods, peeling off the bark, whlttlihg |
down the knots, sandpapering the rough |
surface, and adding touch of varnish, a
curiously carved handle or head, and tip
ping the end with ferule. In the sand !
1ats of New jersey whole families support |
themselves by gathering nannebeTy sticks, |
which they gather In the swamps, straight |
en- with an old wise, steam over an old |
kettle. aud, perhaps, scrape down or whittle |
into size. These are packed IN large |
bundles to New York city aud sold to the |
cane fsctones Many imported sticks, |
however, have TO 90 through a process of |
Strengthening by mechanical means, which |
are mystery to the unInitIated. They |
are buried IN hot sand until they become |
plIable. In front of the heap of hot sand |
in which the sticks are plunged is stout |
board from five to SIX feet long, liked at |
an angle inclined to the workman, and |
having two or more notches cut Ill the |
edge. When the stick has become per-
fectly plIable the workman places it on
one of the Dotches, and, bending it 10 the
opposite direction to which it is naturally |
bent, stralghtens it. Thus, sticks appar-
enty crooked, bent, warped and worthless |
are by this simple process Strengthened; I
but the most curious part of the work Is
observed in the formation of the crook or
curl for the handles, which are not natur-
ally supplied with hook or knob. The |
workman places one end of the cane firmly |
in wise, and pours continuous stream of /
fire from gas pipe on the part which is to
be bent. When sufficient heat has been |
applied, the cane Is pulled slowly and |
gradually round until the hook is complete
ly formed, and then secured with string. |
An additional application of heat serves to
bake and permanently fix the curl. The |
uader part of the handle Is frequently |
charred by the action of the gas, and this |
is rubbed down with sandpaper until the
requisite degree Of smoothness is attained, |
Gathering and Drying Tea in Japan.
Tea gathering is commenced IN Nav |