Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1892-02-26
KING OF GRASSES.
CALIFORNIA PAMPAS PLUMES
AND THEIR USES.
A South American Plant Which
Makes n Beautiful Decoration
Harvesting the Plumes-Finc
Decorative Effects.

plate-glass mirror, vase holding what
seemed to be three beautiful white fcath-
ers, tall and fairy-like. A closer inspec
ton showed n depth no ostrich plume
can boast, for in its heart OF hearts was n
soft salmon tone of great richness. /
could not help exclaiming "Graudl
must know something of this new beau
ty."
Upon inquiring, learned that the OBJ
jects which attracted my attention were
pampas plumes, the product of the ''king
of grasses, which is cultivated quite cx-
tensively for the European market This
grass is a native of South America, grow.
ing on the famous pampls or plains,
where the cattle feed upon it, which
pampa give name to the cultivated arti.
Gle now grown and cured in great per-
fection in California, producing the
artistic effect referred to that is as sur
prising as it is beautiful.
Feeling greatly interested in au indus
try so little known, | visited one of the
largest plantations in Los Angeles Coun-
ty, Rancbito de Fuerte, fortunately
during the harvest season, thus witness
ing the entire process.
The plants or clusters, bush-like in
form, are from ten to twelve feet high,
about the same in diameter, and stand in
rows sixteen feet apart. Very little care
is given the plants 0they are evergreen)
until Tie irrigation season, which lasts
from carly in May until the middle of
August. Water is used every fourteen
days. The harvest begins about August
26, and continues seventeen DAYS. Be.
fore the husks open, the long spikes are
cut by laborers, their faces protected by
masks and their Lands by gloves with
eauntlets, as the edge of the grass is as
sharp as a knife. From the place Of
growth to the shade of trees the
plumes are taken in wagons. Shuckers
sit under the pepper and orange trees
stripping oil the casing Of green covering
the plumes. Those who have practised
for q few years can shuck from three to
four thousand a day. As this work is
paid for by the thousand, long days are
made.
Next comes boys who lay the fresh
silky plumes-soit green in color-upon
the smooth earth, prepared by rolling to
receive them. About three hours are re-.
quired at this stage to make them white
and fluffy. They are gathered up and
carried by armfu,s into the curinghouse :;
here expert manipulation develops tone
and silk-hoss finish that gives them
their chief beauty. In the process they
are handled sixteen times. No labor
saving machine can be used. A certain
nlcety in handling, quick eye and
ready hand, make it an industry where
women and girls can be employed
About sixty hands were required in the
harvest of which | write. Plumes left
upon the plants to open naturally are Of
no value, except as ornaments to the
grounds.
Great improvements have been made
in the curing process during the past two
years. The old method produced
beautiful plume, but very brittle, The
best grades measure thirty to thlrty-six
inches in length, and are shipped to
Europe. Germany, Russia, and Italy arc
the lar=cst consumers. England is
latest to appreciate their beluty, and
no doubt the Eastern cities will, ere long,
follow in their use.
The regulation "threc plumes' in
single vase were no doubt suggested by
the Prince of Wales's coat-of.arms, as
there are large quantities sent to Lon
don, where they are quite the fad.
About half million plumcs were shipped
to London for the recent holiday season.
The question, What can England do
with million and half pampas plumc,,
year after ycarl can only be answered by
the apprec alton of "thing of beauty
that is a JOY for ever -
New uses for these plumcs, or new
methods Of using, are developed each
season. The artistic sense finds ex-
preston in endless designs that grace re-
ceptions, balls, church weddings and
private houses on every festive oc ,asion.
As fabric for decorative purposes, none
other produces their fairy-likc appear
ance. 1t is essentially wall decoration.
Friezes, dadocs, etc, are made CT wire,
in art designs, and covered by the
pampas stripped from the stem; while
fringes for bordering mantels and BOOK
shelves, mats and rugs, and also tapestry
hangings for the walls, can all be pro-
duced by skilled hands. They are used
in connection with draperies and soft
india silk scarfs, in colors to suit the
apartments to be decorated and the taste
OF the hostess They arc also dyed, az
silk OF cotton can be colored; favorite
use is to adorn each room in different
color.
For ceilings, festoons are made as we
see 'greens" fastened to wires OF ropes,
os the Childeau OIL other square elect