Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-23

a height of 100 feet in sixty days, certain
species adding 10 feet to their stature with
in twenty-four hours. In the southern states
grass from ten TO fifteen feet tall forms
impenetrable thickets called cane brakes.
Its leaves are so nutritious that cattle Will
live all winter on them The woody stems
are sold all over the country for fishing
poles.
A kind Of grass grows IN Brazil that az
fords living fountains of drink 10 the
thirsty traveller. Its stems reach forty feet
in height and six inches in thickness.
When they are cut they gush with streams
of cool water. The Indians of the upper
Amazon I'm South America use a sort OF
grass native to those regions for blow
pipes. They cut lengths sixteen feet be-
tween two joints, and through these. hol-
lowed out, they project with their breath
arrows envenomed with the deadly 'woor-
arr poison.
The bamboo is true grass. 1t ought to
be cultivated in this country. Successful
bamboo plantations have already been es-
tablished I'm California. In China the plant
Is applied TO more than 500 different pur-
poses. A farmer builds his dwelling and
fences out of IL, his farming implements as
wen as his household furniture and utensils
are made from IL, while the tender shoots
provide vegetable for his table. A few
species have a berry-like fruit and the
seeds OF other kinds resemble rice The
roots are carved into fantastic images or
cut into lantern handles and canes The
tapering culms are used for props for
cages. Leaves are sewn into rain coats
and thatches. The shavings furnish stuff
Ing for pillows, while various parts supply
| me BEDS Tor sleeping. the chopsticks for
eating. the pipe for smoking. the mattress
to lie upon, the chair 10 SIT upon, the IA BILE
TO eat On and the fuel TO cook the food
Win The skewer TO pin the hair, the hat
TO screen the head, the paper 10 write on.
the pencil 10 write with, the bucket 70
craw water, the crab net and the fish pole
are one and all provided by the bamboo
The sedgcs.
| Very nearly related to the grasses are the
sedges, which. with the exception of the
| grasses. are the most widely distributed
plants in the world. But whereas the
| grasses are the most useful of all plants
to mankind. the sedges are the least So
Nearly all Of them are worthless. Among
the few valuable members of the order are
the rushes employed for making candles,
mats and chairs. Papyrus. the material
anciently utilized for paper. is kind OF
| sedge. The substance that served Cor writ
| ing on was got by separating the thin
plates OF cellular tissue which lie Just be-
meath meath me outer coat Of this water plant
] These plates were laid side by side upon
I table, and other pieces similarly cut were
| laid across them at right angles. Thus
| they formed sheet Of many pieces, which
| were made into one united substance by
sprinkhng them with water. the gummy
matter in them dissolving and causing them
| mutually to adhere.
In this manner sheets Of prodigious
| length were produced. Papyrus was en-
ployed exclusively for writings which were
destined to be preserved, until the invcn-
ton of parchment. about 80 b. c. Its
| manufacture was continued as late as the
| eleventh century. The papyrus plant had
| many other uses anciently in Egypt and
| Ethiopia People chewed the roots for their
| pleasant juice. and the stalks were roasted.
! their PUPPY contents being afterward eaten.
The stalks also afforded material for ropes
and cables and the leaves were utilized. az
| they are at the present day, for MAKING
| boats. RENE BACHE.