Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1895-07-06

divided into two clasSes-'wood chop
pers'' and ''moss pickers." During the
summer months, when the crops are
Laid BY" they go into the dismal
swamps, pushing their crooked ways
along through canals" bitches and
bayous, in pirogues, skiffs, canoes or
RATS, picking up from the dark green
waters all of the flakes and punches of
moss that the winds have blown down
from the huge Spanish oaks that stand
like specters in the watery forest of soli-
tude. Each picker has long pole with
an iron hook at the end. and, after he
has gathered the floating punches, he
reaches up into the trees and pulls
down from the heavily-laden branches
the long, thick punches that hang from
the limbs in such wild confusion,
wreathed artistically by the hand OF
nature.
The picl1ers then climb the heavily
laden trees, walk along the numerous
branches, picking the flakes of moss
and throwing them down intO the
boats. When the boats have been load
ed, the men pull for the shore, where
they have ''camp." The mass is
piled in heaps and water is thrown
until the men have dug long trenches,
into which the moss is thrown, wet
down, and earth thrown over it. Here
it remains buried for two or three
months. This ''kills" or ''cures" it,
without which it is not marketable
commodity. The burying process kills
the outside bark of the moss, thus MAX
ing it soft and flexible. Were it not for
obs Il
carriage seats would not be so soft and
pleasant.
Louisiana moss is Give" plant, it
feeds on air, and not from any sub
stance derived from the live oak or
Spanish oak on which it is found. 1t
only needs the tree for an elevated
position to get air. 1t feeds on the ma
laria Of the swamps, somewhat purify
ing the air and making it healthful
for the pickers who are gathering it to
be buried. It dies as soon as the tree
dies, however, because the bark of the
tree among which it's tendrils creep
has decayed and peeled off. The moss
then turns black, as if draped in mourn
ing for its benefactor. This article is
called ''black moss, and is graded in
commerce as second class.
The prime article, or living moss, is of
"a gray greenish color, having long
branching fbers, with trumpet shaped
nowerS of a peach blossom color. =
grows rapidly, and it seems not to have
a root, as a straw blown from one tree
to another soon grows into thick
bunch. Its element is on the tops and
branches of living trees in the darkest
swamps where sunshine rarely enters,
covering as with a mantle the tops and
huge limbs of the herculean trees that
rise up in their glowing grandeur in
these almost impenetrable lakes and
bayous. It is creature of the tickle
winds and is blown from the oaks and
cypress to the highlands adjacent to the
,swamps, and finds lodgment in the
sweet gum, eln.and ash, and covers
them as fringe, or as the background
of gloomy picture, with its long pen
1nants and festoons, solemnly swaying
in the wind, re1nindful of the waving
black plumes of long procession OF
hearses.
The moss along the margins of these
lakes and bayous is gathered by wood
choppers. The men fell the trees and
the picking is much easier. 1t is piled
mp in heaps and finally buried, then,
nftcr it has been cured. according to
the usual calculation, it is dug up, scat
tered along on posts and trenches and
dried. It is then hauled to market, or
to the nearest store, where it is baled.
or tied up, in rather loose manner. IL
bales of from 500 to 500 pounds. as it
seems Convenient, and shipped to the