The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-06-17

| If one cares to initiate the Orientals in
| this respect, durable home mats can cas-
| lily be manufactured. After the cool wealth
er has killed the graceful stems of the
variety of eulalia known as gracillima, the
stems should be cut down close to ~.he
ground. This will give stems from fiTe to
seven feet in length After cutting, dry
few days in a cool, shady place, and then
weave the mats croSswise, fastening the
ends by tying them under or sewing with
a bagging needle and Irvine. mat at
least six by Ave feet can be made In this
way, and it will be found durable enough
to last for long time. The mats can
be made in a short time, and the stalks
can be had in abundance.
The japanese make many ornamental
wicker-work articles with The stems of the
eulalias, and If they are properly dried
in season, they will prove very stiff and
strong For this work they should be cut
in the late fall and dried in the shade
where moisiu re cannot reach them. Or
namental baskets, paper racks and scrap
baskets can be made with the dried
stems.
The best eulalia for this purpose is the
variety mentioned above. This variety
sends up beautiful stems to the hight of
six or seven feet in thee fall with stems
not much larger around than thick straw
The leaves branch out from these solid
stems and widen to about a quarter of an
inch. These long graceful blades are of a
light green with a light midrb running
from top 20 TO 1t m. In late autumn they
produce light pink plume which is the
flower of the plant; and as the frost comes
the stems and leaves turn to a pretty
brown, which hey main ain until spring.
II The stems are cut off in the late fall
new ones shoot up early the next spring.
and another crop as large as the first will
follow.
rha 10cf aV11nF In alt fo
the zebrina. This is a short grass com
pared to the first, but raised in beds and
masses, 1t gives a pretty effect to the lawn
or garden. The pure zebrina has yellow
bars across green blade, but most Of
the specimens seen in gardens are nearly
green This Is due to the fact that The va
ty has tendency to revert back to its
o iginal type. In order to preserve the va
RE gated nature of The plant the roots that
show a plain green foliage must be t. ken
up, and the roots divided which empha-
size the yellow bars. In this way the
plants can be prevented from degenerat-
ing.
The euIalia japonica variegata Is va
riety that greatly resembles the oldfash-
Toned ribbon grass, but Ia is prettier and
taller. The green leaves are brightly va
riegated with white and yellow, which
colors do not disappear as the season adj
vances. but remain on the foliage until
ITOSt Kills ttlG AltnOuRn
In appearance this grass Is quite hardy,
and does not suffer from our severe win
tiers. A pretty method of planting them
Is to surround group of the taller-grow-
ing gracillma with a border of the varie-
gaia. The former lends support and con-
trast to the latter. and the two together
always make an effective ornament. The
variegata is a foot or two shorter in its
full growth than the gracllllma. The two
varieties grow with the greatest freedom.
and require next to no care after being
planted. They can be made 40 flourish
in clumps or in a scattering row, where
each individual stem stands out tall and
straight as reed arrow.
There are infinite uses 10 which these
tall, slender grasses may be put. They
are not as tough as the japanese bamboo.
but for light work they answer almost
the same purpose. We cannot raise the
bamboo In this country. but the eulalias
will flourish, and we might endeavor 70
employ them about the house in useful
and ornamental ways.